Finer Wine Kit Finer Wine Kits

[Rocky]

Sorry if this has been asked already, but it's a long thread. How long can they be frozen in a chest deep freezer? How big is the box? Also, how long is the sale? I'm contemplating the Forte Zin, but I wouldn't be able to get to it until the fall.

You would not have to freeze the box. The juice and the skins are in plastic bags, and they would be frozen. I don't have one in front of me, but I would estimate the juice bag to be about 10"x12"x3" and the skins bags 8"x6"x4," or slightly larger. I think somewhere in this thread there is a 6-month limit on freezing, but I am not sure.

 

[QuiQuog]

I would have to freeze the box, because I lack the fridge space. I have freezer space though.

 

[Mekpdue]

Curious how long ya plan on aging your Forte Bordeaux? Mine's been bulk aging on oak since only late Jan...

Cheers!

I want to take it to bottle before summer. I’m thinking early June. Keep it there for a month, and then see how it goes. I really can’t wait for a full year of aging

 

[joeswine]

Taste it I did it was just fine

 

[Jovimaple]

I would have to freeze the box, because I lack the fridge space. I have freezer space though.

@Rocky meant you don't have to freeze the box - take the juice and skins out of the box and freeze those.

 

[ArizonaWiner]

I just racked, and tried my Bourdeaux style kit, 7 months out. Unbelievable! I can't express how good it is, you have to be there!

Zin is next!

Which Bordeaux style kit was it?

 

[Jovimaple]

Which Bordeaux style kit was it?

This is the Finer Wine Kits thread, @ArizonaWiner. They are only sold at Label Peelers.

 

[QuiQuog]

@Rocky meant you don't have to freeze the box - take the juice and skins out of the box and freeze those.

I know. What I’m saying is that I don’t have spare fridge space to keep the juice in. I would need to freeze it until I can use it.

 

[Jovimaple]

You can freeze them 6-9 months.

@QuiQuog From @Matteo_Lahm himself, earlier in this thread.

 

[Jovimaple]

The kits will always be slushy, even at below zero temperatures. There is so much sugar in the concentrate, it cannot freeze solid. When they leave Label Peelers, they are pulled from a freezer where they are stored at 10 below zero Fahrenheit.

Since we are talking about storing the juice in the freezer, this is also relevant from a few days ago.

 

[G259]

Which Bordeaux style kit was it?

It was the Tavolta. It was good, sweet, so it might not have finished fermenting. I looked later at the descriptions for both Bordeaux's, and they said 'dry', this was not dry!

. . . however, it was good, just a bit sweeter than I expected. I'll take another SG tomorrow, and see what it says. I looked at my notes, and (of course) I can"t tell if it's 1.000 or 1.005, I think it's 1.000, because the previous one was .999 at the beginning of EM, or would that add to the SG? I suppose I could add some acid blend, to offset the sugar, we'll see.

BTW, I like dry wines, so a little sweetness stands out to me.

 

[ArizonaWiner]

It was the Tavolta. It was good, sweet, so it might not have finished fermenting. I looked later at the descriptions for both Bordeaux's, and they said 'dry', this was not dry!

. . . however, it was good, just a bit sweeter than I expected. I'll take another SG tomorrow, and see what it says. I looked at my notes, and (of course) I can"t tell if it's 1.000 or 1.005, I think it's 1.000, because the previous one was .999 at the beginning of EM, or would that add to the SG? I suppose I could add some acid blend, to offset the sugar, we'll see.

BTW, I like dry wines, so a little sweetness stands out to me.

Thanks for the info. I am not a fan of sweet wine, so will pass on that one.

 

[G259]

I looked at the desciption on the LP website, it should be dry, I might have made an error along the way so don't take my experience alone to heart, I'm human. I'll try it again, this Co. has been pretty upfront about a lot of things, I'm going to say that this was MY error.!

A desert wine. I'll name it 'Sweet Expectations'!

. . . but I'll try the acid addition first.

 

[Brant]

Update on my predicament with my last FWK order. LP shipped out the remaining kit ingredients (thank you!). I was able to start the kit tonight. The juice bag smelled great so I'm doubtful that the temperature caused any major issues.

Matteo reached out to me last week and asked me some questions about my experience. I explained what happened. He had LP send out a replacement kit. I explained that he didn't need to do that (as it was not his fault and out of his control) but he said he wanted to anyway. Obviously customer service is very high on his list of priorities. Which is increasingly rare nowadays. Thank you, Matteo, for going above and beyond. Your character and quality of product has made me a customer for life. Keep up the excellent work! Looking forward to making many more FWK.

 

[She’sgonnakillme]

Update on my predicament with my last FWK order. LP shipped out the remaining kit ingredients (thank you!). I was able to start the kit tonight. The juice bag smelled great so I'm doubtful that the temperature caused any major issues.

Matteo reached out to me last week and asked me some questions about my experience. I explained what happened. He had LP send out a replacement kit. I explained that he didn't need to do that (as it was not his fault and out of his control) but he said he wanted to anyway. Obviously customer service is very high on his list of priorities. Which is increasingly rare nowadays. Thank you, Matteo, for going above and beyond. Your character and quality of product has made me a customer for life. Keep up the excellent work! Looking forward to making many more FWK.

Matteo is a wine lover and ambassador to the craft as much as a corporate executive, he will always lean to the side of customer service. Sometimes he is at the mercy of the LP capabilities and their attention to detail. In the end, he makes up for their faults! For that reason, buy FWK's and ferment on!!!

 

[winemaker81]

I would have to freeze the box, because I lack the fridge space. I have freezer space though.

I think you've been informed already, but only the concentrate bag needs to be refrigerated or frozen. The following pictures are of a full bag and after emptying but before rinsing. The other objects in the pictures provide scale.

 

[G259]

FYI the Bordeaux that I tasted was from 'extra' wine that I put in 1L bottles. I was thinking today that it probably was sweet because it didn't get any other additions, after primary and EM. The 5 gal. carboy is probably OK, I haven't added oak yet either (soon). I'm going to say it's Fine(r)!
I use the 1L bottles for top up, if I need to.

 

[Fencepost]

I recently ordered a Finer Wine Kit - Riesling... I started it today and when I went to pour the juice in the pail... there was no seal on the bag. I watched the videos and read the instructions, both of which said there would be a seal under the screw cap... but no seal. I am a little concerned about the integrity of the juice, since it is supposed to be there. I am just happy the screw cap did not leak as I ordered other items from LP and it would have been a mess.
Anyone else notice the missing seal under the screw cap?

 

[Brant]

The Forte Petite Syrah was also missing a seal. It was my first kit so I didn't know. I really hope it wasn't tampered with.

 

[Mekpdue]

there was no seal on the bag

FWK has not been using a seal cap under the top cap for several months (I believe they were having issues sourcing them over the past year). I've made several FWK kits without the inner seal on the juice bag and there have been no issues, and I haven't seen anyone report any issues due to the removal of it. Proceed onward!