WineXpert Selection International Ausie Petit Verdot

[Geronimo]

Now that I have a little age on this wine, I'm not as impressed as I was. It's drinkable and has good body... but frankly this one really tastes like a Vintners Reserve Mezza Luna Red with a grape skin pack and some oak cubes.

 

[wookey]

I am also a bit disappointed with the progress of this wine. I know that often wines becoming less drinkable between 4-10 months of age before turning out to be good again. However the thing that worries me is that WE branded this wine as early drinker and claimed it would be fantastic at 6 month already, which I clearly do not see.

Wookey

 

[robie]

How long has it been made?

I have found that some of the kits, even the ultra-premium kits sometime sort of loose their varietal-specific taste. They may still be great wine, but just not quite what one might have expected.

Having said that, sometimes a matter of three or four additional months can make a big difference in the maturity and taste of a wine, so don't give up on it. I have writen on here before about having a 24 month old wine in which I was really disappointed. I tried another bottle only four months later and now it is my favorite it wine. It is really hard to believe it could have changed so much in such a short time.

A Petite Verdot blended with a cab franc can be excellent, so think about possibly blending.

 

[robie]

I am also a bit disappointed with the progress of this wine. I know that often wines becoming less drinkable between 4-10 months of age before turning out to be good again. However the thing that worries me is that WE branded this wine as early drinker and claimed it would be fantastic at 6 month already, which I clearly do not see.

Wookey

I hear what you are saying about the claims, but the wine just is not ready until it "says" so, so be patient.

 

[Schuster1]

Now that I have a little age on this wine, I'm not as impressed as I was. It's drinkable and has good body... but frankly this one really tastes like a Vintners Reserve Mezza Luna Red with a grape skin pack and some oak cubes.

So what is your overall opinion of Vintners Reserve Mezza Luna Red?

 

[Geronimo]

So what is your overall opinion of Vintners Reserve Mezza Luna Red?

It's a slightly sweet light body table wine. Many people like it, but for me the cost of the super premium kits are well worth the investment. At $2 a bottle versus $6 a bottle.... cost is just not much of a factor unless you plan to serve a crowd.

Unfortunately, the Petit Verdot kit falls into the category of cost that gives me high expectations. I hope it ages into a great wine.

 

[Schuster1]

As a new wine maker what red wine kit would you recommend? We are looking for a medium to bold kit

 

[Geronimo]

Depends on your skill level and what you're willing to spend. Even after 12 years of brewing beer, I started with some $60 kits. Don't expect anything great from them. If you buy a $150 kit, it might take a year or more to come into it's true character.

 

[zeroclient]

I brewed this kit. I like it, but its still young at 2 months in the bottles. The main reason why I chose this kit was because I wanted to try a kit with skins. The thing I like about this wine is the first-taste. Its dry-fruit in the glass for the first 5 minutes (1/2 inch) but then gets complex with tanins like a mild Ausie Shiraz. It kinda sneaks in, but in a good way. I love people's response to serving this because usually people compliment on the first few sips on how nice it tastes, then also compliment the complexity in the bottom of their glass. I hope it does not change this characteristic over time.

My $80 Chillian Merlot kit while very different is much better in the category of mild tasting wines.

 

[Geronimo]

Ok, now I have another 2-3 months of age on this kit and it's one of my wife's favorites. Much better than it was in August. I'd suggest this wine is not an early drinker but a very decent wine overall.

Both of my WE Selection International kits, the Petit Verdot and the Chilean Malbec-Shiraz (both came with skins) are proving to be pretty good overall.

 

[tonyt]

Now that I have a little age on this wine, I'm not as impressed as I was. It's drinkable and has good body... but frankly this one really tastes like a Vintners Reserve Mezza Luna Red with a grape skin pack and some oak cubes.

Gosh, I feel the same exact way. These new skins kits from WE are outstanding on bottling day and seem to go down hill from there. My first one was the Petit Verdot. I started it a year ago October, 2011 and it was bottled in April, 2012. So it's now 7 months in bottle and 1 year from clearing. So if it's an early drinker I should certainly know tonight!

 

[bpowell88]

Hey Gerinimo and Tony thanks for the updates on this one... Mines still bulk aging but would be interested to hear how old yours is now Gerinimo and what you think after you try it Tony.

 

[robie]

Ok, now I have another 2-3 months of age on this kit and it's one of my wife's favorites. Much better than it was in August. I'd suggest this wine is not an early drinker but a very decent wine overall.

Both of my WE Selection International kits, the Petit Verdot and the Chilean Malbec-Shiraz (both came with skins) are proving to be pretty good overall.

Try putting 3/4 glass of your MS blend with 1/4 Petite Verdot. You might be surprised, as a PV works best as a blending wine.

 

[robie]

Gosh, I feel the same exact way. These new skins kits from WE are outstanding on bottling day and seem to go down hill from there. My first one was the Petit Verdot. I started it a year ago October, 2011 and it was bottled in April, 2012. So it's now 7 months in bottle and 1 year from clearing. So if it's an early drinker I should certainly know tonight!

Don't be surprised if it needs even more time. You can be very surprised how it can change every 3 months or so. For the better WE kits, magic sometimes happens around 28 to 32 months.

 

[Geronimo]

Try putting 3/4 glass of your MS blend with 1/4 Petite Verdot. You might be surprised, as a PV works best as a blending wine.

Interesting... I've been using it to top off other batches.

Mine is about 8 months old I think. I can't get at the exact date as I broke my leg and making a trip downstairs is like crossing the Atlantic.

 

[tonyt]

So I tasted a split of it tonight. It's getting better. I opened it and decanted about three hours before dinner. It's still not as good as it was at bottling and that's odd to me. I'll check it again in a few months.

 

[Geronimo]

Since yours is over a year old, I'd guess that the improvement (if any) will be slight.

 

[tonyt]

Since yours is over a year old, I'd guess that the improvement (if any) will be slight.

Looking over my copious notes I can share this comment. It's quite possible that I over oaked this kit. With that said this was the third WE Petit Verdot I have done. The previous two did not have skins packs. I followed a similar oaking regime with this kit as the two previous. That is, I added a couple ounces of untoasted powder in primary, a hand full of Hungarian cubes in secondary and a French spiral for three weeks in bulk aging. The big fruit is mostly hidden behind the oak. The tannins are perfect (for me) I added 1/2 tsp Tancor grandcru tannin. I am actually tasting it again this morning (yes it's 10am on a Sunday morning) and it's quite mellow after being decanted overnight. I still have high hopes as the mouthfeel, and tannins are very nice and in time the fruit will resurface.

 

[bpowell88]

Interesting thought on the over oaking... I put all the oak that was in the package in the wine, I'm getting a new oak barrel and was wondering if you'd recommend that I leave it out of there or would having it in about 3-4 weeks hurt?

 

[tonyt]

I would not put it in a new barrel if I have used all of the provided oak. I think that the first wine in a new barrel needs to go in with less than the provided oak. With that said I always use powered oak in primary. But I would skip secondary or aging oak if I was going into a new barrel.