WineXpert South African Shiraz Cabernet with Grape Skins

I've never tried wine from Africa, this one got me wondering so I'd like to see some feedback about it.

On sale for $107.63 with delivery for January 2014.

Also, the Red Mountain Washington Cabernet Merlot Wine Kit, on sale for $99.65 with delivery for April 2014. This one does not specifically say grape skins pack like the first one.

Both are WE Limited Edition kits.

Link please! Both sound interesting to me.

Most of the wine made in South Africa comes from the southwestern portion of the country near the cost. That area has a Mediterranean-like climate moderated heavily by the ocean. The latitude ensures that the sun is high in the sky during the growing season.

Only the Cabernet/Shiraz kit will come with a grape pack apparently. Winexpert has a video describing each one in more detail on its website:

http://www.winexpert.com/le2013

Boatboy24 said:

Link please! Both sound interesting to me.

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Jim, here you go:

http://labelpeelers.com/south-african-shiraz-cabernet-with-grape-skins-p-4816.html

http://labelpeelers.com/red-mountain-washington-cabernet-merlot-wine-kit-p-4820.html

Thanks for that link chemist..

Shipping wasn't free for me. Still $25 or so.

Any feedback on this wine from Africa??

geek said:

Any feedback on this wine from Africa??

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It's a very interesting kit, to me. I'm giving serious thought to it. There are some very good wines coming out of that area.

geek said:

Any feedback on this wine from Africa??

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Are you looking for general feedback on South African wines, or specific feedback on this kit?

kit...it's Limited Edition...has not been released yet...don't recall a similar one from WE...so no feedback available

SA wines in general...I've heard many good things, but haven't drunk much SA wines

Steve

geek said:

I've never tried wine from Africa, this one got me wondering so I'd like to see some feedback about it.

On sale for $107.63 with delivery for January 2014.

Also, the Red Mountain Washington Cabernet Merlot Wine Kit, on sale for $99.65 with delivery for April 2014. This one does not specifically say grape skins pack like the first one.

Both are WE Limited Edition kits.

Click to expand...

I just ordered the Shiraz/Cab and the Cab/Merlot. Mine were about $10 less but not a big deal.

I haven't made a kit in a while and am looking forward to getting back into it. These should be good.

RichardJHurtz said:

I just ordered the Shiraz/Cab and the Cab/Merlot. Mine were about $10 less but not a big deal.

I haven't made a kit in a while and am looking forward to getting back into it. These should be good.

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where did you get them from?

I ordered today from Labelpeelers. S.H.B. was about $8 more after adding shipping - still very competitive. Your mileage may vary.

Jim,

you beat me to it....lol

Not again!

Every year I swear I'm not going to make a limited edition, and every year WE puts out a kit that raises my eyebrows, like this one. At 14.5%, the alcohol is going to be quite high, so I inquired if it was going to have a chaptalization step. No was the answer.

Why would you want to add more sugar before fermenting if the final ABV is going to be 14.5 which is kind of a bit in the high side anyways?
Just curiosity.

Geek,
Sorry, you misinterpreted my post. The only other WE product that gets that high of a %alcohol is their Italian Amarone, and it comes with a sugar pack and a chaptalization step. I don't want to have to do that, so it would have been a deal breaker for me.

I bottled this last March, and the first bottle of the case that is left (it got good early, and I'm not good at ignoring) was simply delicious. I would rate it among the top five wines I have ever made. Black cherries, blackberry, pepper, a hint of chocolate on the palate. Mmmm good.

wineh said:

I bottled this last March, and the first bottle of the case that is left (it got good early, and I'm not good at ignoring) was simply delicious. I would rate it among the top five wines I have ever made. Black cherries, blackberry, pepper, a hint of chocolate on the palate. Mmmm good.

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I am also a fan of this kit. Very fruit forward, but ages nicely

I just finished drinking a batch of this '13 LE (save 3 bottles) and have now moved on to my Cab Merlot LE from the same year. Both very good, however it is clear to me (in my case) that the Shiraz Cab likely could have benefited from extra time even at 1.5 years, maybe due to the extra structure provided by the skin pack. The bottles were characteristically better on the second day. I'll let the last 3 bottles have a little more time in the cellar and come back to them next year.

The Cab Merlot is surprisingly good and more approachable at 1.5 years. My first non-GS wine so I had low expectations for it and am pleasantly surprised.

Oooh, kinda forgot about this wine. I think I have a case+. Will have to go digging tomorrow.