WineXpert WinExpert Shiraz comments wanted

I am thinking of making a Winexpert Shiraz as my next wine. Their web site shows that they have the following kits available.

BAROSSA VALLEY SHIRAZ WITH GRAPE SKINS
AUSTRALIAN CABERNET SHIRAZ
AUSTRALIAN GRENACHE/SHIRAZ/MOURVÈDRE
AUSTRALIAN SHIRAZ
CHILEAN MALBEC SHIRAZ WITH GRAPE SKINS
VIEUX CHATEAU DU ROI
SHIRAZ

I am looking for some feedback on any of the above, so comments would be very welcome.

Thanks

Mike

Mike,

I am curious to find out which you decide and how it goes. There are 3 on your list that I am planning on doing this year. I have a 10 liter WE shiraz going that I will be clearing on Wednesday. The first taste was pretty good however I think it has gotten a little more astringent in the last week (my wife says its the same so could just be me). If I remember correctly it came with 30 grams of French oak sawdust.

Tim

I googled Barossa Valley and got a link that makes me want to try that specific kit. Something about "Soft Tannins" that sounded delish.

I made the GSM version. It was 16 liters IIRC. I am clearing it right now so in about 10+ more days I will be able to give you a better review. However, not sure if you have cellar craft available to you but if you were interested in the Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre then the 10 liter kit with skins was after clearing, ridiculously good! But then again, you asked about Syrah and I muddled it with a blend. Sorry.


Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making

I have made three of the WineXpert kits you listed. I've made the Australian Cabernet Shiraz, the GSM, and I've made the Australian Shiraz three times.

The Cab/Shiraz was the second kit I ever made. I followed the directions pretty much exactly. It was ok...needed better degassing, for one. I don't think I can really comment much on it for that reason.

My favorite of the three might be the GSM. To my taste, it is a medium body, fruit forward wine. Good for just sipping and very food friendly. I bulk aged it in a carboy for a little over three months (99 days, to be exact) prior to bottling.

The first Australian Shiraz kit I bulk aged 2 months. The second and third I ran through my 23L barrel (24 days for one, and 86 days for the other). Those two are still to young to give feedback on. The first kit was good. Fuller bodied than the GSM, I think. For what it's worth, I entered it in the Indy International Wine Competition a couple years ago and received a bronze medal.


Sent from my iPad using Wine Making

My vote would be a kit with skins for a red, as that is beneficial.
Heather

Update:

I Cleared my 10 liter WE Shiraz last night and I am really liking the taste. This might be my favorite so far.

My WE ECLIPSE BAROSSA VALLEY SHIRAZ WITH GRAPE SKINS is at 17 months and it is very good. It's my second favorite of 10 different kits.

I'm about 3 months in ageing a Barossa Valley Shiraz kit. All early indications are this is going to be a winner.

If it fits your budget, why would you make anything besides the Eclipse Barossa?

I have made most of those kits. The only one I make now is the Barossa Valley Shiraz. It's a big step up from the others.

What do you guys think of winexperts Cabernet Sauvignon kit? Is it better than Shiraz? Compare them please

HEY HEY! Steve here. I am a newbie to the forum (and to making wine!) I wanted to comment on this thread because my first kit is the WE AUSTRALIAN SHIRAZ!

I picked up the kit a couple of days ago along with my wine making starter package. Unfortunately I will not be able to start making it until the first of next month....but I am very excited to see how the process goes and how the kit turns out! I wanted to go the Eclipse rout with the skins, but the owner of the shop I got my stuff at encouraged me to start with the other kit because it would be my first one and he thought that for my first one, I should get this one because it would be ready sooner. He said after I have my first batch under my belt...then to try ones that need to age longer. So I am going to make this one but I already have so many things I want to do...I am already eat up with a hobby that I have not even tried yet! ;-)

on a side note...the most ridiculous part of all this, is I do not drink! but I want to make wine! lol

;-)

Steve

starsfan said:

HEY HEY! Steve here. I am a newbie to the forum (and to making wine!) I wanted to comment on this thread because my first kit is the WE AUSTRALIAN SHIRAZ! .........


on a side note...the most ridiculous part of all this, is I do not drink! but I want to make wine! lol

;-)

Steve

Click to expand...

I'm here to help a new wine maker. I'm just that kind of guy. Iwill be happy to give you an address to send the wine. At least it won't go to waste.

On a serious note, what interests you about wine making?

roger80465 said:

I'm here to help a new wine maker. I'm just that kind of guy. Iwill be happy to give you an address to send the wine. At least it won't go to waste.

