WineXpert WE Selection Estate Col. Valley Cab Franc/Merlot

[BonnieJoy]

Has anyone made the Winexpert Selection Estate Columbia Valley Cabernet Franc/Merlot kit yet? Please share your impression with us.

 

[rshosted]

I have done an estate from WE before, not that one. I found it was good and had better taste than the kits where they mix a little more (as I think they sometimes all taste a little too similar). Ultimatley, I don't think I'll make another Estate kit unless I do a chard (but only becuase I want to try and make it buttery). Since trying the crushendo kits, or kits with raisins, I go for them. for a little more money I feel they offer a whole new class to kit wines.

Hopefully that helps a little.... If you do go for it, let us know what you think.

I wish there was a way we could put notes on wines that we buy from george. Sort of like Amazon will let you 'review' things you buy there. Might be nice to click on a wine and see four or five reviews so you can get a good rounded opinion.....

 

[masta]

Great idea rshosted...I will look into setting this up here on the forum!

I use Amazon all the time and the honest reviews are great.

 

[Mharris335]

I was just thinking of doing this wine myself. I love almost any
red from Washington. Please let me know if you decide to do it.

 

[BonnieJoy]

OK - I ordered the Cab Franc/Merlot kit from George. I'll post updates as I go.
What do you think about doing a MLF on this kit?

 

[rexmor]

Thanks RShosted. I've madefour red Selection kits, and I must admit that I've been disappointed in that they DO taste pretty similar, also lighter body than I like. I also have a Crushendo aging, and haven't yet tried it. Hopefully it will be meatier and with more varietal characteristic.

 

[masta]

OK - I ordered the Cab Franc/Merlot kit from George. I'll post updates as I go.
What do you think about doing a MLF on this kit?

Trying to do a MLF on a Winexpert kit would either not work or end up ruining the kit.


Quote from Tim Vandergrift of Winexpert:


"The fact of the matter is that Winexpert kits are perfectly balanced for acidity at packaging. A successful malolactic fermentation would change this balance unacceptably, leaving a kit flabby and weak tasting. If I re-balanced a kit for malolactic (higher levels of all acids, plus nutrients and higher pH) it would taste rather horrible without malolactic!
(Most of the time you can't get a malolactic fermentation going in wine kits, due to the low pH and nearly-absent levels of dissolved solids and nutrients, both of which malolactic bacteria require to grow).
In addition, the use malolactic bacteria is complex and fraught with danger for the bulk of people who buy and use wine kits. To contol it correctly you need a malolactic chromatography kit, ($75.00+) and the skill to use it. Fine if you like that sort of thing, but most people (i.e., 99% of the people who buy kits) may well be happier without it."

 

[smurfe]

Just have to add to this that those Selection kits will come around with age. I to agree that many of the red kits do indeed taste the same for quite a while. I have a few that are really starting to develop quite nicely now. They have been bottled for coming on 2 years now. I am a huge fan of the Estate Series kits.
Another technique I found that helps is bulk aging. For he longest time I could not be convinced that there was any difference from aging in a carboy or bottle. I have a couple kits that I have had in a carboy for right at a year now. I sampled some the other day and compared it to an identical kit I bottled as soon as it was finished fermenting. Quite a bit of difference. Much more mature and the varietal flavor is developing.


I am not advocating bulk aging and know many don't have the carboy space to do it, just adding my input that for me at least, it seems to actually make a difference. I agree with the others to about the Crushendo and other grape pack kits. These are great kits as well.


Smurfe

 

[James]

Bonnie Joy,


I think age makes all the difference in the world on these kits(in my inexperienced not far from newbie opinion).


I gravitate toward the more expensive kits and trying to make excellent wine. However, these higher end kits need to age longer(according to the instructions)than some of the less expensive kits. I believe I'm going to make some of each. The Crushendo and Mosti Mondiale kits to try to produce a superior wine over time, and the less expensive kits that are plenty "drinkable" in 6 months, so I'll have something to sip on while I watch the other age. Remember, wine is essentialfor good health!


Jim

 

[BonnieJoy]

Thanks All - No MLF on this kit - extended carboy aging - and I'll throw in some hungarian cubes for good measure.

 

[Mharris335]

Bonnie.....please take pics of the process for us. Also, what did
George say about this kit? I now trust him and if he says it's
good, I will buy one too.

 

[BonnieJoy]

Will Take Photo's to share

 

[peterCooper]

There is something to be said for running a high end kit and a low end kit at the same time for the first 6 - 10 kits, that way you get the early drinking and the cellar laid down at the same time.

 

[geocorn]

I have one about 3 months old and still in the carboy. I allow customers to sample any wines in a carboy and everytime sometimes tastes this kit, they buy it. I notice the cherries more than anything else, but do detect a slight hint of the chocolate. It is still a tad tart, but I think it will age nicely. We will be bottling it next month and I will pass on more comments then.


I have talked with Masta about adding "cusomter reviews", but I am not sure how best to do it. It will take some time and as you are soon to find out, I have a very busy plate over the next several months and finding spare time to make upgrades to the web site may be difficult to come by.

 

[PeterZ]

George, as a start, why not create a forum section for Customer Reviews, with each kit getting its own topic (created by the submitter), with the moderators ruthlessly deleting conversation. Then you could put a link with any kit to that forum topic. Eventually, if you get more fancy you can copy the reviews text over to the new system.

 

[geocorn]

I thought about that but was concerned with it being too difficult to find or to use. I was also concerned about comments staying on topic, but we can make it where all posts have to be approved before they can be viewed by non-moderators. The moderators, especially Masta, already spend a great amount of effort on the forum, so this would have to be their call as to whether they want to committ the time.


It would be a really great start. We could separate them between the brands to make them easier to find. Keep the ideas coming. I love it to hear everyone's ideas. I am sure we can find a good solution.


Masta, please start a thread on this topic to get feedback from all. Then we can decide how much time it will take and how much we have.

 

[masta]

Iwill get this started tomorrow afternoon when I get back from disaster relief training. I am sure we can handle it without much extra effort.

 

[rshosted]

Thanks Masta. Sorry for sugesting something that makes more work for anyone. Though, I do look foward to putting my comments on several kits that I have tried. Hopefully this can be a forum for comments of experience only, so that we don't lose the good questions in the other forums.