Other Pinot noir :recommendations

[corinth]

Hi all,
In the past, I have been given some great recommendations for kits such as Cabernet Sauvignion, Chardonnay-which lead me to your great recommendations or viognier and in the midst of it all--the super tuscan which I just received.

So, I am looking for some recommendations for a Pinot Noir. I have been searching the threads and some kits show up more than others but without leading the witness, I only have a couple of requirements:

One is that it be less than $130.00 before shipping
Two: some kits I have read about take a long time to age to their "perfection?"...18- 24 months where people are satisfied with them. I would like 6 months to a year for this batch and save the longer ageing ones for a secondary batch

Other than that, sky is the limit!

I have read people who really like the higher end with grape skins and yet others who were not so inclined.

I thank you.,
Corinth

 

[Brian55]

I've made 5 different pinot kits. Unfortunately only 2 of the 5 are bottled. Those are the WE Selection and the WE Eclipse. The Selection is 19 months old, was ok within 8 or 9 months, and has continued to get better up to this point. Nice wine for the price (currently on sale at LP's) it's comparable to a $6 to $8 commercial pinot. The Eclipse is 16 months old, shows much more potential than the Selection, but definitely needs more time. Plus it's above your $130 limit. I recently made RJ's Winery Series Pinot, it comes with grapeskins and should be a nice step up from the WE Sel. without breaking the budget. The other two are a limited edition that's no longer available and an RJ's En Primeur which would take as long or longer than the Eclipse to properly age.

 

[Kraffty]

Hi Corinth, you might consider the Cellar Craft Sterling kit. $100.00 at morewinemaking.com, ships from central California for free. I haven't done this kit but I'm aging a CC showcase right now and was impressed by everything about it. It's a 10.5 liter kit but has a grape pack too. I'd guess it's good to drink before a year too.
Let us know what you pick.
Mike

 

[corinth]

other Pinot noir recommendations

Hi Kraffty,
I already have that one on my list. is that this one:
http://www.finevinewines.com/Z_SavedOrderSummaryReg.asp I did not want to start this post with some preconceived recommendations but I am not above stating that those of you who mention kits I have seen or read your reviews, adding those with your detail to my own notes.

Brian55: I saw the WE Eclipse($$$) and the WE Selection($$ one of several)I would have to look at my notes but are you the same person who in another post actually made different Pinot's and had several focus groups(friends) give their take on them? Is Pinot Noir one of your favorite wines? I need to look up all the ones you mentioned and make some notes!
I look forward to more feedback as I come up with my own ranking based on what others have stated and the frequency of those recommendations!

thank you,
Corinth

 

[sour_grapes]

Corinth, for whatever reason, FVW's website is hard to make a correct link to. (I have seen many cases on this forum were a link went awry.)

I am pretty sure Kraffty meant this one: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/cellar-craft-calif-rsrv-pinot-noir-12-l-w-crushed-grapes.html

with, of course, the new box, as shown here on Vineco's page:
http://www.vinecowine.com/products/cellar-craft-sterling

 

[Brian55]

Brian55: I saw the WE Eclipse($$$) and the WE Selection($$ one of several)I would have to look at my notes but are you the same person who in another post actually made different Pinot's and had several focus groups(friends) give their take on them? Is Pinot Noir one of your favorite wines? I need to look up all the ones you mentioned and make some notes!
I look forward to more feedback as I come up with my own ranking based on what others have stated and the frequency of those recommendations!

thank you,
Corinth

Another member started that thread regarding the three levels of WE Pinot. I did chime in on it, since I had made and bottled two of the three, plus we do similar blind tastings with friends. While I don't have a constant favorite varietal, I would have to say that Pinot Noir is often near or at the top. I'll be bottling my WE LE Oregon Pinot towards the end of this month. After it's had a couple months to rest in the bottle, We plan to do a blind tasting with that, the Sel. and the Eclipse.

