WineXpert Making my first Kit.

[jimmyjames23]

Been making grape and juice wine for quite a while and I have decided to try a kit. A friend of mine likes "Apothic Red". I tried it and its an OK wine. Seems to me like a non-wine drinkers wine that claims to be made from "several varietals including Cabernet, Zinfandel and Merlot" but I swear I tasted Grenache My local guy said to try Wine Rxperts Califorina Cabernt. Merly, Zinfandel. Any recommendations?

 

[jimmyjames23]

He recommended the World Vinyard Collection Zinfandel/Shiraz from WE. On sale next month for $65.00 CAD

 

[Tess]

Been making grape and juice wine for quite a while and I have decided to try a kit. A friend of mine likes "Apothic Red". I tried it and its an OK wine. Seems to me like a non-wine drinkers wine that claims to be made from "several varietals including Cabernet, Zinfandel and Merlot" but I swear I tasted Grenache My local guy said to try Wine Rxperts Califorina Cabernt. Merly, Zinfandel. Any recommendations?

Apothic Red, I hate that stuff. Its so thick!! Like syrup. Love the bottle dislike the wine. lol. Im looking for my first kit also. Shopping right now. I want a good dry Red wine I can age for a while. Id like suggestions also

 

[Tess]

anyone try a good Shiraz kit? I could go for that lol

 

[jimmyjames23]

I wasn't too impressed with the Apothic red either. "Where's the heavy oak?" Is what my tongue said.

 

[ScottyB]

I wasn't too impressed with the Apothic red either. "Where's the heavy oak?" Is what my tongue said.

I have the WE Eclipse Lodi Cab going right now. It is in secondary fermentation. All is looking good so far and will be racking and adding more oak this weekend. I plan on bulk aging it. Will let you know how it turns out, but I am happy so far with my first wine kit.

 

[Boatboy24]

What's the budget? I'm thinking the Vineco California North Coast Grand Red (Cab/Syrah/Merlot). A high end kit, but you still get in well south of $6/bottle. And a 2.6L grape pack to boot! I just pitched the yeast on mine last night, so I can't tell you how it is yet.

 

[jimmyjames23]

The "sale" starts next month so I have lots of time to decide. I say "sale" because $68 plus tax for a 5G kit when I'm paying $48 tax in for a 5G bucket does not seem like a "deal" to me.
Ideally I'd would like a South American Style Shiraz with a body like Marilyn Monroe, heavy oak like licking a hardwood staircase and the butteriness you get from a 3 month MLF without the actual MLF and all the time and chromatography. Subtle fruit, plum and vanilla notes would also be ideal.
I can usually achieve this with a juice bucket and alot of work, time and fine tuning.
Am I even being realistic to expect this in a 28 day kit?

 

[Dodie]

Apothic Red

My friends also like the Apothic Red. I find it too sweet myself. So when I tried to make a similar wine, I used a Zinfandel/Shiraz to start. Then of course mine was tart. Instead of using a sweetener conditioner, I could distinctly taste Black Cherry in the sweetness, so I added bottles of Niagara Mist Black Cherry until it hit the same sweetness level as the bottle of Apothic that I was using to compare. Warning...this is very hard on the brewmaster. Taste your wine, taste the bottled wine, tweak. Mix, taste your wine, taste the bottled wine. Took a couple hours, and I am sure my tastebuds were getting impaired! But my friends were happy with the result.

 

[Rocky]

Jimmy, it is my judgement that you are a good wine maker and you know what you are doing. I would strongly advise against a kit that was not at least 16 liters of juice. Further, I would advise against a red wine kit that did not include a substantial grape pack. I am sure you will be disappointed and come away with the wrong impression of how good kits can be.

I suggest that you read through the post on "your top 5 wines." Some great experience there and good information.

 

[jimmyjames23]

Thanks buddy. Will do. I'd hate to make a kit and be disappointed. I have a month to do some kit research.

 

[jimmyjames23]

Looks like the Amarone and Super Tuscan take the lead. What's the top Shiraz kit this season?
Do wine kits even have seasons?

