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**NoSnob** · 03-06-2012, 08:00 PM

After about 10 WE kits, almost all SE, I want to try other brands. I am especially interested in a great rich cabernet sauvignon and would like your opinion. I prefer high-end kits and don't mind waiting to age them. What would be your recommendation for another brand of cab sauv kit? I suspect the kits with wine skins is what I'm looking for.
Thanks

NS

**Rocky** · 03-06-2012, 09:37 PM

I made an RJS Winery Series Cabernet Sauvignon with skins and it was spectacular. I highly recommend it.

Wade E · 03-06-2012, 09:44 PM

I to made the RJS Winert Series Cab and loved it.

**cpfan** · 03-07-2012, 12:03 AM

I'm not a Cab fan, so haven't made any of these, but based on forum comments, I would say that these are the top ones (in alpha order)...

Cellar Craft Showcase Red Mountain Cabernet
RJ Spagnols Cellar Classic Winery Series California Cabernet Sauvignon
RJ Spagnols En Primeur Coastal Cabernet Sauvignon

Steve

**Putterrr** · 03-07-2012, 12:22 AM

I also give a vote for RJS Winery Series Cab Sav.

Ask me this time next year and I will give you my thoughts on their En Primeur Cab

**UBB** · 03-07-2012, 04:26 PM

I have a RJ Winery series cab on deck as soon as I have a free primary. Upon inspecting the kit and discovered it only comes with one pack of oak sawdust.

That seems to be a really small amount of oak for a cab.

**Rocky** · 03-07-2012, 04:34 PM

UBB, I like a good oakey Cabernet Sauvignon so I made the kit per instructions and then ran it through my oak barrels for 8 weeks. If you do not have barrels, you can add oak cubes or a spiral during bulk aging.

robie · 03-07-2012, 05:06 PM

The CC Red Mountain and the RJS EP Cabs are very different but both are very nice. The RJS EP is probably a little "bigger" cab, maybe not quite as fruity as the Red Mountain.

You can't go wrong with either.

Hey, make both!!!

Wade E · 03-07-2012, 08:59 PM

Im pretty sure the Cellar Craft Red Mountain Cab is a kit that people love also, I remember for awhile they were very hard to get and people were not very happy about that!

**NoSnob** · 03-07-2012, 09:01 PM

Thanks for the great suggestions all. Thought you may be interested in rankings of results of the Dec. 2011 Winemaker magazine ranking of the judged Cabernet Sauvignon wines made from kits. Their rankings within the 100 of all kits judged are shown here in parentheses. Results are as follows:

WE SE Lodi Ranch 11 Cab Sauv (3)
CC Showcase Red Mountain Cab Sauv (15)
RJS Hightail Okangan Cab Sauv (30)
WE SE Ltd Ed S African Cab Sauv (45)
MM Del Veneto Cab Sauv (79)
WE SE Sonoma Valley Cab Sauv (99)

I'm not looking to kick off discussions about how valid their published results are because the results must be understood in terms of the rules of the competition. I also understand that just because a wine kit is not listed here does not mean it's not capable of making excellent wine. And let's face it, I may not even begin to be able to make wines from these kits like these entrants; or then again maybe I could. FWIW: I have recently bottled the WE SE Lodi Ranch 11 Cab Sauv but it's too early to predict.

Perhaps though their list is useful in a general way. (I have used it to pick whites and there were some real winners.)

NS