WineXpert 11 month old WE Valpolicella taste

[DoctorCAD]

I started this one 8/2013 using the 180 day extended kit directions. Bottled in Feburary

It is good, no young taste, slightly tannic snd a bit of berry taste. Every bit the mid-bodied fruit forward wine that it is supposed to be.

Firm believer in the 180 day method!

 

[buffalofrenchy]

which one is that? selection or vintner reserve?
I thought about doing a valpolicella but I think (at least) the VR is from California rather than Italy.

Is the 180 day extended schedule provided with the kit instructions?

 

[DoctorCAD]

Selection, I think. The 180 day instructions come from Jack Kellers website. http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/extended.asp

 

[bkisel]

I've yet to try a WE kit but now that my LHBS is carrying the line I can see myself doing one in the future.

My RJS VdV Valpola also came out tasting really good. Used a grape pack for the second time around that was saved from my RJS WS Super Tuscan, put a pound (maybe it was two?) of raisins in the "secondary" and back sweetened with two cups of sugar. Bulk aged two months, bottled aged two months. I believe this finished $75.00 kit approached the level of RJS' $125.00 WS kits.

 

[joeswine]

Inexpensive kits

I HAVE ALWAYS STATED THAT WITH A LITTLE FOR THOUGHT AND PLANNING YOU COULD TAKE A CHEAP KIT AND MAKE IT BETTER THAN THE MFG. WOULD HAVE YOU EXPECTED YOU TO.

VALPOLICELLA,USUALLY A BLENDED WINE FROM THE AREA OF ITALY KNOWN FOR IT'S AMARONE,ALWAYS A GREAT TABLE WINE WHEN LEFT TO AGE FOR AT LEAST 1 TO 3 YEARS EVEN AT KIT LEVEL ADDING THE GRAPE PACK AND RAISINS ARE REMINISCENT OF HOW AMARONE IS PRODUCED.

 

[bkisel]

I HAVE ALWAYS STATED THAT WITH A LITTLE FOR THOUGHT AND PLANNING YOU COULD TAKE A CHEAP KIT AND MAKE IT BETTER THAN THE MFG. WOULD HAVE YOU EXPECTED YOU TO.

VALPOLICELLA,USUALLY A BLENDED WINE FROM THE AREA OF ITALY KNOWN FOR IT'S AMARONE,ALWAYS A GREAT TABLE WINE WHEN LEFT TO AGE FOR AT LEAST 1 TO 3 YEARS EVEN AT KIT LEVEL ADDING THE GRAPE PACK AND RAISINS ARE REMINISCENT OF HOW AMARONE IS PRODUCED.

Don't know if you remember but it was PMing and talking to you that help me choose the particular kit and gave me the confidence to do the raisin tweak. You told me to pick out an Italian wine kit. Thanks!

 

[DoctorCAD]

What if you just don't like the raisin taste? Pure Amorone tastes like raisins, but it is supposed to. Not fond of it in other wines.

Is there anything else that would help body in Italian wines, short of real grapes?

 

[tonyt]

What if you just don't like the raisin taste? Pure Amorone tastes like raisins, but it is supposed to. Not fond of it in other wines.

Is there anything else that would help body in Italian wines, short of real grapes?

Yep. I've stopped adding raisins to my kits. All of my wines were loosing their varietal characteristics and tasting like variations of Amarone. Also now that most of my wines spend three months in a small barrel I don't back sweeten to make them approachable earlier, the barrels do that for me.

 

[bkisel]

The reason I picked the Italian wine kit that I did is that it is described as having "hints of raisins". So figured this would be a good/safe selection on which to try the raisin tweak.

From RJS web site...

"Red Valpola
Medium-bodied and deliciously fruity, this popular Italian wine is dark garnet in colour and boasts of generous, rich aromas of dark ripe fruit with hints of raisins. Subtle nuances of vanilla and spice from the oak create a well-rounded experience."

 

[tonyt]

Used a grape pack for the second time around that was saved from my RJS WS Super Tuscan, put a pound (maybe it was two?) of raisins in the "secondary" and back sweetened with two cups of sugar.

This is very similar to something I do each year. Valpolicella Ripasso is made with partially dried grape skins that have been left over after fermenting Amarone. Some folks say that the skins are "dome" after they finish a few weeks of fermintation but the Italians in The Venito have been doing it for centuries and charging more for it. I usually bottle half as Valpolicella Ripasso and blend the other half with a Super Tuscan blend and back sweeten. I call this blend Rubio and it's really about the only thing I* back sweeten.