On a serious note, what interests you about wine making?

Click to expand...

LOL Roger!

send me that address sir! I will add it to the VERY long list of other "nice" folks who have volunteered there assistance as well! ;-)


I have not always been a non-drinker...but I did stop drinking roughly 10 years ago. I have ALWAYS had an interest in wine. I will be honest and say that I have never found myself to be a fan of wine...but I have always really WANTED to be a fan. I have always been fascinated by the people who have palettes that can discern different flavors/notes of wine and I have always wanted to be able to do that. back in 2010 I went on a cruse and attended a wine tasting "class" though I didn't walk away feeling like I learned anything. it was interesting! Yes, that was 2010, and I said I quit drinking 10 years ago...I made an exception on my cruse! lol

Now, while making wine, I fully expect that I will be tasting my wines and will likely drink a glass here or there! I want to develop a "wine sense" if you will.

I had wanted to try making wine for a long time and just never took the plunge Even planted me about 6 vines a few years back that never took off (but seem to have started growing back this year?). Anyway...a buddy of mine actually posted on facebook that he just mixed his first batch from a WE kit (he did the pinot noir) and I got so jealous that I seen him doing something that I had wanted to do for years...that I went out just about a week later and bought my first kit. The WE Australian Shiraz! We have agreed to swap a couple bottles when mine is ready...although, as I stated....even though I have the kit sitting here I can't even start it until the first of next month!

My problem is that my mind is running away with me. I want to be making like 5 wines at one time!!! I want to make some of the kits...but I also want to try my hand at just winging it and making something of my own.

I know I want to make a black berry / peach wine with cinnamon and vanilla. Don't know how or when im going to do that one...but its at the top of my list.

I want to make one of the more expensive kits that you have to let age for a year or more...but for now im doing a kit that will be ready faster. Anyway..tons of thoughts/ideas/wants. we will see how this goes! I am already wanting to buy a barrel and I have not even made my first batch yet!!! lol

Steve

Also, as a side note...my girlfriend DOES drink wine (not a lot but a little here and there and she likes the Charles Shaw (2 buck chucks) Shiraz. So my hope is that when doing a blind comparison...she likes my kit better! ;-)

stars fan - sounds like you lucked out. Your girlfriend sounds like the perfect target audience for a new wine maker One interesting thing I've discovered is that people who are use to drinking inexpensive wines generally like the inexpensive kits as well or better than they like the high dollar ones. My wife and I started an experiment a little over a year and a half ago to see if expensive kits really made better wines. We bought 3 WE Pinot Noir kits, a Vintners Reserve, a Select and an Eclipse. We started them all at the same time and followed the exact same process for all of them using the instructions that came with the Eclipse kit. When they were a little over a year old we took several bottles of each to my office Christmas party and did a blind taste test. At the end of the night we found that we had almost exactly the same number of people who ranked the VR as the best as we did those who ranked the Eclipse as the best. The Eclipse kit was a little young at one year to show well. I expect that when we repeat the experiment at next year's party the Eclipse may win by a bigger margin. It seemed like people who were average wine drinkers leaned toward the VR. People who seemed to be more sophisticated wine drinkers preferred the Eclipse. Makes you wonder if the part of it was because the Eclipse tasted more like what the sophisticated wine drinkers had come to believe a high end wine should taste like. We were recently interviewed by Winemakers Academy about this experiment for a pod cast. A link to the pod cast is below if you are interested.

http://winemakersacademy.us2.list-m...f97b3af0978be6bead&id=8f7d801afb&e=867fccd393

Just racked the Eclipse Barossa Valley Shiraz last night. Five months into the process and it tasted very nice. Looking forward to seeing how it develops.

If you might be interested in a CC Showcase I have had very good look with the South African Shiraz. The old Yakima Valley kit was the best, but it is no more...

terroirdejeroir said:

Just racked the Eclipse Barossa Valley Shiraz last night. Five months into the process and it tasted very nice. Looking forward to seeing how it develops.

If you might be interested in a CC Showcase I have had very good look with the South African Shiraz. The old Yakima Valley kit was the best, but it is no more...

Click to expand...

I'll be bottling mine in a few more weeks. It has been bulk ageing for almost 6 months.

So it was 1 1/2 years ago that I asked opinions on the Winexpert Shiraz selections. I finally ordered the Eclipse Barossa Valley Shiraz. I have been busy and had other wines that I needed to get started. How time flies. Not sure when I will start it as I want to try a couple of Juice buckets first. Thanks for the suggestions