I have been thinking of starting to make my own wine, but have not sampled many different kinds. My other half prefers whites, and I have never tried much in the reds area. This weekend we opened a bottle of 2001 Fenzer (Fezner?) cabernet sauvignon given to us by a freind. We did not care for it at all. The flavor was rather "earthy"and punjent, is this the tannin or oak flavors that so many of you mention? Do red kits, or homemade reds have this taste as well?
Commercial Wines
- Thread starter wiwino
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Yes, you noticed the tannins and other goodies from the grape skins. Unlike white wines, red wines are made from fermenting on the grape skins. This extracts all sorts of goodies, including tannins. The kits are designed using the same varietals and are supposed to taste like their commercial counterparts. Therefore, if you don't like commercial red wines, you probably won't like homemade red wines. I suggest you first start making wines that are of the same varietal you like (whatever whites you and your other half prefer). If you become addicted to this hobby, you will likely move up the scale from whites to reds. Most of us proceed from milder, sweeter whites to bolder reds as our tastes develop over time. In fact, I made a Chardonnay for my wife after we got engaged and now she will not drink it because she became hooked on the taste of my reds.
JimCook
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Wis. Wino,
Tannin will normallyexpress themselves with a drying/coating sensation in the mouth or on the tongue. The earthy flavors can be a combination of the terroir of the grapes (the 'flavor' of the earth pulled from the vine into the grapes), the oaking used, and the combination of the total experience of the wine evidencing itself. With cabernet sauvignon, a varietal known for its tannic expression (also one of the things that helps it age well), I have tasted a variety of flavors. Some people enjoy earthy wines (The French prefer the taste of the terroir over the taste of the fruit) and you'll tend to find this in Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Petite Syrah wines foremost.
Also note that earthiness can be expressed in a variety of ways. From the American Wine Society, their flavor/aroma wheel notes a range of descriptions of earthiness between gross categories of moldy and earthy with specific descriptions ranging from moldy cork, musty/mildew, mushroom and dusty. Personally, when I taste a wine that has the aroma/flavors of evergreen, damp forest floor, mushroom - that's earthy to me. Those descriptions cross into the ACS range of 'Woody.'
If you haven't tasted a lot of commercial wines, I highly recommend that you taste as many as you can - preferably at the free tastings that wine merchants have or with blind tastings at your home or a friend's house. The more wines you can taste the more those flavors will come out and you'll figure out exactly what you prefer. And you never know, perhaps an 'earthy' flavor will grow on you.
- JimEdited by: JimCook
Tannin will normallyexpress themselves with a drying/coating sensation in the mouth or on the tongue. The earthy flavors can be a combination of the terroir of the grapes (the 'flavor' of the earth pulled from the vine into the grapes), the oaking used, and the combination of the total experience of the wine evidencing itself. With cabernet sauvignon, a varietal known for its tannic expression (also one of the things that helps it age well), I have tasted a variety of flavors. Some people enjoy earthy wines (The French prefer the taste of the terroir over the taste of the fruit) and you'll tend to find this in Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Petite Syrah wines foremost.
Also note that earthiness can be expressed in a variety of ways. From the American Wine Society, their flavor/aroma wheel notes a range of descriptions of earthiness between gross categories of moldy and earthy with specific descriptions ranging from moldy cork, musty/mildew, mushroom and dusty. Personally, when I taste a wine that has the aroma/flavors of evergreen, damp forest floor, mushroom - that's earthy to me. Those descriptions cross into the ACS range of 'Woody.'
If you haven't tasted a lot of commercial wines, I highly recommend that you taste as many as you can - preferably at the free tastings that wine merchants have or with blind tastings at your home or a friend's house. The more wines you can taste the more those flavors will come out and you'll figure out exactly what you prefer. And you never know, perhaps an 'earthy' flavor will grow on you.
- JimEdited by: JimCook
peterCooper
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I would agree with what has been said so far. A large number of people start off with sweet or medium whites, a Chardonnay. Liebfraumilch, Gewürztraminer or some such. These are very drinkable, relatively low alcohol and pleasant wines that remind people of slow summer evenings with good food and company. My first wine was at 16 (back in the stone age) on vacation in Germany sampling the young local Rhine wines from a hand blown rustic wine glass, looking out over the river ,watching the barges move coal against a backdrop of vineyards on the far bank. That was Koblenz in 1971. I don't think I could drink a Liebfraumilch any more... too sweet for me. One's tastes change
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/7/79/Koblenz_fortress.jpg
There are many medium priced wine kits available on this site for you try. you also want to look at the cost of the equipment. I would go for the beginners or deluxe starter kit as it includes a kit wine.
http://www.finevinewines.com/home-wine-making-kits.html#B
If you are REALLY sure you want to get into it you might want to go for a higher quality equipment package which will save you money in the long run.
You should also give George a call. He is a very helpful guy and will be able to fill you in on what the process and the costs entail. George will not nickel and dime you out of a fortune and offers good sound advice.
welcome to the forum!
Welcome to wine making too. you'll find a good deal of useful and interesting info here. Check out the pictorial tutorials as well.
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/7/79/Koblenz_fortress.jpg
There are many medium priced wine kits available on this site for you try. you also want to look at the cost of the equipment. I would go for the beginners or deluxe starter kit as it includes a kit wine.
http://www.finevinewines.com/home-wine-making-kits.html#B
If you are REALLY sure you want to get into it you might want to go for a higher quality equipment package which will save you money in the long run.
You should also give George a call. He is a very helpful guy and will be able to fill you in on what the process and the costs entail. George will not nickel and dime you out of a fortune and offers good sound advice.
welcome to the forum!
Welcome to wine making too. you'll find a good deal of useful and interesting info here. Check out the pictorial tutorials as well.
Thanks everyone for your responses. I have been looking around the forum quite a bit and have already seen the tutorials. I had planned on contacting George when I am ready to purchase my kit, I just need to talk the "better half" into it, as she feels that I am too busy to start another hobby at this time. So I may just have to continue living vicariously through other members and continue learning through the forum until I have more free time.
