What is The Best Nebbiolo Kit?

[Mike Parisi]

I am new to winemaking. Bottled my first (Mosti Nero D'Avola) on November 23 (went by the instructions and bottled after 2 weeks of clearing). My second try (RJS Super Tuscan) is in the carboy clearing/ageing now. I plan on leaving it for 3 months before bottling. If I can stand to wait that long, that is.

My next wine, which I will start in the Spring, will be a Nebbiolo. But here is where I am confused. I have found 6 kits, with prices ranging from $65 to $120.

RJS Cru Select -- $98.92
Eclipse -- $120 includes grape skins
RJS International -- $79.89 includes grape skins
Wine Expert Selection -- $85.65
Wine Expert World Vineyard -- $64.32
RJS Grand Cru -- $68.93

That is a big range of prices, so am looking for a little guidance from you folks who have much more experience with these kits. Do any of you have experience with any of these kits, where you could advise which I should buy?

Thanks.

 

[Rocky]

Mike, I have always tried to stick to the largest kit, i.e. the one with the most juice. In your list, the Eclipse is an 18 liter kit, including the grape skins, and that is what I would pick. My second choice would be the WinExpert Selection which is a 16 liter kit without skins. I believe the price difference for the skins is worth it, but that is your call. Another alternative would be to buy the Selection and add skins of some kind that you would have to purchase separately.

I suggest that you go to the Label Peelers website and check their price. They are selling the wine for $118.97 (you have to add it to the cart to see the real, not the list, price), which is slightly less but their shipping is just that, shipping, no handling. You can get an estimate on shipping on the site. I am very near to them and shipping usually runs me $12-13.

Good luck.

 

[Mike Parisi]

Mike, I have always tried to stick to the largest kit, i.e. the one with the most juice. In your list, the Eclipse is an 18 liter kit, including the grape skins, and that is what I would pick. My second choice would be the WinExpert Selection which is a 16 liter kit without skins. I believe the price difference for the skins is worth it, but that is your call. Another alternative would be to buy the Selection and add skins of some kind that you would have to purchase separately.

I suggest that you go to the Label Peelers website and check their price. They are selling the wine for $118.97 (you have to add it to the cart to see the real, not the list, price), which is slightly less but their shipping is just that, shipping, no handling. You can get an estimate on shipping on the site. I am very near to them and shipping usually runs me $12-13.

Good luck.

Thanks for all that information. I had no idea that the purchase price on Label Peelers wasn't the price they have listed. I hadn't looked at how much juice the kits had.

I would love to be able to use my local HBS, but everything seems to be priced above suggested retail price. That Eclipse kit is at $184.

 

[Brian55]

I am new to winemaking. Bottled my first (Mosti Nero D'Avola) on November 23 (went by the instructions and bottled after 2 weeks of clearing). My second try (RJS Super Tuscan) is in the carboy clearing/ageing now. I plan on leaving it for 3 months before bottling. If I can stand to wait that long, that is.

My next wine, which I will start in the Spring, will be a Nebbiolo. But here is where I am confused. I have found 6 kits, with prices ranging from $65 to $120.

RJS Cru Select -- $98.92
Eclipse -- $120 includes grape skins
RJS International -- $79.89 includes grape skins
Wine Expert Selection -- $85.65
Wine Expert World Vineyard -- $64.32
RJS Grand Cru -- $68.93

That is a big range of prices, so am looking for a little guidance from you folks who have much more experience with these kits. Do any of you have experience with any of these kits, where you could advise which I should buy?

Thanks.

Eclipse would be my choice on this one.

 

[crushday]

I have made the Eclipse kit a couple of times. Early indications are it's a fantastic wine. However, my oldest one is only two years in the bottle and arguably not ready.

Don't get in a hurry to drink your work. Patience will be rewarded.

 

[sour_grapes]

I have made the Eclipse Nebbiolo, and I think it is drinking very nicely at 4 years old. I have not made any of the others.

