WineXpert LE Primitivo

[wookey]

Hello,

Has anyone tested their Italian Primitivo from last year limited editions? I opened the first bottle today at 1 year mark. It is definitely Primitivo, although a bit too sweet for me. I think it is still too young to judge. Have to wait another few months. Will try next one in October.

 

[SlayerXL095]

Had mine at the 6mo mark and i think its a bit tart, but yes I can also detect the sweetness its at a good level for me. I hoping the level of tart that i'm tasting subsides more. At this time i dont think its too sweet. Then again do like jammy tasting Cab (not too sweet/not too dry) The LE Shraz/Vioner is even sweeter and will reach its one year mark on the 22nd of this month. I've noticed wine diamonds at the bottom of the bottles.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Mine was so good that it didn't last very long. I took a bottle to a local winery and the vintner told me that I should be proud of that wine!

The wife LOVED it, It never stood a chance!

 

[robie]

Had mine at the 6mo mark and i think its a bit tart, but yes I can also detect the sweetness its at a good level for me. I hoping the level of tart that i'm tasting subsides more. At this time i dont think its too sweet. Then again do like jammy tasting Cab (not too sweet/not too dry) The LE Shraz/Vioner is even sweeter and will reach its one year mark on the 22nd of this month. I've noticed wine diamonds at the bottom of the bottles.

As a limited edition, it should be a very nice wine that should last for several years. That tartness is a result of it being a young wine; sort of like eating unripened fruit.. Six months is pretty young for an LE. As it gets some age on it, it will become less and less tart.

Everyone is referring to it as sweet. Did the wine come with an F pack? I wouldn't think a nice Primitivo (genetically the same as a Zinfandel) would have an F pack. Maybe you are referring to its fruitiness as tasting almost sweet. Sorry, I don't know anything about that kit.

 

[DoctorCAD]

No F pack, but it does have a "less-than-dry" taste. Very fruit forward, none of the black pepper that you get with some zins.

 

[robie]

No F pack, but it does have a "less-than-dry" taste. Very fruit forward, none of the black pepper that you get with some zins.

I see, a perception of sweetness. That's what I thought everyone was implying.

Thanks.

 

[DoctorCAD]

I see, a perception of sweetness. That's what I thought everyone was implying.

Thanks.

Thats it...ever had Layer Cake Primitivo? Pretty close, almost tastes like a sugar cube...for about 1/2 a second. Following tastes change a lot.

 

[robie]

I got to thinking about this and remembered a Zin I made once. It tasted very sweet until I lowered the acid some. I later read that when a wine has high acid (low pH) and high alcohol, it will taste sweet. Of course a Primitivo (Italian most always high acid, and definitely higher ABV) certainly falls into that category.

Have any of you tested the final TA on this kit at bottling?

 

[wookey]

This kit being a full bodied Italian wine, would definitely benefit from grape pack. It was a bit tart and not much sweet (comparing to Shiraz/Viogner which is too sweet and was a bit disappointing). At 1 year it was much less tart and more fruit forward and sweeter tasting. As DoctorCAD mentioned, wives really like it. Going to open a bottle this weekend and buy a commercial 2011 Primitivo to compare.

Wookey

 

[DoctorCAD]

This kit being a full bodied Italian wine, would definitely benefit from grape pack. It was a bit tart and not much sweet (comparing to Shiraz/Viogner which is too sweet and was a bit disappointing). At 1 year it was much less tart and more fruit forward and sweeter tasting. As DoctorCAD mentioned, wives really like it. Going to open a bottle this weekend and buy a commercial 2011 Primitivo to compare.

Wookey

Try the Layer Cake Primitivo. Interesting wine...

 

[robie]

This kit being a full bodied Italian wine, would definitely benefit from grape pack. It was a bit tart and not much sweet (comparing to Shiraz/Viogner which is too sweet and was a bit disappointing). At 1 year it was much less tart and more fruit forward and sweeter tasting. As DoctorCAD mentioned, wives really like it. Going to open a bottle this weekend and buy a commercial 2011 Primitivo to compare.

