Other 2014 limited wine kits - what are you planning

[ibglowin]

I mention it in most of the more recent threads but not all.

I am not making too many Red kits anymore since I moved on to fresh grapes a few years ago but the best tweaks that I have found as well as others are:

1) 3-4 months in a Vadai barrel
2) addition of more Tannin be it Tancor Grand Cru or Tannin FT Rouge
3) Addition of Booster Rouge
4) Yeast swap (If you are experienced and have been making kits for a couple of years and you know how to spot a problem quickly and know what to do to fix it) Subbing out EC1118 with RC212, BDX, D254 can offer a big difference in flavor profile but these yeast can be picky and you must pay careful attention to the must at all times to spot trouble quickly.
5) Minimum of 18 months before you start opening any. You need to give a high end kit plenty of time to mature before you start opening it. You want an early drinker, pick a white wine, not a BIG LR red!

Mike, do you have a thread where you discuss your tweaks? (I searched the forum for "ibglowin tweaks" but didn't come up with anything about YOUR tweaks.) Just curious, is all. In my brief "career," I am just starting to think about tweaks. Only thing I have done so far is change yeast. Thanks.

Looking like adding CC WW Cab/Merlot to my list may be a good idea!

Sorry for the non-limited-edition threadjack....

 

[eblasmn9]

#1 has made more difference in the quality of my wine than anything else I have done. I just ordered my second one so I can send all my red kits through a barrel.

#5 Also makes a world of difference. It is still amazing to me a wine that I am disappointed in becomes something totally different, almost magical, somewhere around two years . You mean there is something other than a big bold red. lol

Mike, what does Booster Rouge do for you?

 

[Boatboy24]

I have used all of Mike's tweaks with the exception of the Booster Rouge and can tell you they work. Most notably, I did two Red Mountain Trio limited releases last year. In the first, I used the kit yeast (EC1118), and simply gave it additional oak and Tancor Grand Cru prior to bottling. The second, I swapped the yeast with D254, used FT Rouge in the primary, gave it 12 weeks in the Vadai, and gave it a dose of Tancor Grand Cru a month prior to bottling. IMO, the second batch is definitely better in flavor, color and mouthfeel. The difference is noticeable.

 

[ibglowin]

Seems to add a bit more body and mouthfeel to the wine.

Mike, what does Booster Rouge do for you?

 

[geek]

Jim, when you add that tannin before bottling do you just put the powder in the carboy and stir?

 

[wookey]

In my view most WE kits are heavily oaked. When I add extra tannin it sometimes become too overwhelming. Do people who add tannin here put it instead of oak coming with kit or in addition?

The second thought is that often oak coming with kits is of low quality and no match to barrels or good high end tannin powder. I wonder if anyone tried to replace the kit oak with tannin powder with any good results?

 

[eblasmn9]

Seems to add a bit more body and mouthfeel to the wine.

Thanks Mike

 

[sour_grapes]

Mike,

Thanks for the comprehensive list. You are right, I had seen you mention many of them, but had not put them all together (or appreciated that they were all done by you).

I did try changing the yeast to RC212 on my last kit, and I think the kit is turning out great. First time I made that kit, however, so I cannot compare.

Think I will pick up some tannin and oak. Maybe I should try a Joeswine-like tweakfest on a low-end kit to get my feet wet....

 

[Boatboy24]

Jim, when you add that tannin before bottling do you just put the powder in the carboy and stir?

I used to. Now I thief off 3 or 4 ounces into a measuring cup and stir in the tannin. Then I pour into the carboy and stir gently. Then let it sit for 2-6 weeks.

 

[eblasmn9]

After doing a bit of digging, it looks like the Pacific Quartet from WE has been offered before and was popular.

Anyone have any comments on this kit? I'm still up in the air on the whites this year and now even more confused.

-Josh

I was able to check my notes tonight. Pacific Quartet was a Winexpert 2009 20th anniversary limited edition. It was a blend of Gewurztraminer-chenin blanc-muscat-Vidal. This year's limited Edition substitutes Chilean Viogner for the British Columbia Vidal. My final sg for the 2009 Pacific Quartet was 1.004. It seemed sweeter than the Rieslings that I normally make. It was dominated by the Gewurztraminer with a really nice grapey note from the muscat and honey on the finish from the chenin blanc. Even though I have plenty of whites, I am still considering it.

 

[knockabout]

I just pulled the trigger on the montrasell petit verdot, the Shiraz Viognier and the primitivo. Thanks for all the information. I also just transferred my 2013 grand red out of the barrel last night back into a carboy for some more bulk ageing somehow we were left with half a glass -funny how I am always left with half a glass to drink after transfers it is still young but already velvety cherry flavors and oh so good. I'm pretty new at this but it is the first wine we've had with this velvety texture.

 

[RichardJHurtz]

I ordered two kits of the Petit Verdot and two of the Red Mountain. I've been out from making wine for almost a year due to illness and am jumping back in; perhaps it's diving back in.

 

[SouthernChemist]

I ordered two kits of the Petit Verdot and two of the Red Mountain. I've been out from making wine for almost a year due to illness and am jumping back in; perhaps it's diving back in.

Go big or go home!

 

[Geronimo]

I've never done the Mosti Mondiale Meglioli kits before so I ordered 2.

Megioli Amarone Mondiale
Megioli Barolo

The RJS kits have been AWESOME every year. I still have 2 cases of Chilean Trek and it's soooooo tasty. I just bottled one of my Grenache Syrah kits and it's stellar. This year I ordered

2x Shiraz Viognier
Monastrell Petite Verdot
Nero D'Avola

I'm contemplating another KenRidge kit, probably the Grand Red II.

 

[eblasmn9]

Wow, Geronimo. Your'e definitely going big. I still haven't decided what I want yet. Actually I want all the reds but can't afford it.

 

[tonyt]

Geranomo that Amarone is as good as it gets. Plan to give it two years. Youll be rewarded.

 

[Putterrr]

Wow, Geronimo. Your'e definitely going big. I still haven't decided what I want yet. Actually I want all the reds but can't afford it.

i with you on the cant afford them all so i will be going with

RJS Shiraz - Viognier and Torrontes

cheers

 

[Geronimo]

I order from FVW. He doesn't charge until he ships, that's the only way I can swing it.

 

[Geronimo]

When you guys are talking "Red Mountain" are you talking about the the Grand Red II?

 

[SouthernChemist]

When you guys are talking "Red Mountain" are you talking about the the Grand Red II?

WE has a Red Mountain Cabernet/Merlot LE kit coming out in April.