Help finding a kit

[univity]

A friend of mine turned me on to Malbec. I like it because it is nice and rich like a merlot, but it doenst seem to have so much "oaky" flavor to it (I'm far from a wine tasting expert so that may be the wrong way to describe it)
Was having dinner at a wine bar/restaurant and was eating on their patio and it was a warm evening, so I wanted something chilled but not sweet like a lot of whites. I saw they had a "Rose of Malbec". Thought I would give it a shot. Well, since my husband isnt much of a wine drinker, I ended up drinking the whole bottle. That is how I can tell it was really good! I was wondering if anyone knew of any kit flavors like this - or if it is possible to take a regular malbec kit and modify the recipe to make it a "rose"?


I found a link to the wine I drank here..
http://www.enthusiasticspirits.com/r/products/crios-de-susana-balbo-rose-of-malbec-2006?id=bkJc7gxS


As you can see it is inexpensive ...I may just have to order some

 

[nanook37]

You won't be able to take a reb kit and turn it into a Rose - you could add a little Malbec (very little)to a dry reisling - I don't know how that would but a few (very few) roses are a blend of a little red into white wine.


I personally love a dry rose this time of year and I just found that Winexpert is going to make a limited Spanish Rose this summer. It is going to be Tempranillo and other grapes instead of Malbec but it probably going to be the best dry rose availible in kit form.


You other option would be to start making wine from grapes and make your own (nor as hard as it sounds...)

 

[JimCook]

Building on what nanook stated...


WineMaker magazine recently posted some information about makinga rose. Since a traditional rose is made by providing the juice of a grape with limited skin contact (small amount of extraction yields high red fruit characteristics) and since kits are coming with juice that has already had skin contact, you could attempt to blend red results with whites. In the professional winemaking arena, this is viewed as unacceptable, but for the home winemaker, it's a worthy attempt. I'll see if I can find the base whites that were used.


One other option is to play with some commercial wines to make your own rose concoction. White Rhone blends may be a good place to start.


Hope that helps,


- Jim

 

[univity]

I think I remember seeing that article, you wouldn't happen to remember the issue would you? I think I have the last couple of them still on hand, but it doesnt seem to be jumping out at me.


So are you suggesting I should grab a bottle of Malbec and a few whites and just make a few glasses of a concoction and see what tastes good? Now THAT sounds like fun!


nanook - I grew up on a farm and now live in the burbs so I would loooove to grow my own, but I know what it is like to have your life revolve around crops! I was thinking of getting some juice this fall around havest time to have a go at some from scratch grape wine, but I'm still waiting on my first few attempts at fruit wine to complete before I go the next level. For now I am sticking with kits - pretty hard to mess those up while I get my skills and knowledge up to par.


There are so many things I want to try!Edited by: univity

 

[JimCook]

Univity,


I just moved, so my stuff is still in disarray - I found feb-march and april-may, but didn't see the article in there, so I'll have to dig some more. I'm pretty sure it was just a little 'side' article.


Actually, the blending of commercial reds and whites is exactly what I was saying - why not get a feel for what works and what doesn't, and then work with kits and/or commercial wine from there. Nothing wrong with getting to play mad scientist and drink the results, right? Just remember to take notes on amounts blended.


- Jim