 

[Brian55]

Hi Corinth, you might consider the Cellar Craft Sterling kit. $100.00 at morewinemaking.com, ships from central California for free. I haven't done this kit but I'm aging a CC showcase right now and was impressed by everything about it. It's a 10.5 liter kit but has a grape pack too. I'd guess it's good to drink before a year too.
Let us know what you pick.
Mike

http://morewinemaking.com/products/...collection-california-reserve-pinot-noir.html

 

[ShaunDanz]

I have five different Pinot Noir kits aging at this time. Three of them are high-end kits and are 260 days old. These three show the most promise but I wouldn't consider drinking them for another nine months at the very least.

The other two are low-end kits. A Vinifera Noble (109 days old) and a Vintners Reserve (69 days old). I did a tasting a few days ago and while the Vintners Reserve is younger, it had a lot more body and more promise. I still do not plan on drinking the low-end kits until they are at least a year old.

That being said, when I want an early drinker my go to wine is Beaujolais. I find that they are already tasty at six months.

 

[corinth]

pinot-noir-recommendations-

Hi Brian,
I must admit the Eclipse is very tempting but I do need to set a limit since I just bought the Super Tuscan and a Viognier within the last month.

The celler craft sounds pretty good and is on special on a couple of sites. The wine makers toy store, besides their specials, has a valentines day additional ten dollars off plus their usual 10 daollrs off if you subscribe to their newsletter.

Then there is the "pinot Noir selection original" and winner of the 2008 bronze award.

Then you have "RJ Spagnols Winery Series Australian Pinot Noir Wine Kit" that comes with real Pino Noir garpe skins.

I saw one website where "en Primeur" is still available.

I do not know which one to pick. I would probably do the Eclipse but is out of my price range right now. Cellar craft sounds good for the money and sooner drinkability.

Then I am tempted by any wine that actually comes with real grape skins. Is this always logical...and lastly,

Some are on sale but i need to look at the shipping costs. This is where Kraffty's suggestion of "zero " shipping is inviting!

Sawdust sniffer

 

[Brian55]

Looking back at your original post, you stated that you're looking for something that will be drinkable within 6 to 12 months. If that's an important factor I'd gravitate towards the less expensive kits like the WE Sel Original, RJ's Cru Select, or CC Sterling pinot. Otherwise you're spending extra cash on a product that won't produce any better results in that short of time. The WE and RJ's are both 16L kits with no skins, The CC is 10.5L with 1.5L of skins. Any of those three can be had for a about $100 shipped to your door.

 

[ShaunDanz]

I currently have RJ Spagnols Winery Series Austrailian Pinor Noir, En Primeur Chilean Pinot Noir, and Eclipse Sonoma Valley Pinot Noir all bulk aging. At 261 days old, I wouldn't consider drinking these yet. Drinking them before 18 to 24 months would be a waste of money as they taste very young.

All three have very distinctive flavors, but if I had to choose just one to make again, I would do the Eclipse. It has what I consider to be a traditional nose and flavor of a pinot.

 

[dsm1212]

I bottled the Eclipse sonoma pinot noir about 6 weeks ago and my final bottle was only half full. Uncorked that half full one last night and it's already very good. I had an inexpensive (~$15) purchased Pinot Noir open beside it and 4 of us all thought the kit was better. I only let it sit in the carboy for an extra month so I thought this kit would have to sit a year to come to flavor.

Unfortunately now that we know it's good not many bottles will make it to maturity .

steve

 

[SouthernChemist]

My first kit wine was the WE Selection International NZ Pinot Noir. It changed considerably over several months and really came its own after 18-24 months. I think you will find something similar for the all the other high-end Pinot Noir kits...they really need aging to develop fully. As a side note, it is also worth keeping in mind where the Pinot Noir comes from as it can have a considerable influence on the flavor profile.

 

[terroirdejeroir]

I generally only make the premium kits, but I decided to make the Grand Cru International Pinot Noir from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. I wanted an early drinker and I was intrigued at the idea of a Canadian wine. I made it pretty vanilla, bulk aged it on some french oak and it was delightful. $100 to your door from finevinewines.com. Highly recommended.

 

[heatherd]

I made the British Columbian and the Limited Edition Oregon Pinots. Both are good, and they are very different. The BC is oakier and the Oregon is fruitier. No matter which you make, you have an option there as to whether you want to express the fruit or the oak.