I have been primarily making the Cellar Classic Winery Series and En Primeurs with thses grape skin kits and as of now have not come close to being sorry about any one of these. I have also made the few Cru Select that have these skins and they too are awesome. I have made every Winery Series with the exception of the Amarone and Valpolicella and Merlot only because I made the EP Amarone, the Cru Select Valpol, and the Cru Select Tannat Merlot. Everyone of these kits is top notch IMO. The main reason I make these is that I have a LHBS very close to me who gets these kits for me dirt cheap. She is a little ole lady that probably just does this business to keep herself busy as there is no way she can be making mush off these at the prices I get them for.
RJ Spagnols Grape skin kits
- Thread starter Wade E
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That is awesome that you can get them dirt cheap! I think they are about $140.00 Canadian in my town.
I recently tried the Kenridge series GSM with grape skins - haven't bottled yet but looking forward to seeing how it turns out. I plan on aging at least 18 months too.
I recently tried the Kenridge series GSM with grape skins - haven't bottled yet but looking forward to seeing how it turns out. I plan on aging at least 18 months too.
I just bottled a batch of Kenridge Valpolicella this weekend. The final bottle ended up half-full so I tasted it. Very very good for such a young wine! I can only imagine after a few months of aging.
I just had a little sip of the Cru Select Australian Bush Vine Grenache. It came with grape skins. I started it March 23/09.
It's been aging in the carboy with the 2 Oak staves in the wine. It's still obviously young tasting - but very good! A bit more than a hint of oak at the beginning which disappears and then prunes, black cherry and something else.
I'm planning on blending this with a KenRidge GSM (which also came with skins - better packaged too, in my opinion - easier to deal with) to make a ten gallon wine that I'll bottle.
They will be blended and then further aged in carboys. I just haven't decided when to blend them!
It's been aging in the carboy with the 2 Oak staves in the wine. It's still obviously young tasting - but very good! A bit more than a hint of oak at the beginning which disappears and then prunes, black cherry and something else.
I'm planning on blending this with a KenRidge GSM (which also came with skins - better packaged too, in my opinion - easier to deal with) to make a ten gallon wine that I'll bottle.
They will be blended and then further aged in carboys. I just haven't decided when to blend them!
Chateau Joe
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I just made a Cru Select Borolo with skins and it was nothing less than fantastic! I don't foresee this one getting a lot of age. Its just too good. 
cpfan
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I didn't think that the Cru Select Barolo came with skins. Is this a new upgrade?I just made a Cru Select Borolo with skins and it was nothing less than fantastic! I don't foresee this one getting a lot of age. Its just too good.
Or do you mean the Grand Cru International??
Steve
Chateau Joe
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Yes it was an International. 
I'm glad I came across this thread. I didn't realize the other companies made grape skin packs until I was just at my local store. I think I'm going to order the Washington Merlot Cellar Classic. I'm pretty excited. It will be perfect for next spring.
skiboarder72
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Alright wade... you talked me into ordering an EP Amarone today... please tell me I won't be disappointed!
Good Lord no, that kit comes with grape skins and raisins, you will want to cold stabilize it or youll have wine diamonds in there from the high quality of this kit. I still have about 12 bottles of this wine and its still getting better after almost 3 years. If you give this wine its proper time and dont like it Ill buy it off you!
skiboarder72
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Started the EP amarone! I'm so excited! 
Hi Ian,
how is your Kenridge GSM?
I'm planning to buy one here in Calgary - 118 CAD.
Jerry
Repsolal
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Just started another Australian Cab Sauv with grapeskins, tough to beat these kits for $60cdn. I only have a couple of bottles left from the last batch 1 1/2 yrs ago. I have an empty 1/2 sized carboy that i bought for making port so im going to bulk age half in that and bottle the rest when its ready......... hoping to
get a couple of years aging. I have been slacking off for most of the summer, until the wife pointed out all the empty spaces on the rack in the cellar !
along with all the empty carboys ! So I spent most of a rainy Saturday starting batches. Strawberry, Peach, redcurrant, Aus Cab sauv, chardonnay, and picking up Calypso Bianco, acai raspberry, Pinot noir and Liebfraumilch
next week, which should fill every available carboy.
My wife really enjoys the Orchard breezin kits, I add 1/2 the F-pak upfront and sugar to 1.09 which makes a very nice wine with just a hint of fruit flavour and they are always good early drinkers, which will allow the other whites more time to age and free's up carboys quickly.
.... I just noticed that there are quite a few 1.5L bottles hidden way up on the top shelf, out of sight and out of reach............. and what a nice suprise !!!
nicely aged quality reds that I had forgotten about !! Aus cab and Aus shiraz
get a couple of years aging. I have been slacking off for most of the summer, until the wife pointed out all the empty spaces on the rack in the cellar !
along with all the empty carboys ! So I spent most of a rainy Saturday starting batches. Strawberry, Peach, redcurrant, Aus Cab sauv, chardonnay, and picking up Calypso Bianco, acai raspberry, Pinot noir and Liebfraumilch
next week, which should fill every available carboy.
My wife really enjoys the Orchard breezin kits, I add 1/2 the F-pak upfront and sugar to 1.09 which makes a very nice wine with just a hint of fruit flavour and they are always good early drinkers, which will allow the other whites more time to age and free's up carboys quickly.
.... I just noticed that there are quite a few 1.5L bottles hidden way up on the top shelf, out of sight and out of reach............. and what a nice suprise !!!
nicely aged quality reds that I had forgotten about !! Aus cab and Aus shiraz
Repsolal
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I just checked the site and dont see an EP amarone listed just CC ?
The best red I have may up the price & quality scale so far has been
the Grand Cru int Aus Cab Sauv with wine skins and it was excellent and I have another batch fermenting right now. I am now considering going higher up the ladder and looking at the CC Amarone ? would it be a good choice ?
and is the extra $$ worth it ? I think i paid $60cdn for the Aus Cab Sauv
and think it was excellent value.
The best red I have may up the price & quality scale so far has been
the Grand Cru int Aus Cab Sauv with wine skins and it was excellent and I have another batch fermenting right now. I am now considering going higher up the ladder and looking at the CC Amarone ? would it be a good choice ?
and is the extra $$ worth it ? I think i paid $60cdn for the Aus Cab Sauv
and think it was excellent value.
Not sure what site you are taking about but if its FineVineWines the link is below
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDet.asp?PartNumber=EP6
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDet.asp?PartNumber=EP6
Repsolal
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