Other Challenge for the wine kit makers

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St Allie

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I have a spare $20 this week and having surfed the web this morning..

I found....

Premium Reserve Red Grape Kit / Kit also comes in a White Grape

We purchase varietal grape juice concentrate made from grapes sourced from Australia, California and Italy and package in small amounts for you to make your first 6 bottles.
This wine kit will make 4.5 litres of light to medium bodied wine, no sugar is required.
We pack a different variety each time (eg Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Shiraz etc/ Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc etc), please inquire directly with the shop if you want to know which grape is currently available.
Kit contains (approximately) 1.3 litres of grape concentrate, Lalvin Wine Yeast, campden tablets and instructions.
You will need a 5 litre fermenter with airlock to make this kit.

Here's the challenge..

Using the above kit.. I'd like to invite members to alter the kit into something you think would become drinkable ( I'm not entirely satisfied that this is a great finished wine kit !! hehehhehe)

Please post your comments here.. Note whether you started a white or a red version and what particular style of wine you are aiming for..

( most creative recipe, wins a virtual chocolate fish)

Allie
 
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If it was the Cab I would add approx 3 grams of medium toasted American oak cubes to add after fermentation is complete to add more complexity.
 
Whoa Allie, thats too much for me. I am still hoping to figure out how to make wine with cat hair and snow! HaHa:D
 
Allie...

Never having heard of this kit before, and not knowing anything about it, anything that I might suggest is probably suspect. Do you have a link to it?

If it's thin in body...add frozen black bananas and/or raisins

Consider changing/increasing the oak, but it might cost more for the oak cubes/spirals than for the kit. Wade 3 grams of oak cubes? I just counted about 70 cubes in one package of Hungarian oak from an RJS kit, and the package weighs 66 grams. So 3g is about about 3 cubes in a gallon. I would have thought more like 12-15 cubes per Imperial gallon.

BTW, Allie, I wish I could get some gallon wine kits inexpensively here, especially a less well known varietal like Viognier, or a blend I haven't tried.

Steve
 
Steve

link is here

http://www.haurakihomebrew.co.nz/product_info.php?cPath=94_98&products_id=1232

seems very cheap doesn't it? ...looks like they make it up themselves. Thing is, at that price it'd be worth playing around with.. maybe add some apples to it or something and tweak it up a bit? Elderberry?

If someone comes up with a tweaked recipe.. I'll buy one of these and give it a go..

might turn out spectacularly.. who knows?

Allie :)
 
Hmmmm why is it so cheap Allie?? If you buy one Ill buy one too and we can have a comp on who makes it the best!!! lol You in?
 
Thanks for the link Allie. Too bad there isn't more info and instructions. You're right it does look like something that the store makes up.

If I was doing one of these, I would definitely consider something to increase the body, ie bananas and/or raisins. Not sure how much to add to one gallon though. I would also consider adding elderberries.

Depending on the variety, I would also oak it, although maybe not the cubes that Wade mentioned. I would oak a Pinot Noir less than other varieties, and a Cab Sauv or Shiraz more than others. I would use about 6g of oak powder in the Pinot Noir, maybe a bit more in the Merlot, and 12-18g in the Cab or Shiraz. [A couple of years ago, I would have mailed you a package of oak powder cause I had lots of it. These days I don't. Threw it out prior to a move.]

If I had access to this product, I would definitely try it.

Steve
 
I'm in Coll hehehehe ...you want to do red or white?

Steve..

I'm going into that brewshop today, so will ask a few questions and see what they say about it.. for all I know they may already have tweaked it themselves. Tempted to buy two, do one with oak ( thanks for the offer anyway.. I think our biosecurity might have me arrested though! hehehe)and the other a mix with fruitwines, maybe increase the volume to two gallons for it.. If I don't like the outcome it can always be blended..

There are quite a lot of raspberries tucked away in the freezer.

Allie
 
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CP, you are right as I checked my bag and I was way under what I thought they weighed. I really dot use the dust or chips that much anymore as I think the priarlas and cubes leave a better taste in my wines. Actually not to fond of the staves either.
 
Fabuluos Im in then too. Id like to try the shiraz but am open to anything...whats your preference Allie?

Let me know what the shop says and we can start experimenting. Oh and we have to leave reviews, I noticed there are none on there, so we at least be helpful to others ok!!!
 
ok I have the kit.. it's a valpolicella $19.95.. I chose this because I drink reds mostly and at least this is an easy drinking red... what could possibly go wrong?
...........right?

They had two whites and a red.. the whites were a pinot grigio ( pinot gris) that was $29 due to being a better grade of grape and a riesling for $19.95.

Coll?.. I can ring and get them to hold the other red one for you if you like?.. you going to get it couriered?


Allie
 
ooooh yes please, Ill email them later, if you can get that held that would be great.
Whats a valpolicella anyone, similar to anything like a merlot or cab sav? I like shiraz so if its gonig to be really sweet and thin maybe I should flag it????
 
I have Valpolicella in my cellar and hope yours comes out as good as mine!
 
I'm going to hang onto mine until you get yours Coll.. and then we can make it together.


:D
 
Righty I got my kit today so we can start on Sunday Allie! Ill be in Auckland over the weekend so dont want to start it now since it will need some attention over the next few days!

Mine is a shiraz! Cant wait Think Ill add some sultanas though, not expecting it to have a lot of body???? Someone stop me now if you think thats a bad idea!!!!:h
 
Mine is a shiraz! Cant wait Think Ill add some sultanas though, not expecting it to have a lot of body???? Someone stop me now if you think thats a bad idea!!!!:h
Coll: Not stopping you, but make sure you consider how many rasins to add. Most of the comments you read will be for 23 litre kits.

Steve
 
Oh ok Steve, I was thinking around 250gm of sultanas (Does that sound ok?) as thats what Ive been adding to my other 1 gallon lots. Could add bananas instead I suppose, what are you adding Allie?
 
I have my kit on the bench to do today.. been a bit busy juicing apples and Coll is ahead of me now..

After investigating the freezer there's a good half a kilo of blackberries in it, so am throwing those in and will put some banana juice ( thanks for the tip Luc !) and some raisins in too.

Coll and I picked up the more expensive pinot gris kits too for $30 each.. so that'll be our next project ..

Allie
 
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I'd add around 20 grams of oak if it didn't come with an. Bananas or raisins to add body would be good or a little glycerin would help. You can buy one gallon wine kits but they are geared toward the non-winemaker that is thinking of getting in the hobby. It comes with everything to brew and bottle the wine.

http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdListWTB.asp
 

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