Other Red blend recommendation

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TemperanceOwl

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I was wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a really smooth red blend? A couple of commercial wines I like are 19 Crimes (Australian blend) and The Prisoner (Napa valley blend). The first is a blend of shiraz, pinot noir, grenache and cabernet sauvignon. The second is zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Charbono.

Do you all have any suggestions?
 
Might be worth a taste:
Robert Mondavi Private Selection Meritage
Famiglia Meschini Premium Malbec Syrah
Tudal Family Winery Tractor Shed Red
 
I blended a Chambourcin and a Vignoles together, love it!
 
Thanks, Amanda and Julie.
I guess I wasn't very clear with my question... I meant to ask for a kit recommendation for a red blend. I've seen WE kits in the past such as a red trio, but I could never find the varietals listed, and I think one of their current LE kits is a Spanish trio. But I'd like to try a California or Australian red blend kit that's high end with grape skins, that would closely mimic one of those commercial blends.
 
Thanks for sharing your thread. What did you end up doing?

I am beginning to wonder whether these commercial wines I mentioned were blended after the individual varietals were fermented, or if the grapes were blended and then fermented together - like we'd have in a kit.

Does anyone know?

You can bet they were blended after fermentation. The winemaker will alter the blend slightly each year to bring out the best mix.
 
You can bet they were blended after fermentation. The winemaker will alter the blend slightly each year to bring out the best mix.
Some blends are co-fermentation (Syrah-Viognier for example) but most are post-fermentation. One reason for post-fermentation is that grapes mature at different times and the wineries don't wish to store one variety until the second is ready.

Steve
 
Some blends are co-fermentation (Syrah-Viognier for example) but most are post-fermentation. One reason for post-fermentation is that grapes mature at different times and the wineries don't wish to store one variety until the second is ready.

Steve

That makes a lot of sense!

Maybe I should buy 3 or 4 one gallon kits and try post-fermentation blending. You never know...it might turn out well.
 
Thanks for sharing your thread. What did you end up doing?

I never got around to doing a GSM....

(hides face in shame)
4RK6O.jpg
 
Maybe I should buy 3 or 4 one gallon kits and try post-fermentation blending. You never know...it might turn out well.
That's something that I've thought about trying, but 1 gallon kits have been rare in Canada. I should do some looking. I expect the varieties to be somewhat limited though.

Spagnols has a new 3 US gallon line called Mivino (https://www.rjscraftwinemaking.com/mivino/). They seem to be recommending co-fermentation using two of these kits. I wouldn't mind doing the Shiraz and Merlot separately, and then try some different M-S blends.

Steve
 
That's something that I've thought about trying, but 1 gallon kits have been rare in Canada. I should do some looking. I expect the varieties to be somewhat limited though.

Spagnols has a new 3 US gallon line called Mivino (https://www.rjscraftwinemaking.com/mivino/). They seem to be recommending co-fermentation using two of these kits. I wouldn't mind doing the Shiraz and Merlot separately, and then try some different M-S blends.

Steve

I'll have to look into this! One gallon batches seem like so much work for little output, but i don't want 6 gallons of 5 different wines just to try blending.

I wonder how they decide how to blend when all the wines are still young? How would they know? I assume they blend post fermentation, but before much aging?
 
I ran across the CellarCraft Showcase Mystic Red this morning, and in looking for info on the 4 varietals used, found this older thread:

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47414

This might be exactly what I was looking for! I think I'll order it and give it a try. Has anyone else done this one? Looks like Lori did the Eclipse competitor and liked it.

The four used are Cab, Merlot, Syrah, and Zin.
 
I ran across the CellarCraft Showcase Mystic Red this morning, and in looking for info on the 4 varietals used, found this older thread:

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47414

This might be exactly what I was looking for! I think I'll order it and give it a try. Has anyone else done this one? Looks like Lori did the Eclipse competitor and liked it.

The four used are Cab, Merlot, Syrah, and Zin.

Haven't tried the Mystic Red.

I made the Grenache Syrah Mourvedre kit but haven't tasted since aging.

Another blend that most of us have tasted and recommend highly is a Super Tuscan.

Enigma is another blend, but I haven't made or tasted so I can't comment on how it tastes.
 
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RJS Super Tuscan is my vote.

I haven't made a kit for 3 yrs now, but that was a favorite. If you want to wait for the fall juices I blended a Malvasia Nero with Sangiovese and it was very good. For the Chilean juices I blended a Carmanere with a cab sav, it was OK. Not as good as the Italian blend.
 
RJS Super Tuscan is my vote.

I haven't made a kit for 3 yrs now, but that was a favorite. If you want to wait for the fall juices I blended a Malvasia Nero with Sangiovese and it was very good. For the Chilean juices I blended a Carmanere with a cab sav, it was OK. Not as good as the Italian blend.

I've seen people mention that Super Tuscan before but haven't made it yet. I made a Sangiovese and a Nebbiolo last spring, and decided I should wait to see if I even like Tuscan wines before making the ST to go with my other 60 bottles! :h
 

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