WineXpert Red Wine Recommendations

[derunner]

I have been concentrating on white wines, but am now going to start making some red kit wines. Wine Expert and RJS kits are easy for me to get, but i can mail order others if you have recommendations.

I have a tenative list and am thinking I want to add a Pinot Noir, chianti, and cabarnet frank to the the list. Feel free to comment on my current list and offer any other recommendations for these 3 varieties.

If there are any decent cheaper priced red kits, I'm interested, But it seems a lot of people are not happy with the value line for reds.

Current list I am thinking of

CC Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel
WE Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel
RJS California Old Vine Zinfindel
RJS' Winery Series Super Tuscan.
WE Napa Valley Stag Leap District Merlot
RJS Winery Series Chilean Malbec
WE Selection International Spanish Tempranillo

 

[roger80465]

derunner, you have listed a who's who of wine kits and I suspect you will be happy with any and all of them. We appear to share a love of old vine zins. As for a lower price red, I have been very pleased with WE Mezza Luna Red. Certainly it is lighter than those you have listed, however it is quite nice as a daily drinker. For my taste, it may well be the best wineI have ever tasted with a red sauce. I am enjoying a short glass as I write this. Most certainly worth the time, cost and effort.

 

[derunner]

derunner, you have listed a who's who of wine kits and I suspect you will be happy with any and all of them. We appear to share a love of old vine zins. As for a lower price red, I have been very pleased with WE Mezza Luna Red. Certainly it is lighter than those you have listed, however it is quite nice as a daily drinker. For my taste, it may well be the best wineI have ever tasted with a red sauce. I am enjoying a short glass as I write this. Most certainly worth the time, cost and effort.

Thanks Rodger. I had picked the WE Mezza Luna Red on a sale a couple weeks ago and just pitched it yesterday. So I'm happy to hear this value kit is a good buy.

 

[Longtrain]

I made the WE Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel in Sept 2011, it's very good. I confess, I have been pulling bottles for special dinners or guests and am down to about 10 or so. I plan to keep them for at least another year or so (if I can).

Knowing what I know now, it needs at least two years or more to come into its own. But, it has been really good so far.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Amarone, you won't be disappointed! Big bold Italian Red, full body, nice heavy mouth feel and long lasting.

 

[TonyP]

You've listed several good options. My suggestion is the RJS Super Tuscan, which I consider to be the best kit for the money on the market. I also like the idea of making something (Super Tuscan) I can't get readily at my local wine shop.

In terms of something not on your list, I noticed there is no Amarone. If this is something you'd consider, the RJS Winery Series Amarone is a good option.

Tony P.

 

[derunner]

Thanks Pumpkinman and TonyP. That 2 votes for Amarone. I don't think I've ever drank that, but I see it mentioned a lot here. I need to convince my wine store to include that in their tastings or buy a bottle.

I have a pretty full list, but I want to make all of these and a few more reds so some get a chance to age well before consuming them all

I see a lot of Pinot Noir kits from WE and RJS. Does anyone have a recomendations? And also for Chianti? Are these wines where a value kit or middle of the road kit might work out well? Or would I be disappointed.

Thanks, Pat

 

[derunner]

I made the WE Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel in Sept 2011, it's very good. I confess, I have been pulling bottles for special dinners or guests and am down to about 10 or so. I plan to keep them for at least another year or so (if I can).

Knowing what I know now, it needs at least two years or more to come into its own. But, it has been really good so far.

Thanks, this will probably be one of the first reds I make. Did you bulk age before bottling?

 

[Longtrain]

Did you bulk age before bottling?

Yes, but only for 6 months, tasted the first bottle about a month later (couldn't wait, acute case of a disease called "wine impatience"). It was good so, bottle by bottle went. When it hit a year, I realized I screwed up and should have waited longer. This was my first higher end kit, so I had nothing but 10 liter kits to judge by at that point.

Tony

 

[derunner]

Yes, but only for 6 months, tasted the first bottle about a month later (couldn't wait, acute case of a disease called "wine impatience"). It was good so, bottle by bottle went. When it hit a year, I realized I screwed up and should have waited longer. This was my first higher end kit, so I had nothing but 10 liter kits to judge by at that point.

Tony

I was also thinking 6 months. And if I make 3 Zin kits, i should be able to let them age out if I start at 1 test bottle per month.

 

[MrKevin]

The Stags Leap Merlot is very good and so is the RJS Chilean Malbec, RJS Super Tuscan is superb.
These are the three I would vote for.

Kevin

 

[derunner]

The Stags Leap Merlot is very good and so is the RJS Chilean Malbec, RJS Super Tuscan is superb.
These are the three I would vote for.

