RJ Spagnols Cru Select Valpolicella Ripassa w/ Mi-Pac

[Wade E]

Okay, now that Im into the reds I have to get some good 1's going so I dont have to buy so many commercial 1's. Wish I had seen this coming so that I could have started some more reds earlier. So I ordered the said kit above locally and next will be an Amarone from George. I guess that will be followed by a Super Tuscan.

 

[Dean]

That kit is awesome!!!! I had a taste at my local HBS (which is a no-no out here) and I ordered one on the spot. It tasted so close to a commercial Valpolicella that I was blown away. Mine has just been stabilized and will sit for a good long while in the carboy.

 

[Wade E]

$75 beans well spent then!

 

[Wade E]

Started this puppy this afternoon. It came with a 250 g winery grape
skin pack and 4 packages of oak, 2 were chips and 2 were infusion bags.
All this stuff goes into the primary with the yeast. Its gonna be fun
getting all this stuff out before racking. Ill use a small strainer as
this is what Ive seen posted by others.

 

[Steve]

Heron Bay is going to start sellingfreeze driedpackets (250 grams each)mid October.


Maybe Georgewill look intocarrying them.

 

[jobe05]

You don't put those dried grapes in a straining bag?

I think they'll infuse better just floating in there, but it sure would be easier in a straining bag............... Maybe with a few marbles to weigh it down. Looks interesting.

 

[Wade E]

It came with a cheese cloth looking straining bag but recommends for better color abd tannin extraction to just throw it in

 

[Wade E]

Well I know its only been 1 1/2 days but every kit Ive ever done started in at most 12 hours and this 1 hadnt started in 27 so I said screw it and threw in a package of Red Star Premier Cuvee and 4 hours later its perking away. I bet that package was part of that bad batch that was going around earlier this year with the Lalvin yeast. I remember a few people having trouble with this earlier.

 

[Wade E]

Racked and fined this batch today and I hope this 1 is awesome as with
all the oak and grape skins in it, it was a real mess. I used the small
strainer to get all floaties out but there was a layer abut 2 1/2"
thick off skins and oak chips on the bottom. It tastes really good now,
not as good as the Chilean Malbec though. Must say that this is the
darkest batch Ive ever done though as it was like ink going down the
hose.

 

[summersolstice]

Wade, that kit caught my eye and I've been considering it as well. As for the grape pack, the grapes are dried, correct? It looks like some stems in there as well. Are there? This isn't at all like the gooey, jammy grape packs that Cellar Craft prefers.

 

[Wade E]

Dried grapes with skins and stems, 4 packages of oak. Starting SG was 1.1 and ended at 0.992 so nice and dry and with high abv.

 

[jeffhigdon]

Heron Bay does sell dried grape skins wholesale. You have to find a retailer to order from. It doesn't look like George carries them (yet). I order a few packs today ($7.29 each) to play around with.

 

[Wade E]

I am hoping the other companies will jump on this band wagon and start selling them also.

 

[Wade E]

Im opened my first bottle tonight to see how it is progressing since bottling on 12-26 only to find out that it is AWESOME! Wow, I will be making this kit again and keep it stocked up. I cant believe how good this is this early in the game. Its gonna be hard to keep my hands off it, but like I said, Ill be making another batch soon, right after the Super Tuscan, Rosso Grande Excellente, and the Amarone.

 

[Dean]

Wait until you try that supertuscan after a year of aging! But I agree, this is one good, and quite complex wine. I was surprised at the complexity of this one.

 

[grapeman]

You guys have got to stop reminding me of the Supertuscan I have squirreled away. At a year and a half in the bottle, I am amazed at how it improves with each bottle opened. Keeps making me want to pop another open too soon! Those others all sound sooo good too.

 

[Wade E]

Just opened a bottle of this with over a year on it now and WOW! This is second to the Amarone now!