Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
No. It's a LE Cabernet from WE. Red Mountain is an AVA in Washington.
Other 2014 limited wine kits - what are you planning
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No. It's a LE Cabernet from WE. Red Mountain is an AVA in Washington.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Labelpeelers.com
Or here:
http://www.winexpert.com/le2013
I still don't understand why no grape pack on this kit........
http://www.winexpert.com/le2013
I still don't understand why no grape pack on this kit........
eblasmn9
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It seems Winexpert has decided to offer only one limited wine kit each year with a grape pack. I really wish they would have offered the Red Mountain Cab/Merlot with a grape pack. I would have ordered at least one already.
If you can source some wine grapes still you might be able to "make your own". Or see if you can still order a grape pack from Paklab.
Geronimo
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Really, no grape pack?
I hate to pick on WE but they aim for the bottom of the top. At $126 for that kit locally($140 minus 10% discount or $14), it's a good deal. However since FVW gives the same 10% off every kit and eats the shipping (a $10 gift cert for each pre-order) it's basically a wash with RJS kits in my book.
The Megioli kits are on the other end of the spectrum costing about $2 a bottle more.
I hate to pick on WE but they aim for the bottom of the top. At $126 for that kit locally($140 minus 10% discount or $14), it's a good deal. However since FVW gives the same 10% off every kit and eats the shipping (a $10 gift cert for each pre-order) it's basically a wash with RJS kits in my book.
The Megioli kits are on the other end of the spectrum costing about $2 a bottle more.
The Shiraz has a grape pack. No clue whatsoever as to why they wouldn't think a Cab/Merlot would benefit from one as well.....
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Could it be that their process includes some sort of cold maceration?
All red kits are made by cold maceration of sorts. They crush/destem then cold soak for some period of time to extract color and as much tannin as will come out at those cold temps, then the must is filtered, flash pasteurized and immediately vacuum packed into the juice bag. They can bump up the tannin levels but its the grape pack that bumps up the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) that make for a better mouthfeel and a higher quality wine.
But thats just a measure of sugar that gets converted to EEOH. Red Mountain fruit supposedly has boatloads of tannin by nature so perhaps they think the wine can stand on its own without one. It still seems crazy (or cheap) to produce a LE or LR Cab/Merlot blend known for being a BIG BOLD wine without a grape pack or skins in 2013. I can see the Oregon Pinot Noir not needing one, Pinots are not big massive wines, much more delicate and refined.
SouthernChemist
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They probably would argue that it doesn't need a grape pack, but it could also be something to do with the complexities of production. Maybe making more than one kit with a grape pack (on top of producing all the other kits they make) is something they would rather not do (or feel they can't) in the time they have.
Oh yea, they be paying more for that juice for sure. Way more......
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