As I mentioned in another post about La Bodega Port, yesterday I had the chance to taste a number of wines that were bottled at George's bottling party. I have long been reluctant to make kit wines and spend the money on them, perhaps because when I started making wine 13 years ago, the only kit was tin can concentrate that did not make very good wine. So I have primarily made wine from fresh grapes and fruits over the years. I have made WE VR kits, but the red wines always have kit taste. George has been trying to convince me to spend more for better kits and yesterday certainly gave me incentive to do so. I must also say that Mosti Mondiale frozen juice kits and Meglioli limited edition kits are significantly superior to even the Winexpert Selection kits. From what I tasted yesterday, I'd say that MM frozen juice kits make wines that would cost me$8 to $15 a bottle at the store. The Meglioli kit compared to what would cost me $15-25 at the store. Also, I could not detect the dreaded kit taste in any of the MM samples I tried.
Here are my brief comments on the following wines:
MM Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon frozenjuice: At six months, this wine tasted wonderful. It had very good body but needs some more aging to smooth out the edges. Very consisent with Cab. Sauv. expectations. It tasted like a $12 bottle at the store.
MM Chilean Merlot frozen juice: Similar comments, though I'm not a Merlot lover, it would be extremely pleasing to Merlot lovers.
MM Chilean Sauvignon Blanc frozen juice: I loved the labels on this kit. This kit produced a very good Sauvignon Blanc in the grassy, barnyard style. I wonder if it is possible to cool ferment the frozen juice kits and produce a more fruity S.B. Regardless, the S.B. had a very nice body and finish.
Meglioli Barolo: this is the $200 limited edition kit. This wine is outstanding, well worth it. You are making a $15-25 bottle of wine for only $7 per bottle. Well worth the price.
Meglioli Rojo Grande: another $200 limited edition kit. Not as great as the Barolo, but that also is because it is not as bold a wine, which I prefer. So there is taster bias. I believe the wine consists of a blend ofMerlot, Cabernet Sauvignon andCarmenere. But it also has a very smooth body and finish, which will improve with age. If you are a Merlot fan, this would probably be well worth it.
Winexpert Austrailian Verdelho Limited Edition: I enjoyed the taste of this white wine and believe the consumer would be satisfied with it.
Winexpert World Vineyard Australian Riverland Reserve: Winexpert states that this is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Colombard and Muscat varieties. I frankly was disappointed, I expected that this would produce a better wine than the old VR kits with the two extra liters of juice. The wine was too thin and lacked body. I am surprised, given thatthe kit contains muscat, which usually adds great body to wines.
I had a few other tastings, but I am not sure I had reliable information as to the type of wine to comment on it (the persons pouring the wine sometimes were mistaken as to type). But I hope these notes help you.
My conclusion is that if you have the chance to purchase the MM frozen juices in the fall and spring, you should do so as they consistently make very good wine. And if you want a great wine for that special occasion (as George said), splurge for the Meglioli limited edition kits, especially the Barolo.
Wow, George, did you brainwash me at the bottling party?Edited by: dfwwino
Here are my brief comments on the following wines:
MM Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon frozenjuice: At six months, this wine tasted wonderful. It had very good body but needs some more aging to smooth out the edges. Very consisent with Cab. Sauv. expectations. It tasted like a $12 bottle at the store.
MM Chilean Merlot frozen juice: Similar comments, though I'm not a Merlot lover, it would be extremely pleasing to Merlot lovers.
MM Chilean Sauvignon Blanc frozen juice: I loved the labels on this kit. This kit produced a very good Sauvignon Blanc in the grassy, barnyard style. I wonder if it is possible to cool ferment the frozen juice kits and produce a more fruity S.B. Regardless, the S.B. had a very nice body and finish.
Meglioli Barolo: this is the $200 limited edition kit. This wine is outstanding, well worth it. You are making a $15-25 bottle of wine for only $7 per bottle. Well worth the price.
Meglioli Rojo Grande: another $200 limited edition kit. Not as great as the Barolo, but that also is because it is not as bold a wine, which I prefer. So there is taster bias. I believe the wine consists of a blend ofMerlot, Cabernet Sauvignon andCarmenere. But it also has a very smooth body and finish, which will improve with age. If you are a Merlot fan, this would probably be well worth it.
Winexpert Austrailian Verdelho Limited Edition: I enjoyed the taste of this white wine and believe the consumer would be satisfied with it.
Winexpert World Vineyard Australian Riverland Reserve: Winexpert states that this is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Colombard and Muscat varieties. I frankly was disappointed, I expected that this would produce a better wine than the old VR kits with the two extra liters of juice. The wine was too thin and lacked body. I am surprised, given thatthe kit contains muscat, which usually adds great body to wines.
I had a few other tastings, but I am not sure I had reliable information as to the type of wine to comment on it (the persons pouring the wine sometimes were mistaken as to type). But I hope these notes help you.
My conclusion is that if you have the chance to purchase the MM frozen juices in the fall and spring, you should do so as they consistently make very good wine. And if you want a great wine for that special occasion (as George said), splurge for the Meglioli limited edition kits, especially the Barolo.
Wow, George, did you brainwash me at the bottling party?Edited by: dfwwino
