RJ Spagnols RJS Restricted Quantities French Cab 2021

[pour750ml]

Wondering if anyone has made the RJS Restricted Quantities French Cabernet kit? If so, how was your fermentation? How is aging going? How is it smelling and sampling?Looking to start this kit soon subbing RC212 for D254. I haven't seen too many post about this kit or any of the other 2021 RQ's.

 

[Brian55]

Yes, but it's bulk aging and only on it's second racking. Still too soon to tell how it will turn out. If it's anything like the RQ17 French Cab, I'll be happy with it.

The popularity on 2021 RQ's is low since RQ's have been difficult to source in recent years. Wish Label Peelers would pick them up, but their new Finer Wine kits seem like they might be even better than the best of WE and RJS.

 

[pour750ml]

I'm looking forward to starting the RQ kit. I also have a FWK that I will need to start soon as well. I've completed various En Premier kits with good success, and I hear that RQ will produce similar results if not better.

 

[FunkedOut]

I’ve got one not yet started.
Also picked up a Spanish red and Italian red RQ.
I figured I’d get one of each of the last RQs before the volume reduction.

 

[Swedeman]

but their new Finer Wine kits seem like they might be even better than the best of WE and RJS.

But the Finer Wine kit can't be a FRENCH Cabernet since their grapes is from California only. Sorry for stating the obvious but having the ability to buy kits where the grapes comes from different origins is, at least for me, very important. YMMV

 

[Brian55]

But the Finer Wine kit can't be a FRENCH Cabernet since their grapes is from California only. Sorry for stating the obvious but having the ability to buy kits where the grapes comes from different origins is, at least for me, very important. YMMV

I'm sure they'll get to it at some point. If not, I'm still switching to FW kits for the most part, with a few RQ's and/or LE's thrown in for regional variety.

 

[Phil]

I have a question ...
When you buy a bottle of wine in the store and you pick up a french or Italian wine
By law they require to give the origins of the wine like (product of France) and the bottling location usually a zip code
Why don't we have the same information in the kit package
How do we know for sure all this juice come from the country they State on the labels
Thank you for your help

 

[winemaker81]

Why don't we have the same information in the kit package

French and Italian laws apply only to wine and only to products of their respective countries.

Kits are just concentrate, so not subject to any laws regarding wine. Besides, most kit vendors (that I'm aware of) are USA or Canada based, so French and Italian laws do not apply.

 

[Phil]

Ok...So I do you know is really French Italian Australian. New Zealand...

 

[Brian55]

You don't.

 

[Phil]

I always was thinking how the wine is transported from a place to Canada ...
It should be some kind of Appelation from where is from

 

[Swedeman]

But if the kit maker sell kits stating it is from a named country and even a certain area in that country for their high end kits, isn't that controlled by law in Canada or the US? I would expect you to have some law against false advertising including geographic origin. And that companies, the size of RJS or WE wouldn't fake the origin.

 

[winemaker81]

But if the kit maker sell kits stating it is from a named country and even a certain area in that country for their high end kits, isn't that controlled by law in Canada or the US? I would expect you to have some law against false advertising including geographic origin. And that companies, the size of RJS or WE wouldn't fake the origin.

That's a good question.

Consider that in the USA, it's legal to label a wine "Cabernet Sauvignon" if the wine is at least 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, even if the remaining 24% is Concord.

There was a thread in the last few months where it was mentioned how little "Australian Cabernet Sauvignon" has to be in a kit labeled as such. I don't recall the details of the post. It may be perfectly legal to have only 25% of the titular juice in the kit and still label it as such. [I made up the number for illustration and have no memory of what the percentages were.]

Why the difference between wine and juice? Because there is serious money in wine origin fraud, but much less in juice origin fraud.

 

[Phil]

Have you ever try to contact this company and ask!!

 

[justsipn]

Well, this is an interesting and disappointing discussion. I thought there had to be some verification that you are getting Cabernet Sauvignon juice from Australia if that’s how the kit is advertised.

 

[winemaker81]

Well, this is an interesting and disappointing discussion. I thought there had to be some verification that you are getting Cabernet Sauvignon juice from Australia if that’s how the kit is advertised.

While the origin of the grapes doesn't necessarily mean much to me, I too am irritated with the lack of truth in advertising. Both RJS and WE have started marketing "-style" kits, where they're not stating what's in the kit. And marketing kits with a specific name that is far from accurate.

On the plus side, WE answers emails so I'm happy to email and ask questions. Their packaging may not include disclosure, but if they are honest in responses, I feel better about that.

The solution is to write to the vendors and ask questions. If they get pushback, and perceive their lack of transparency is hurting business, they may change. Or they may not.

 

[Swedeman]

On the plus side, WE answers emails so I'm happy to email and ask questions.

I thought of doing that as well.

 

[NewfieMike]

I bottled this kit on 05/13/2021 and will wait 1 year before opening up a bottle (although its really hard to wait) . Kit was made as per instructions with no deviations or additions. Once I do, I'll update the post with impressions.

On a side note, I really hope to enjoy it more than the RQ 2020 Australian Pinot Noir Shiraz, The Cat's Meow. I was a little disappointed with it after it was bottled 06/30/2020 and started tasting a year later. As a newbie its hard to explain my disappointment properly to you and can best sum it up as having a strong "kit" taste. I know that doesn't help but when compared to an RJS En Primeur Wine Maker Trio the difference is night & day, and would compare to a commercial blend that I pick up at the local store. Again, newbie thought and impression

 

[Meadini]

I bottled this kit on 05/13/2021 and will wait 1 year before opening up a bottle (although its really hard to wait) . Kit was made as per instructions with no deviations or additions. Once I do, I'll update the post with impressions.

On a side note, I really hope to enjoy it more than the RQ 2020 Australian Pinot Noir Shiraz, The Cat's Meow. I was a little disappointed with it after it was bottled 06/30/2020 and started tasting a year later. As a newbie its hard to explain my disappointment properly to you and can best sum it up as having a strong "kit" taste. I know that doesn't help but when compared to an RJS En Primeur Wine Maker Trio the difference is night & day, and would compare to a commercial blend that I pick up at the local store. Again, newbie thought and impression

I agree with you, my Cat’s Meow is still in bulk. I keep hoping it’ll turn the corner, but I’m starting to lose hope.