 

[Mike Parisi]

Since I am so new to winemaking, I will just have to drink some along the way. I don't have a "stash" that has been ageing for 2,3,4 years. I also have limited space for storage, unless I shell out big bucks for a wine cooler. We don't have cellars here in Arizona, and the garage gets too warm/hot in the Summer to store wines there.

I undoubtedly will be drinking my wines, starting as soon as the instructions say it should be "ready". But I do hope to keep a case of each at least a year before starting to drink those bottles.

Another factor is that I am already "old" and am not anxious to have a lot of my wine outlive me.

 

[joeswine]

I can relate to the old part and understand, the better kits can be drunk young like the French nuevo wines, if you don't have time or room than drink at your pleasure.
Also taking cheap kits can be another source of investment with a quick turnaround time made with a little bit of thought they turn out to be a decent everyday drinking wine . Just my 2 cents.

 

[jking]

I was not impressed with the World Vineyard Nebbiolo when I did it. I refuse to willingly drink it or give it away, so I will open a bottle every 6 months until that changes or I need the room and dump them. YMMV of course but I would advise against it and recommend a higher end kit.

 

[Mike Parisi]

You could also see how that wine works making a sangria with it.

 

[Rocky]

You could also see how that wine works making a sangria with it.

Great idea, Mike. I had some Pinot Grigio that I felt was really substandard and I made White Sangria with it all last Summer. It was great and I did not have to dump the wine.

 

[crooked cork]

The only place i dump not so good wine is the local camp ground the owner there and his brother will drink about anything with alcohol in it if its free and i get metal detecting rights to all their land.

 

[jking]

I hadn't thought of that when I bought a gallon of carlo rossi for the new years eve sangria... Next time I will give it a try!

 

[jgmann67]

You’re not from North Jersey, are you Mike?

I get rave reviews for my Eclipse Nebbiolo. Did it as an EM and would make it again.

I agree what’s been said already: best kits wines come from higher volume, more “complete” kits - 18L kits with skins and oak. Also agree - patience.... time helps make good wine.

 

[StreetGlide]

You’re not from North Jersey, are you Mike?

I get rave reviews for my Eclipse Nebbiolo. Did it as an EM and would make it again.

I agree what’s been said already: best kits wines come from higher volume, more “complete” kits - 18L kits with skins and oak. Also agree - patience.... time helps make good wine.

Where in North Jersey are you? I’m originally from Westfield. Live in NEPA now.

 

[Mike Parisi]

You’re not from North Jersey, are you Mike?

I get rave reviews for my Eclipse Nebbiolo. Did it as an EM and would make it again.

I agree what’s been said already: best kits wines come from higher volume, more “complete” kits - 18L kits with skins and oak. Also agree - patience.... time helps make good wine.

I am originally from Rhode Island.

I guess I will have to make double batches of all my wines just to be able to save a couple of cases for 3 years or more.

 

[jgmann67]

Where in North Jersey are you? I’m originally from Westfield. Live in NEPA now.

I grew up in Nutley (home of Martha Stewart and Annie Oakley), but joined the Army when I was 17 and never moved back.

I lived in NEPA (Gouldsboro) for a while too after I got out of the service. Worked for Kane is Able.

 

[cmason1957]

I am originally from Rhode Island.

I guess I will have to make double batches of all my wines just to be able to save a couple of cases for 3 years or more.

Double batches are always a good idea to help increase stock and time. Another choice is to make a bunch of quick drinking kits or fruit kits to build up your stock, then let everything age appropriately. I have done both and now have many carboys and about 1000 bottles of wine in the basement. Biggest problem is storage space.

 

[Mike Parisi]

Storage will be my biggest problem because we don't have basements here in southern Arizona. So my only option would be to build a rack in the closet in my computer room or get a wine cooler that will store a minimum of 60 bottles and put that in my garage.

 

[StreetGlide]

I grew up in Nutley (home of Martha Stewart and Annie Oakley), but joined the Army when I was 17 and never moved back.

I lived in NEPA (Gouldsboro) for a while too after I got out of the service. Worked for Kane is Able.

Yep I know right where Nutley is. I’m near Lake Wallenpaupack now.