Wookey

Don't be surprised if it takes two years for it to come around enough to compare to the commercial one. Maybe, maybe not.

 

[wookey]

I am not surprised, it is indeed not mature enough. This kit really needs grape pack. The body is a bit weaker than the commercial bottle. The variety is definitely there, it is Primitivo for sure. The nose is a bit weak as in any kit wine without grape pack. The aftertaste is a bit sweet. The sweetness and fruitiness is less now than it was 3 months ago. The commercial one has SG of 0.994, mine - 0.995. The former is slightly darker in colour.
My wife preferred mine blindly because it was easier to drink, I was able to recognize the kit taste easily, so it was not really blind. I would say that at this moment, I prefer the commercial bottle, but I see a good potential in this kit, another few months should help this wine to open. I will get back to it again around New Year time.

Wookey

 

[wookey]

OK, tried a third bottle of Primitivo. It has improved since 2.5 months ago. The kit taste is less evident now, the nose is better too. The body is still weak and doubtful it is going to improve much. I am considering opening one bottle adding tannin Grand Cru or Richie, close the bottle and let it lie down for 2 months and see if the body is improved. Probably Richie is more suitable here as it adds a bit of sweetness. Tan'cor Intense would probably be a better choice, but I don't have any and it is not available in small quantities in the UK.
Next test in March.
Anyone else have this one and can share their thoughts?

Wookey

 

[Boatboy24]

I don't have this kit, but have been working a CC Sterling Merlot since early July that has just been utterly disappointing. Flat and flavorless was how I was describing it. A few weeks back, I gave it a dose of Tancor Grand Cru and that really opened it up. I'm amazed, honestly. I now have a batch of wine I'd put up against most of the 8-10 dollar merlots I've had. Not outstanding, but I am definitely not afraid to share this one with friends now. Bottom line: I think the addition of tannin is a great course of action.

 

[rezod11]

Curious: Total newbie here; I have seen this Tancor Grand Cru posted in several places. What is it exactly? What does it do? Why would I add it? When would I add it? I appreciate your responses.

 

[wookey]

Tan'cor Grand Cru is tannin. You can read a bit more on the website of its producer: http://www.laffort.com/en/tannin/209. Now, in wines made from grapes, you want less grape tannin, but probably more wood (oak) tannin. But in wines made from kits you may want grape tannin as well as it is often lacks body. Which is the case with my Primitivo. To be honest I prefer medium bodied French wines, but this particular variety has to be full bodied, even my wife who is not a huge wine drinker noticed that it lacked the body. For such situations good tannin does a miracle. Grand Cru is a combination of grape and oak tannin, so it suits kit wines perfectly. There are other tannin types, but Grand Cru is possibly the one you should start from as it it most universal for improving kit wine taste. After you are familiar with it you can try other types.

Wookey

 

[rezod11]

Thanks Wookey, that helps a lot! I may need to add it to a Malbec that I made. It's been a while since I tasted it, but it seemed extremely light upon racking.

 

[soccer0ww]

Haven't tasted mine yet. Have given a few bottles to friends who though the wine was quite decent coming from a kit. Will have to pop one open and see for myself. Also tried the shiraz/voignier and found that it has come around rather nice. I thought it would be much to oaky for my tastes but the oak has mellowed. Didn't order any of the reds from this years offerings. None really rang my bell.

 

[eblasmn9]

When I tried this wine at 1year I thought it was quite thin for a limited edition and it had a sweetness on the finish I didn't like. At 15 months, it is still quite thin and has no nose at all It doesn't have the sweetness like it did. I really like the mid palate of dark fruit and wish the finish was longer. All in all I like the way it tastes. I wish I would have done something to get a better mouth feel though.

 

[wookey]

Earl,

Mine is about the same age as yours. I believe at the bottling time it was much thicker than now. I hope if I hit it with good tannin it will improve the body and nose. Other than that, I agree that it has Primitivo taste which I like it very much.

Wookey