WineXpert Cabernet franc ice wine

[Johngottshall]

Started this kit today the store where I get my supplies had it on sale for 65.99. I couldn't pass it up at that price. SG was 1.100 when I started it. Has anyone made this kit and what should I expect. Thanks in advance.

 

[KeystoneHomebrew]

If this is the Winexpert kit I'm thinking of, you can expect deliciousness.

I really enjoyed the fresh berry and jam flavor this kit brought to the final product. It had a great aftertaste like a Smuckers Cab Franc grape jam. Really good, and potent. Drink while sitting down!

 

[SouthernChemist]

Someone asked about this very wine a week or so ago, so I'll just repaste my experience with it. It was a hit the first I shared some with friends. It also can make for good conversation as most people have never even heard of ice wine let alone tasted an ice wine style before.

My experience with that kit was positive, though it's definitely more a dessert rather than just a dessert wine. Very sweet with a faint red color (almost like the color of fresh salmon). The taste and aroma are probably best described as a red fruit bomb going off...particularly of things like strawberry and cranberry. It doesn't quite have a syrupy texture (I think the WE Riesling ice wine has been described on here that way in the past). If you like an intense, sweet style of dessert wine, this definitely fits into that category. It is drinkable early on, but things do meld together better with a little aging.

The f-pack that came with the kit is pretty large compared to others. If you do make it, be prepared to either remove more wine than the instructions suggest before adding it or put everything in your primary bucket first. Otherwise, you'll quickly run out of room in a 3 gallon carboy.

 

[Johngottshall]

Just finished racking my cab.franc ice wine kit to secondary.6 days in primary SG dropped from 1.100 to .996

 

[Jericurl]

Ooohhh...nice.

Have you sneaked a taste yet?

 

[Johngottshall]

Dry but fpac wasn't added yet

 

[SouthernChemist]

It will taste completely different once the f-pack has been added.

 

[Johngottshall]

It will taste completely different once the f-pack has been added.

OK thanks the head space that is there I shouldn't have to remove any before I add the f pac

 

[Ricky]

John did you tweek this kit any?...oak or added sugar....I never tried ice wine before,and I`m very interested...good luck with it

 

[Johngottshall]

John did you tweek this kit any?...oak or added sugar....I never tried ice wine before,and I`m very interested...good luck with it

No tweeks going to follow the kits directions on this one

 

[Johngottshall]

I have never tried ice wine either. Everyone I talked to said its excellent wine so we will see

 

[SouthernChemist]

John did you tweek this kit any?...oak or added sugar....I never tried ice wine before,and I`m very interested...good luck with it

This is definitely not a kit for typical tweaking. I'm not sure oak would really go with the flavor profile at all. It's a very fruity, sweet wine that lacks any (perceived) tannins and only bad a light color to it. I suppose you could up the alcohol some on some ice wine kits (some start at high SG values, others at typical values), but it's already a wine that you will not be drinking a lot of at once. Some examples are described as almost like a light syrup. I forget what the final SG value is off the top of my head, but it's sweeter than typical port wine kits. It's more a dessert than a dessert wine. Unfortunately, trying ice wine can be pretty expensive. Fortunately the kit is mostly straightforward and drinkable pretty early.

 

[Johngottshall]

I cleared and stabilized a week ago sampled last night. This is going to be awesome stuff will bottle in a few weeks. It is delicious already.

 

[Johngottshall]

My cab franc ice wine style taste great

 

[geek]

What does the f-pack consist of exactly?
It sounds like this is perfectly drink-able in a month?

 

[Johngottshall]

I'm not sure it was a kit no ingredients on the package but it was real sweet what ever it is

 

[SouthernChemist]

What does the f-pack consist of exactly?
It sounds like this is perfectly drink-able in a month?

It looks like a colorless sugar syrup. The flavors are probably 'artificial and other natural ingredients' to use the common lingo. Age will smooth it out a little, but it is definitely drinkable sooner than later.