Cellar Craft CC Showcase walla walla cab merlot

Just ordered the cellar craft showcase walla walla Cabernet Merlot kit. Haven't seen any recent posts about it...wondering if it's good as is or should I make any changes to it?

I'm pretty new to wine making. I've made one kit wine and a blackberry wine.

Any feedback on this wine kit would be appreciated.

This kit comes very highly regarded on WMT. I made this kit about 17 mos. ago, and so I will open my first one in about a month. I cannot say if you should make any tweaks, but here is what I did. I swapped out the yeast for ICV-D254, and I added 8 g of FT Rouge tannin in the primary. Sorry I cannot tell you more than that!

Thanks for the info sour grapes. Any particular reason you made those changes?

Well, I nearly always swap out the yeast from the included EC-1118. It is widely held that EC-1118 is a strong fermenter, but does little to enhance the organoleptic properties of the wine. Other yeast strains are reputed to enhance the nose and/or taste in variety of ways. Take a look here: http://morewinemaking.com/public/pdf/wyeastpair.pdf
As for the tannins, it seems to me that kit wines typically lack adequate tannins, which is not surprising since they are more like juice buckets than like whole grapes.

I made that kit several times. First time it was by the book and it turned out to be one of the best kits hands down for me. Even better than most of the Limited Release kits out. If your just starting out in the Hobby/Obsession, do not think you have to tweak it for it to be good. It will be awesome made just as is.

WinoNick said:

Just ordered the cellar craft showcase walla walla Cabernet Merlot kit. Haven't seen any recent posts about it...wondering if it's good as is or should I make any changes to it?

I'm pretty new to wine making. I've made one kit wine and a blackberry wine.

Any feedback on this wine kit would be appreciated.

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Thanks for the info fellers!

sour_grapes said:

This kit comes very highly regarded on WMT. I made this kit about 17 mos. ago, and so I will open my first one in about a month. I cannot say if you should make any tweaks, but here is what I did. I swapped out the yeast for ICV-D254, and I added 8 g of FT Rouge tannin in the primary. Sorry I cannot tell you more than that!

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Sorry to jump in on your thread Wino but my question is sort of related. Hope you don't mind.

Sour grapes; I use CC kits and use the top of line, never can remember name, think it's Select, the one that has dried grape bag in kit. Would you still add tannins and swap out yeast with those kits? I taste is, Amarone, Malbec and Cab Sav. I have ordered two kits that I should get in next week or so. Would be nice to see if you think I can improve on them. I don't touch the reds for atleast 2 years and bulk age in carboys for 6-12 months. Any of your advice would be great.

Jim

ez2cy said:

Sour grapes; I use CC kits and use the top of line, never can remember name, think it's Select, the one that has dried grape bag in kit. Would you still add tannins and swap out yeast with those kits? I taste is, Amarone, Malbec and Cab Sav. I have ordered two kits that I should get in next week or so. Would be nice to see if you think I can improve on them. I don't touch the reds for atleast 2 years and bulk age in carboys for 6-12 months. Any of your advice would be great.

Jim

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I need to make clear that my preference for tweaking is not one born of great experience; I have not made the same kits, with and without tweaks, and did blind tastings to conclude that tweaking is better. I am just having fun, playing in my basement, and going with my gut!

All of the kits I have done (save one early one) are top of the line, or near it. I have done 10 CC Showcase, one CC Sterling with grape pack, 5 WE Selection, 3 WE LE, and 3 WE Eclipse. Most of these had grape packs, except for some of the LE and two whites. (By the way, my "CC" is "Cellar Craft"; I think that maybe your "CC" is RJS Cellar Classic? Mine has wet grape packs.) Despite having a liter or two of a grape skin pack, I still think my kits come out a bit thin. I add tannins as a way to hopefully increase the mouthfeel some.

Personally, I don't see a real downside to swapping yeasts. I have never had any problem with a non-EC1118 yeast during a fermentation -- no stuck fermentations or off smells.

sour_grapes said:

This kit comes very highly regarded on WMT. I made this kit about 17 mos. ago, and so I will open my first one in about a month.

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I'll be waiting for your feedback, I almost took the plunge on that kit based on the positive reviews here. I'd like to see if anyone tried 'early' and how 'early' to say it is good.

Yes Sour_Grapes, mine are also Cellar Craft. Guess I used the wrong wording for the grape packs, sorry. It's also their top of the line, which ever that is, I get confused.

What do you put in for tannins in the Cellar Craft's and how much?

Thanks for your reply. Any info is appreciated. I too am not an expert just dabble but feel because I let red's age, my wine is better than most kit makers. If I can make it even a little better, 2 or 3 years down the road, I'd be estatic.

ez2cy said:

What do you put in for tannins in the Cellar Craft's and how much?

Thanks for your reply. Any info is appreciated. I too am not an expert just dabble but feel because I let red's age, my wine is better than most kit makers. If I can make it even a little better, 2 or 3 years down the road, I'd be estatic.

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I often use FT Rouge Tannin in primary (~8 g or so). I have not done a lot of finishing tannins, but I have used some Tannin Complex, some Tannin Riche, and some Tannin Riche Extra in a few batches while aging. Here I use ~2.5 g.

Well I got the kit in the mail today, will be starting it in the next few days. I've read through the instructions. One thing I notice on the forums is most of you guys don't seem to go by the directions. The few kits I've read the directions for call for bottling really quick, matter of weeks. But most of you guys age in the carboy and bottle 6-12+ months. What's up with that? I've read the benefits of bulk aging - temp fluctuations less in bigger volume. Is there any other reason for it? Also, if I bulk age, I assume I don't have to degas. And this kit has a bentonite and an isinglass packet. Should I not use one or both of these if I bulk age?

WinoNick said:

Well I got the kit in the mail today, will be starting it in the next few days. I've read through the instructions. One thing I notice on the forums is most of you guys don't seem to go by the directions. The few kits I've read the directions for call for bottling really quick, matter of weeks. But most of you guys age in the carboy and bottle 6-12+ months. What's up with that? I've read the benefits of bulk aging - temp fluctuations less in bigger volume. Is there any other reason for it? Also, if I bulk age, I assume I don't have to degas. And this kit has a bentonite and an isinglass packet. Should I not use one or both of these if I bulk age?

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Take a lookie here: https://winemakermag.com/blogs/making-your-kit-wine-shine-redeaux

sour_grapes said:

Take a lookie here: https://winemakermag.com/blogs/making-your-kit-wine-shine-redeaux

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Good link there sour grapes. Thanks. I've seen a couple videos of his on YouTube.

Here we go...

Sure looks yummy. Does this come with grape skins?

wineforfun said:

Sure looks yummy. Does this come with grape skins?

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Yup sure does. A bag of what looks like grape jam. It's in the mesh bag at the bottom of the bucket already. I'm waiting 12 hours before I put the yeast in so I can get a more accurate gravity reading.

Watch that bucket carefully. Not a lot of headspace there. You may want to place it in something in case it overflows.

Agree with Jim. Mine that I just started last Friday looks very similar, space wise. That mesh bag will rise and then be careful when stirring. I sometimes hold it up out of the bucket so I can give it a hardier stir without it overflowing.
I also keep my primary inside of a clear Rubbermaid container in case it a) overflows but mostly b) in case the bucket develops a leak.

So far so good. Though the co2 is strong with this one.