Cellar Craft Limited Edition kits

[Rocky]

Just wondering if anyone has ordered or is considering ordering any of the limited edition kits. I have pre-ordered three of the Cellar Craft (Kenridge from Vineco) Sangiovese-Cabernet Sauvignon kits and they will be delivered in March 2013.

I have not heard of any deterioration in the quality of the CC Showcase since Vineco bought the company. Has anyone else?

Thank you.

 

[ibglowin]

I posted a thread earlier about this topic. Not all that impressed with the reds or the whites!

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f84/lr-kits-2013-a-34349/

 

[Rocky]

I must have missed that post, Mike! Not very encouraging but I have already ordered and payed for the kits with George and to me, "a card laid is a card played." I will just have to try to do the best I can with the Sangiovese-Cabernet Sauvignon. I am not totally discouraged and the wine will certainly be drinkable, prehaps not great as other limited editions were.

Ironically, I have an 18 gallon batch of Sangiovese (66%)/Cabernet Sauvignon (34%) going right now that I made from juice buckets. I added 2 ea 2.5 Kg bags of Cabernet Sauvignon grape skins/juice to that batch and it seems like it is going to be very nice.

Live and learn. One would think I should know everything by now!

 

[ibglowin]

I was looking forward to the whites for sure as that is about all I do kit wise these days but the whites are all not very compelling like last years were.

 

[deboard]

High Gravity sent an email today saying:
[FONT=&quot]"This kit replaces the Cellar Craft Showcase Limited Editions due to a company merger."

I haven't ordered any yet, but are the Kenridge kits any good?

https://www.highgravitybrew.com/productcart/pc/KenRidge-Limited-Release-Collection-c198.htm

I know they are expensive!

I'm concerned that Cellar Craft will just be replaced by Kenridge altogether. Even if they are the same quality, it still means there would be less competition out there.

[/FONT]

 

[Rocky]

Deboard, I will let everyong know next year. For me the "toothpaste is out of the tube" and I have already ordered and paid for my kits. So now it is a case of make the right decision or make the decision right. I doubt that Kenridge could have done anything to significantly lessen the Cellar Craft Showcase line in so short a period of time. I have also heard good things about Kenridge products on their own.

 

[robie]

Didn't they already have the Kenridge line of kits before they bought Cellar Craft? If so, why would we think the Kenridge will be any different than before or anything like the true Cellar Craft line was? Cellar Craft was very much the best line of kits available, especially those that were made from Washington State grapes.

Not trying to be critical, just wondering what really happened to the Cellar Craft as we knew it. Kenridge before; Kenridge now.

 

[rjb222]

Didn't they already have the Kenridge line of kits before they bought Cellar Craft? If so, why would we think the Kenridge will be any different than before or anything like the true Cellar Craft line was? Cellar Craft was very much the best line of kits available, especially those that were made from Washington State grapes.

Not trying to be critical, just wondering what really happened to the Cellar Craft as we knew it. Kenridge before; Kenridge now.

They were bought out from Nestle' Foods by Wine Expert Wine Expert now owns Their own brand Wine Expert, Vineco,Cellar Craft, and one more of the kit manufacturers but their name has slipped my mind for some reason. CPFan used to deal for them before vineco.Each of these companies is owned by Andre' Pelter wines. I can not speak to their quality of product since they were bought out but there have been many changes with in the industry especially in the last two years.

 

[robie]

They were bought out from Nestle' Foods by Wine Expert Wine Expert now owns Their own brand Wine Expert, Vineco,Cellar Craft, and one more of the kit manufacturers but their name has slipped my mind for some reason. CPFan used to deal for them before vineco.Each of these companies is owned by Andre' Pelter wines. I can not speak to their quality of product since they were bought out but there have been many changes with in the industry especially in the last two years.

So you are saying WineXpert and Vineco are owned by the same corporation?

 

[cpfan]

So you are saying WineXpert and Vineco are owned by the same corporation?

Yes Robie...Peller wines owns Global Vintners which owns Winexpert, Vineco, Wine Kitz, Cellar Craft, Artful Winemaker, and may also make kits under other names.

In the case of the Ken Ridge 2013 Limited Editions, from reading the descriptions, two of the reds look like a Cellar Craft LE, that's the California North Coast Grand Red and the Italy Sangiovese Cabernet Sauvignon. Both have the 2.6L Super Pack. If I recall correctly, the Ken Ridge LEs have not had grape packs in the past.

Very few people on here have tried the Ken Ridge Founders Series kits (I haven't either), so I don't know how the KRFS kits rate compared to the Cellar Craft Showcase kits.

In 2007, I made three Amarones. I really need to do a good taste comparison of that trio sometime soon. Initially, I preferred the Ken Ridge Showcase to the Cellar Craft Showcase.

As robie already pointed out, one of the disappointing things is the lack of Washington State kits.

Steve

 

[deboard]

The grape skin kits do look like CC kits, but I don't like the way the prices are going. Hopefully just an expensive year and not the shape of things to come!

I'd probably only take a look at the Italian Sangiovese Cab or the California North Coast, but really at the price I could get two good kits for a little more than just one of those. Maybe Luna Rossa and the WE Tempranillo w/ skins and I'm looking at around 250 on high gravity.

 

[ibglowin]

High Gravity sure has HIGH prices! Am I missing something?

They have two of the Kenridge LR kits priced at $199!!!!!!!

FVW has the same kits priced at $144 and $112.........

Wondering what's up?

 

[deboard]

That is a big difference, I checked a couple other kits and the prices are a lot closer, with HG still a little higher. Usually by the time you add shipping HG is cheaper, but probably not with these limited editions. Good thing I don't want them.

 

[wookey]

Guys, you surely would not want to know how much they are priced in the UK. Although, I must admit that $199 is a lot even for the UK.

Wookey

 

[ibglowin]

Perhaps if you weren't so proud of that bloody £ (pound) !!!!

 

[deboard]

That is a big difference, I checked a couple other kits and the prices are a lot closer, with HG still a little higher. Usually by the time you add shipping HG is cheaper, but probably not with these limited editions. Good thing I don't want them.

Hate to quote myself, but at the moment what I said above is definitely wrong. FWV has 9.99 shipping per kit when I checked today, which is nice. It says that's for september, but obviously we're past that. Anyone know how long FWV is keeping that shipping around? Last time I checked it was 3-4x that per kit. That's one of the reasons I like HG, with 9.99 flat rate shipping on orders. But FWV has a nice kit selection, and with prices and shipping like I saw today, I may have to make an order there soon!

 

[ibglowin]

They have had that for the last few months now. I suspect it will be around indefinitely. George likes to be competitive and if they other guys are offering $9.99 shipping he will as well. Always make sure to check the price out the door with shipping needless to say.

 

[tatenunley]

In the newsletter that just came out, FVW mentioned the following promotion. It looks like the $9.99 shipping will remain good for the limited edition kits.

------------------------------
Due to the late release of the Meglioli's, we have extended our cut-off date for this years special to November 11, 2012. All kits ordered prior to that date will earn you you a gift certificate of $10.00 per kit. Order 3 kits before the cut-off date get a $30.00 gift certificate, order 5 get $50.00, etc. The certificates will be emailed in April 2013, after the last of the kits have been shipped. The certificates will be good until December 2013 and will be available to be used for any of our products.

In addition, all of these kits also qualify for our $9.99 per box shipping.

 

[roger80465]

George has said the 9.99 shipping will continue through the end of the year at least.

 

[wookey]

At least shipment here is 4.95 or free for orders above 50-70 pounds.

Wookey