Kevin

Thanks Kevin, I have been paying attention to what people say they like so most of the list are some of the most popular choices that people comment on. I also want to get a few lighter reds in varieties my wife likes.

So if any one has tried and like a Pinot Noir, Chianti, or Cabarnet Frank or nice red table wine. Let me know. I can't make all of these at once, but It does look like I'm developing a 6-12 month plan I can now age several batches at a time.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Chianti is a great wine, it is a tried and true favorite.
I tried Cabernet franc for the first time this past weekend, I have to admit that it isn't my type of wine, it has very Cabernet Franc is light to medium-bodied and often shows vegetal characteristics, in particular green bell peppers. that stood out in front and just wasn't to my pallet.
I think that you really need to decide whether you prefer Lighter wines, or big bold wines.
I prefer a big bold red with a real heavy body and mouth feel that lasts a bit longer, so that is what I tend to gravitate towards, however they have their place, Chianti is almost a fail safe for dinner.
I do enjoy lighter reds as well, such as Pinot Noir, you really can't go wrong at a party of get together if you bust out a bottle of Pinot Noir.
Chianti is almost a fail safe for dinner, I don't know of anyone who hasn't at least tried a Chianti.

 

[Longtrain]

So many wines, oh my! My daughter asked me the other night what was my favorite wine, (fishing for Christmas, I suspect), so I said a good Cab, no, a huge Red Zin, no, a chewy Syrah, and so it goes...I like them all.

I have made dozens of kits and Country wines, some short timers, some that need aging. But, I finally came around to making several in a short span of time and have learned to age them more. When you have lots in que and something to drink its easier to wait. Next summer-fall I should be swimming in available wines.

My HBWS suggests making 1 a month, which
is a good idea, once you get a year in, having wine to drink is a walk in the park and you're not dipping into stuff that needs aging.

 

[derunner]

I asked my lhbs for a recommendation and they said they get people repeating the WE Vintner reserve chianti so I may try this value kit. for a Pinot Noir, they said i probably need to get a better kit to get good pinot noir flavor.

 

[Longtrain]

Search around for enhancing value level kits, tweaking as they say. You can add bananas, raisins and tannins, etc. that can make a value kit with more body, mouth feel and finish.

Over the summer I used battonage to help out a RJS Grand Cru Chardonnay, that is stirring up the lees every 3 or 4 days for a month or so, to enhance the mouth feel and IMO the smoothness of the wine. Its really quite good. You can't use battonage on reds though.

You may want to read and evaluate these tweaks before putting them into play, all in all, most have worked well for me so far.

 

[kevinlfifer]

I made both the WE LODI Old vines and the RJS Super Tuscan in Mar 2011. Hands down the Suoer tuscan is the better of the two.

MY cheap Paklab red zin with Sun country Zin conc and skins added, bottled in Oct 12, drinks about the same as the WE Old Vine Zin already at 1/2 the price ($65 total)

AS far as Pinots go I did the WE World Cal Pinot, bottled Dec 2011, aged it with a cup of med roast oak chips for 4 wks after clearing. Only 4 bottles left. It is a very smooth drink.

 

[derunner]

I made both the WE LODI Old vines and the RJS Super Tuscan in Mar 2011. Hands down the Suoer tuscan is the better of the two.

MY cheap Paklab red zin with Sun country Zin conc and skins added, bottled in Oct 12, drinks about the same as the WE Old Vine Zin already at 1/2 the price ($65 total)

AS far as Pinots go I did the WE World Cal Pinot, bottled Dec 2011, aged it with a cup of med roast oak chips for 4 wks after clearing. Only 4 bottles left. It is a very smooth drink.

Thanks Kevin, I was debating which WE Pinot Noir to get. There were a couple and this is one of them at almost identical prices so I'll go with this one.

Thanks

 

[Grasshopper]

WE Chilean Pinot Noir

I pitched the WE Chilean Pinot Noir in June (my first wine kit) and bottled it at the beginning of November. So far, I am less than impressed with it. There is a lot of what I assume everyone is calling kit taste in it, considerably more than in a WE Chateau du Roi that was my second kit which I bottled at the same time. The CdR is drinkable now and should improve. The PN is not drinkable. It likely will get better but is a disappointment as I specifically requested an early drinker from my LHBS. (I guess it is possible that it could be related to my technique given it was my first but I don't want to go there )

 

[tonyt]

I also want to get a few lighter reds in varieties my wife likes.
.

I have made the RJS Cru Select Valpolicella a few times. Its my go to lighter red. Its great for blending too.