RJ Spagnols RJ Spagnols Winery Series Chilean Carmenere

[TemperanceOwl]

Has anyone made the RJS Winery Series Carmenere kit or the WE Carmenere? How did they turn out?

My first kit is the WE Mezza Luna Red, and is still in the carboy. I'm getting ready to order my second one. I'd like to step it up a bit into a kit with skins, and the commercial Carmenere I've had was really good, so I think I'll try one of those.
WE has a Carmenere in their Selection series (6 week kit, 16L juice) without skins, and the RJS one includes 18 L juice and skins (also a 6 week kit? Maybe 8.).

I'm still learning about the different makers and brands. Is the RJS Cellar Classic Winery Series a step up from the WE Selection Series, or are they about equivalent? Even though this particular WE kit doesn't include skins, it looks like others in that line do.

Thanks!!

 

[ColemanM]

I have made the WE version. I added 2 pounds of raisins in the primary and fermented dry in about 11 days. It turned out much better than the mezaluna red. Anise and earth are the description I would give it. If this is your second kit, I would go for the RJS just for the fact it has more juice and skins. Not a bad wine though.

 

[TemperanceOwl]

Thanks, Coleman. I think that's the answer I was hoping for!

 

[TemperanceOwl]

When you add raisins, do you just buy a box of regular SunMaid ones, or is there a special kind?

 

[ColemanM]

This one I did use sunmaid but since then I have gone to whole foods and bought Zante currants. I think the currants work better.

 

[sideways2]

I've made the WE one as well...only mine was done stock...love it!! Will be a regular on the rack!!

 

[Brian55]

If the price difference isn't too drastic, I'd go with the winery series. It's definitely a step up from the WE Selection Series. It's more comparable to WE SI with skins or WE Eclipse series.

 

[TemperanceOwl]

Hi, Sideways. What do you mean that yours was "done stock"?
Brian, I'm going to check with my local store and see what his price difference is, and how it compares to his Eclipse prices. I'll let y'all know which one I get.

 

[Putterrr]

Made the RJS WS and we enjoyed every last bottle. It was actually my first grape skin kit I ever purchased and now thats all I do. Give it 18 months if you can and you will be rewarded even more

cheers

 

[sour_grapes]

Hi, Sideways. What do you mean that yours was "done stock"?
Brian, I'm going to check with my local store and see what his price difference is, and how it compares to his Eclipse prices. I'll let y'all know which one I get.

I am not sideways, but I am pretty sure he means that he or she did not deviate from that instructions, that is, no significant tweaks (like the raisins cited above).

 

[sideways2]

Yup...so right...just by instruction with whatever was included...much better than my cheap go to commercial PKNT

Dave

 

[TemperanceOwl]

I decided just after this thread that I would go ahead and order the RJS. Can you believe it STILL hasn't arrived at my LHBS?? I was ready to start it over two weeks ago, but a week ago would have been ok. Now I can't do anything until after Thanksgiving. So, I think I'm going to give up on the local place and order it online.
Anyway, that's the one I've decided to try, if I can ever get it here!

 

[heatherd]

I decided just after this thread that I would go ahead and order the RJS. Can you believe it STILL hasn't arrived at my LHBS?? I was ready to start it over two weeks ago, but a week ago would have been ok. Now I can't do anything until after Thanksgiving. So, I think I'm going to give up on the local place and order it online.
Anyway, that's the one I've decided to try, if I can ever get it here!

There are forum supporters who surely have this kit. I buy from Midwest Homebrew and George at fine vine wines. Many have sales going on right now for the holidays.

Heather

 

[Putterrr]

I wouldn't be so hard on your LHBS. Perhaps he is just a small operator competing with the larger suppliers. If he is a small volume store, it would be very costly for him to order in just one kit. Usually they try and wait till they have a bigger order to keep cost down.

Or as suggested, you can find yourself an online retailer that will serve your needs so when all the small shops are gone, you will wont even notice.

cheers

I decided just after this thread that I would go ahead and order the RJS. Can you believe it STILL hasn't arrived at my LHBS?? I was ready to start it over two weeks ago, but a week ago would have been ok. Now I can't do anything until after Thanksgiving. So, I think I'm going to give up on the local place and order it online.
Anyway, that's the one I've decided to try, if I can ever get it here!

 

[TemperanceOwl]

I wouldn't be so hard on your LHBS. Perhaps he is just a small operator competing with the larger suppliers. If he is a small volume store, it would be very costly for him to order in just one kit. Usually they try and wait till they have a bigger order to keep cost down.

Or as suggested, you can find yourself an online retailer that will serve your needs so when all the small shops are gone, you will wont even notice.

cheers

I'm sure you're right Putterrr, and I would much rather support local small business. Not sure what you'd recommend, though, if he can't get it in for weeks or months. Not his fault, but that's not meeting my needs as a customer, either. And even if it doesn't come in, that won't stop me from buying my next kit from him.

 

[Putterrr]

I'm sure you're right Putterrr, and I would much rather support local small business. Not sure what you'd recommend, though, if he can't get it in for weeks or months. Not his fault, but that's not meeting my needs as a customer, either. And even if it doesn't come in, that won't stop me from buying my next kit from him.

I would ask when the kit will be in and if it is too long then decidce if you still want it from him/her. You would not be disappointed with any of the Winery Series kits if he has others in stock. If the kit is back ordered then the issue may be with the supplier. See what they have to say and keep us updated for curiosities sake.

cheers

 

[TemperanceOwl]

Yep, the issue was with the supplier. My LHBS never did get it in, and finally cancelled the order. I placed an order with finevinewines on Good Friday and it arrived yesterday, just in time to start this weekend!

 

[TemperanceOwl]

Hi, everyone. Update on my RJS Carmenere… I started it on December 6, extended all the steps by close to double the recommended time, but otherwise followed the instructions.
One January 18 I racked, mixed in the metabisufite packet and Potassium sorbate, and stirred furiously (with drill attachment), and added kieselsol and chitosan as instructed. Two weeks later I racked off the lees (Feb 1).
My allinone wine pump arrived this weekend and I racked it twice to degas (and to check out the pump) and it foamed like crazy, even after two full months on a six week wine. I did it again tonight, and it foamed up again!

My question, though, is this… I've not added any more metabisulfite than the packet in the kit on Jan 18, and although the AI1 transfers by vacuum, it's not removing all the oxygen, just enough to cause the pressure imbalance to suck the wine over… I tasted it tonight and it seemed to me to have a little bit of a funky taste. Have I oxygenated it by transferring it several times without additional protection? Should I have added more K-meta at some point? Alternatively, since it foamed up again tonight should I transfer it a few more times before bottling it later this week?

Thanks for your thoughts! I hope I haven't ruined it already!

 

[Boatboy24]

Did you notice how long it took to rack? 6 gallons should take 5-7 minutes.

At this young age, I wouldn't worry about a funky taste. The first year (or more) can be a roller coster of flavor and funk.

 

[TemperanceOwl]

Did you notice how long it took to rack? 6 gallons should take 5-7 minutes.

At this young age, I wouldn't worry about a funky taste. The first year (or more) can be a roller coster of flavor and funk.

Yep, that's about how long it took. Really slick and fast.

Thanks for the encouragement. The Winexpert kit I did first (MezzaLuna red) had a note to add metabisulphite if you intend to keep the wine more than 6 months or need to degas again, but the RJS instructions don't say anything about that. I do plan to keep some of these bottles more than a year, so I'm wondering if I should add meta before bottling even though RJS doesn't say to. Especially since I've been degassing the wiz out of it in the last few days.