RJ Spagnols Very Black Cherry

[GaDawg]

Formerly known as Black Cherry Pinot Noir (Orchard Breezin)

I added 4 lbs of sugar (simple syrup) and half of the 1400ml F-pack to the primary.

My initial SG was 1.092 and my final SG was .992, so my ABV is about 13%.

After adding the 2nd half of the F-pack my SG ended at 1.004.

I can't bottle wine without tasting so I did and although it is a little hot and young I think it will be good in a few weeks. It is surprising how the syrup taste disappeared be adding 1/2 the F-pack to the primary

 

[SouthernChemist]

Interesting that they've renamed that line of kits. I suppose they're wanting to deemphasize the varietal aspect of the wine.

 

[robie]

I make 3 or 4 Orchard Breezin' kits each year; some for me, some for friends.

For myself, I made that (original named) kit about 16 months ago. I didn't really appreciate it much soon afterward and sort of forgot about it. A month ago I found a forgotten stash of about 10 bottles of it. It has lost that sickening sorbate taste along with its kit taste and really smoothed out.

I would never have thought an inexpensive summer kit wine like that would get any better over time, but I am wrong, at least about that particular one.

 

[Sammyk]

I sure hope ours Black Cherry smooths out. It has been bottled since mid June and we were not too impressed with it at bottling time. We have not yet opened a bottle since it was bottled.
Four pounds of sugar up front for an OG of 1.076 and the entire f-pack at the back end for a gravity of 1.012 at bottling.

 

[robie]

I sure hope ours Black Cherry smooths out. It has been bottled since mid June and we were not too impressed with it at bottling time. We have not yet opened a bottle since it was bottled.
Four pounds of sugar up front for an OG of 1.076 and the entire f-pack at the back end for a gravity of 1.012 at bottling.

I didn't like mine early, either. Since you also feel the same way about the wine, it should be easy to put it aside until NEXT SUMMER.

You won't regret it.

 

[Sammyk]

We plan to try it in a few months to see how it is doing.
The OB Watermelon has a wonderful taste when we added the fruit pack.

On another note, the IM White Cranberry Pinot Gris close to bottling is just gross! We will bottle it next week. Has any one made that one?

The IM Bluberry Pinot Noir looks promising too.
And from another thread the IM Exotic Fruits is not too good either and that will be bottled next week.

Have 4 kits to bottle next week. In the process of de-labeling and washing 120 bottles this week.

We are thinking different fruits, different aging.

Robi, if you get the Strawberry Merlot that is wonderful too. Everyone loves it too, just not as much as the Coconut.

We have one more kit of each of those two in the wine cellar where it will stay cold until fall when it is cooler here.

 

[Chilled]

Sammyk, IM White Cranberry

Sammyk,
I have made and love the IM White Cranberry Pinot Gris. It is one of my favorites.
However, I add sugar to 1.070 - 1.075 and don't start drinking the mist style kits until they are 4 -5 months old. That is from pitching the yeast.
Give it 4 to 6 months and it will be much better. It may be a mist kit, but it is still WINE.

Dave

 

[Sammyk]

Thanks Dave. I am hopeful now! OG was 1.085 my target for fruit wines.

 

[Chilled]

Robbie,
I came to the same conclusion after drinking the 'mist' style kits at different ages. ie 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, ect.
My friend has been drinking them early (right after bottling) for about 4 years. After I told him my taste test records seemed to indicate that they were much better after 4-5 months he tried that. After trying that, he now makes enough ahead so it can all age to 4-5 months before he starts drinking them.
I think bumping the abv to 10-12% creates more esters and causes the mist kits to be more harsh early on. More like a normal wine. A little age lets them mellow and smooth out and allows the fruit flavor to come through. At least they suit my taste better after 4 to 6 months, and some continue to improve beyond that.

My friend and I each make 6 or 7 mist style kits every year.
Yes, we like them.

Dave

 

[Sammyk]

Chilled what else do you really like in the mist type kits?

 

[GaDawg]

I think ALL wine benefits from age

 

[cintipam]

Dave, that White Cranberry Pinot Gris sounds wonderful to me. A combination of my current favorite wine and one of my first favorite wines. When I was a wine drinking newbie I found a bottle of cranberry wine that I fell in love with. Never could find any more after years of looking. So of course it was the first thing I made. And I'm quite happy with my batch.

Pam in cinti

 

[Chilled]

Sammyk, Blk Raspberry

Sammyk,
Try the IM Black Raspberry Merlot with 3-1/2 to 4 pounds of sugar. Degass thoroughly and many people will like it at 5 or 6 months. But, save some until 9 months after pitching the yeast. That's when I like it the best.
Don't be disappointed if you are not impressed with it at 4 months. Be patient, and you will be rewarded with a very good wine. That is, if your taste runs close to mine.
I don't worry about drinking these kits within a year as the manufacturer advises. Because I'm not making to their directions at 6-7% abv. I'm bumping the alcohol over 10% and that will help preserve the wine.

Good Luck,
Dave

 

[robie]

Yes, even though they say they are ready to drink as soon as cleared, I believe the phrase, "Ready to drink" is very subjective.

On the last summer wine kit I made, which was my 3rd or 4th Sangria with Seville Oranges, I didn't add the entire F pack, only about 2/3s of it. Some of the summer wine kits are almost sickeningly sweet, so I backed off this time. I also added a pound of craisins in the primary, although next time I will add them during secondary, instead. Anyway, the wine turned out pretty good, but not so sweet.

 

[Sammyk]

Chilled

IM Black Raspberry Merlot we did one and once we started drinking we made another because we really liked it. I don't have my notes but I think it was around 4 pounds of sugar up front and full fpak at the back end.

 

[robie]

I think ALL wine benefits from age

According to the guys/gals who make Skeeter Pee, aging makes no improvement at all. This of course is the exception. I just started my first batch of SP, so I will know in a few weeks.

 

[Sammyk]

We found 2 bottles of skeeter pee that are way over a year old. We only made a couple of batches of SP and gave it all away because we both have acid reflux and could not drink it. Afraid to try them now after so long....

 

[robie]

We found 2 bottles of skeeter pee that are way over a year old. We only made a couple of batches of SP and gave it all away because we both have acid reflux and could not drink it. Afraid to try them now after so long....

As long as it smells normal, I doubt it will hurt you. Let us know if you try it and how it tastes.

 

[GaDawg]

We found 2 bottles of skeeter pee that are way over a year old. We only made a couple of batches of SP and gave it all away because we both have acid reflux and could not drink it. Afraid to try them now after so long....

Maybe you guys can hold a knife on each other while you drink it

 

[Sammyk]

GaDawg LOL! I may give it "Mikey, he loves everything" including wine. LOL!