 

[jimmyjames23]

My friends also like the Apothic Red. I find it too sweet myself. So when I tried to make a similar wine, I used a Zinfandel/Shiraz to start. Then of course mine was tart. Instead of using a sweetener conditioner, I could distinctly taste Black Cherry in the sweetness, so I added bottles of Niagara Mist Black Cherry until it hit the same sweetness level as the bottle of Apothic that I was using to compare. Warning...this is very hard on the brewmaster. Taste your wine, taste the bottled wine, tweak. Mix, taste your wine, taste the bottled wine. Took a couple hours, and I am sure my tastebuds were getting impaired! But my friends were happy with the result.

What kit did you use?

 

[SouthernChemist]

Looks like the Amarone and Super Tuscan take the lead. What's the top Shiraz kit this season?
Do wine kits even have seasons?

From what I understand, kit makers (or atleast Winexpert) will blend from year to year so that harvest differences do not affect the final product. Only the Limited Edition/Release/RQ kits are made from one single batch of grapes and are reflective of that year's harvest.

 

[jimmyjames23]

It seems I'm limited to only WineExpert kits. They're the ones going on sale. I priced the Super Tuscan from RJS. I don't think I'm willing to pay $137.00 for 6 gallons on my first kit. That's almost three times what I pay for premium juice buckets. I don't think it could be 3 times as good as a bottle of my 6 month old. But we'll see.

Anyone try the WE Cali Zin. Shiraz? It's on for $68 and at that price I can afford to experiment with a kit.
I can get grape skins (or even grapes for that matter) to "tweak" a little more body into the wine. I can't see buying juice and not tweaking it. The concept seems odd to me.

 

[jimmyjames23]

From what I understand, kit makers (or atleast Winexpert) will blend from year to year so that harvest differences do not affect the final product. Only the Limited Edition/Release/RQ kits are made from one single batch of grapes and are reflective of that year's harvest.

I saw some LE kits from WE at my LHBS. They will be on sale too. Wouldn't mind trying the Italian Nebbiolo with Grape Skins.

 

[wineh]

The "sale" starts next month so I have lots of time to decide. I say "sale" because $68 plus tax for a 5G kit when I'm paying $48 tax in for a 5G bucket does not seem like a "deal" to me.

Could you please tell me where you get 5G buckets of juice for $48.00? Is this fresh juice or a sterile package?

 

[phat]

Ideally I'd would like a South American Style Shiraz with a body like Marilyn Monroe, heavy oak like licking a hardwood staircase and the butteriness you get from a 3 month MLF without the actual MLF and all the time and chromatography. Subtle fruit, plum and vanilla notes would also be ideal.
I can usually achieve this with a juice bucket and alot of work, time and fine tuning.
Am I even being realistic to expect this in a 28 day kit?

In my experience - no, that's not realistic in a 28 day kit.. I'd more or less echo Rocky's advice to you on kits - at least a 16 to 18 litres worth of juice and a grape pack - and those will be relatively expensive kits. If you really like oak, I'd also planning on adding some. I have gotten some good body (and good wines) out of non-grape pack kits (WE Luna Rossa) but that's the exception, not the rule, and they are still pretty much the higher end kits - with a year or more before drinking. YMMV, but I just don't find the kind of body I like in the little kits in a red - white's a different story.

 

[jimmyjames23]

Could you please tell me where you get 5G buckets of juice for $48.00? Is this fresh juice or a sterile package?

Fresh juice at Vin Bon. I live in the Niagara region. There's grapes everywhere.

 

[wineh]

Awesome

I was just poking around the vin bon site (http://www.vinbon.ca/index.php). that's an awesome resource you have there. Of course, all I could find today is a special on Argentine Malbec juice ($90.00 Cdn), as it is Southern hemisphere harvest time. You must have quite a few fermenters and carboys/barrels to accommodate bargains in the fall. I'm surprised you are thinking of making a kit, although you will get an extra 5 bottles.