Recent content by fiat84

Nice digs. Movie looks like a scene from "A Good Year" starring Russel Crowe which was very good. "SideWays" and the even funnier and true "Bottle Shock" are other enjoyable wine making movies.

Surprise in my wine room...local store gave me another kit since this very bad smelling Super Tuscan kitleaked all over. Bigger issue was pickingthis fragile greased pigup and getting it into the bathtub before itsprung a bigger leak.Had leaked for a few days and the bad smell was too unsafeso...

Nice to know about the Ren Carmenere as we have a kit 2 years old now which has the same mute, flat character. Not really like any commercial Carmenere yet so there is benefit to waiting longer until year 4!!!, hope it turns out like yours.

Made the Ren Aussy Shiraz in 2008, tookabout two years to become good, very old worldflavors,not much fruit but has depth and not veryShirazy but a nice dinner wine.The Cellar Classic Shiraz was/is not much different to the Ren Shiraz althoughwas better earlier andthe Ren isbetter now with...

Which citrus zests work best in sweet German white 10L kits and how much zest should be added?

Found this RJ Spagnols related website http://www.urbanreservewine.ca/urban_reserve_varietal.html listing a number of RJ Spagnols kits with their commercial equivalents and detailed tasting notes: 1. At the LCBO, you’ve probably picked up or sampled either Wolf Blass or Banrock Station. You...

Curious how did the long term updates turn out short term compared to long term, do the wines all end up tasting the same? Which specific kits was TanCor added to and the effect? Thanks to ibglowin who mentioned adding Tancor Grand Cru(we used 1/8tsp) to an eye bottle dropper solution as a...

Never tried the Rosso D’Avola kit which is the Nero D’Avola grape and your fruity description has me thinking. Our Mosti Ren/AJ kits require 2 or 3 years aging probably due to the old world flavor profiles and really shine with food especially the 2008 AJ Amarone, Ren Barolo, Ren Cab/Shiraz...

Any recent tasting notes on this Valpolicella kit and your Nero D'Avola</span>? Am looking for a fruity Renaissance kit so maybe this Valpolicella or/and the Castel del Papa.

Dean - "...MM Fresco is very good too." Am curious which of the Mosti Fresco varieties you have tried and their quality? Our local supplier has their once per year refrigerated semi-trailer out back with the 2011 fall California/Italian Fresco fresh juice pails. As the fresco pails only include...

Agree the Renaissance Cab Shiraz kit is good. Just bottled the Cru Select Brunello last week and it was the thickest wine we ever made with obvious legs all over the glass. The great Cru Select Shiraz kit bottled at the same time was thinner comparatively and my current favorite when aged. Am...

For $10 at xscargo picked up a Foodsaver Mealsaver vacuum pump that pulls 20 in.Hg according to the hand brake vacuum pump which had all the hoses/connectors. Uses the same size hose connection fitting that also fits snugly into a regular 23L carboy drilled silicone stopper bung in place of the...

As mentioned we find the vinator works best when it is very full, almost overflowing for a long single pump to each bottle. After an over aggressive bottle washer helper sheered off the plunge tabs using wide mouth screw cap wine bottles. Found this fix on the Coopers beer forum and now the...

http://forum.finevinewines.com//forum_posts.asp?TID=2192&amp;PN=2

Could add some "Nature's Flavors" brand apple extract I conversed with a pro beer brewer who added their blueberry extract just before bottling to maximize flavor retention. The flavor does dissipate with aging. Another possible option: Take a really strong flavored sweet fruity mist kit and...