Vineco Has anybody tried the Cheeky Monkey Chilean Malbec?

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I plan on starting one sometime in the next week or two. Has anybody made one, or tried one someone else has made? What can I expect as far as aging time, and is there any advice offered?

Thanks
 
How did it go - I have a cheeky Monkey Malbec in the primary at the moment
 
That is my go to kit. I have done 4 batches so far and all have turned out very well. Drinkable fairly quickly and continue to get better with age. The longest I have had any last was 2 years and I would choose one of those bottles over almost any other. Straight forward kit, I tend to bulk age for a few months just to let it settle out a bit more. I don't filter and the first kit I did had quite a bit of sediment in the bottles.
 
That is my go to kit. I have done 4 batches so far and all have turned out very well. Drinkable fairly quickly and continue to get better with age. The longest I have had any last was 2 years and I would choose one of those bottles over almost any other. Straight forward kit, I tend to bulk age for a few months just to let it settle out a bit more. I don't filter and the first kit I did had quite a bit of sediment in the bottles.


Sounds good. I plan on starting it this weekend maybe. I think I will let it sit for a couple month before I bottle, and then maybe 3 months of bottle aging before I start drinking them. I've never made Malbec, or Cheeky Monkey. The last 2 reds I made were the Kenridge Classic Cabernets and Shiraz and I wasn't impressed.
 
That plan should get you a very nice clean finish. I find the Cheeky Monkey to have a bit bolder taste than other kits, which is why I like them so much. And you can't argue with the price!
 
The last 2 reds I made were the Kenridge Classic Cabernets and Shiraz and I wasn't impressed.
Then you need to move up to Ken Ridge Showcase and Ken Ridge Founders Series.

How long did you let the Cab and Shiraz age before drinking them?

Steve
 
Agreed, I made a Founders Series Carmenere that was incredible. Haven't found a Showcase sereies that I was blown away by yet, don't get me wrong, very good wines, just haven't found one to my tastes yet.
 
Then you need to move up to Ken Ridge Showcase and Ken Ridge Founders Series.

How long did you let the Cab and Shiraz age before drinking them?

Steve

I opened a bottle of the Cabernet/Shiraz last weekend and had it with a pot roast and My brother loved how smooth it was and I have to admit that it's starting to taste much better. Its about 8-9 months now. The Cabernet Sauvignon I only bottled about 4 months ago, I was hoping to start drinking it around may but I might have to wait. So yea, these wines haven't really had much time to age, I also should have left them in the carboy for 90 days instead of bottling right away. but I'm new and wanted some wine on the shelf lol
 
I may have to retract on this Malbec kit. I opened a bottle from the 4th kit that I made and found it to be incredibly thin and flat tasting, and that was after bulk aging for 10 months and another 6 months or so in the bottle. I though it may have just been me, but my mom makes these kits as well and the last one she made she described as tasting "watered down." Not sure if maybe it was a bad year or what but not too happy with it at the moment.
 
Wine that tastes watered down

I may have to retract on this Malbec kit. I opened a bottle from the 4th kit that I made and found it to be incredibly thin and flat tasting, and that was after bulk aging for 10 months and another 6 months or so in the bottle. I though it may have just been me, but my mom makes these kits as well and the last one she made she described as tasting "watered down." Not sure if maybe it was a bad year or what but not too happy with it at the moment.


I've been making wine kits for about 6 year now and have tried the very bottom kits (almost no juice) to top of the line kits with 15 litres of concentrate and grape skins.

The summary of all this research I've done is that the kits with the least amount of concentrate (like cheeky monkey has 10L) the more thin the final product will taste no matter how you sanitize or age the wine.

If you want a wine with large character get a kit that has at least:

1) 15L of juice
2) 2 Litres of Grape Skins and Grapes (hydrated in a pack)
3) 3 types of Oak plus 1 cubed oak when doing the final clear and bulk age

Basic Kit Main Ingredients:

1) Grape Concentrate
2) Sawdust Oak

That's why high end kits usually cost 3X that of low end kits. They are higher quality resulting and better wine, but needs MUCH more again before you can drink it.

For fast, drinkable wine, I'd go with Cheeky Monkey any day.
 
That is my go to kit. I have done 4 batches so far and all have turned out very well. Drinkable fairly quickly and continue to get better with age. The longest I have had any last was 2 years and I would choose one of those bottles over almost any other. Straight forward kit, I tend to bulk age for a few months just to let it settle out a bit more. I don't filter and the first kit I did had quite a bit of sediment in the bottles.

The Cheeky Monkey Chilean Malbec kit I'm doing tonight had 2 packages of kieselsol and Chitosan (clears the wine) instead of 1. Most kits only have 1, so that means this kit has a lot of suspended oak sawdust that needs to clear out. I'll make sure I rack my wine twice from Carboy to Carboy before the clearing stage to ensure most of the sediments is left behind:

TIP# Leave you wine in a cellar or basement for a month in the clearing stage. A lot of sediment hardens up on the bottom. This allows bottling without major sediment transferring.

Have fun!
 
How did it go - I have a cheeky Monkey Malbec in the primary at the moment

I have the same now. How did you Malbec turn out? I suspect it was delicious, but a little watered down? (not that complex compared to commercial wine? :pty
 
It turned out good. I use the Cheeky Monkey brand as an early drinking wine. Keeps me from driving into the more expensive while aging them. Usually make 1 Cheeky Monkey - then the next 2 kits will be more expensive - that is the schedule I go by. make a kit every month or so. I have made the Merlot , Malbec, Sangiovese Syrah and Valpolicella.
 

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