WineXpert combining 2 10 lt kits into one batch

[Kayakdave]

My wife recently bought me a 10 lt vintners reserve pinot noir kit for my birthday. My only experience making wine was with a 15 lt kit a few years ago, and thought the wine was somewhat weak in character and flavor so I am worried that this 10 lt kit will be the worse. Is it possible to buy a second 10 lt kit and combine the two into 1 - 6gallon batch of wine?
would this be a luxurious wine or "maddog"? and what of the two batches of additives would I add and/or leave out of the batch?
Is there anything else i could do to improve on this kit?

 

[Bartman]

This would be a mistake. The concentrates are designed to make 23 L/6 gallons total, not ~12 L/3 gal total. I have limited the water addition to 20L before, but wouldn't reduce it further. I had a sample of a finished kit wine that was near or under 18L total (instead of 23L), and it tasted syrupy and strange.

"Thinness" is the usual knock against wine kits, but there are a number of things you can do to counter that issue. Adding banana at the initial fermentation, using anf-pack of concentrated juice/grapes, raisins, and some commercial products (like Tan-cru) are all possible remedies discussed elsewhere on this forum. You might search for "thinness" or "watery" under "Search" at the top.
By the way, welcome to the forum!

 

[grapeman]

You could also buy one or two of the new Cellar Craft grape backs from the online store here. That would add body and flavor to your wine. Don't double the concentrates kits, that would mess up the balance.

 

[MN-winer]

I've done that kit and it is thin. Can you return it and step up to a better quality kit?

 

[v1rotate]

Welcome to the forum, Dave. I have also made this kit. It was pretty thin, but then I didn't give it enough time to reach it's potential. Here are some tips:

Don't top up with any water. Red wine only.

Spend lots of time degassing. LOTS of time.

Spread the steps out some. Stabilize at 14 days, then let it sit for 2 months before bottling.

Don't drink the majority of the bottles until 18 months. This is the hardest part, but the wine improves unbelievably by then.

I say make the kit. It was a birthday present. Just don't judge it until it matures.

 

[Wade E]

I think appleman nailed what I would do and maybe even 2 grape packs per kit. This would do really what you wanted for cheaper and give you twice as much, Id probably add 1 or 2 packs to each kit and also get some Grand Cru tannins and use that also and I bet youd be pretty close to the equivalent of a high end kit at that pint! Below is a link to the gape packs that are now offered and also the tannin I speak of.
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdCC12GP.asp
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=015430A

 

[Kayakdave]

thanks everyone! I thought something didn't sound right with my idea.


Appleman and WadeI really appreciate the specifics to the products I should use. my last question then would be when do i add the grape packs and/or tannins? before I pitch the yeast? and any idea where my SG should go to with this addition? the kit as is is supposed to be around 1.085.

 

[ASAI]

Waldo, Is combining 2 kits in one 6 gallon batch not what you did in the Get Er Done thread?

 

[grapeman]

Since they are such a new product, I can't give that answer but they are said to not raise the sugar levels a lot. It will raise the ABV a bit, but not sure by how much. I would get it, put it in a bag so they can be dunked easily and removed easily later. I would add at the beginning so the sugars can begin to leach into the must from the start.


Good luck with it and let us know how it turns out. You could always call Linda and see if she would exchange it for you if you got it there. See you soon.

 

[ibglowin]

One of those kits was a true port (3gal) and the other was an Orchard Breezin (1.5gal) kit. He was trying to make a funky port of sorts so only added a little water to bring it up to ~6 gallons.

Waldo, Is combining 2 kits in one 6 gallon batch not what you did in the Get Er Done thread?

 

[Wade E]

The grape pack or packs would go right in the beginning and you can use a fermenting bag of some sorts or let them free float in there. These are from Cellar Craft and are not a new product, just new to being sold separately. If you do use the grape pack I also suggest you use enzyme with it as the Cellar Craft kits do come with now. The tannin product I spoke of is added a few weeks before bottling and done t taste.