RJ Spagnols Kit Quality Levels

[mhenry41h]

Hello all,

I plan on working through the levels of kits to see just how much better one is over another. As a first time kit maker, Im bottling and labeling my kits (Spagnols) by 3 quality levels (Gold, Silver & Bronze Standards.) Im planning to make 3 Grand Cru Kits per year, 2 Cru Select kits per year, and 1 En Primeur kit per year accordingly. My question is this: I know the Grand Cru kits are 10L, the Cru Select 16L, and the En Primeur 18L; is the a substantial and noticable difference in quality between these 3 as I suspect there should be? Thanks!

 

[Flem]

The Orchard Breezin kit is a good one to get your feet wet with. But in my honest opinion, forget the 10L kits and go directly to kits with at least 15 or 16L. I promise you, you won't regret it. Again, it's my opinion. Good Luck!!

 

[Wade E]

Absolutely!!!! If you are making reds then I wouldnt even bother making any of the Grand Cr kits with maybe the exception of the International Series where they come with the grape skin pack but I suspect that even they would be pretty thin. Ive made a Grand Cru kit in the red series and ended up giving most of it away and cooking with the rest. I was not pleased!!!!! The white wines arent nearly as bad but even those will get better as you buy bigger! If I were you Id reverse your thinking and make more of the bigger kits and maybe 1 of the smaller just to compare as you may find yourself wasting a lot of money on wine you wont like! Stick with the biug grape skin kits like the RJS Winery Series or EP's

 

[Rocky]

Totally agree with Flem and Wade. Don't waste time and money on the low end kits. Go for broke! You will put just as much time and energy into it and you will have a wine that you love. Otherwise, you will be very disappointed with a thin wine and contemplate dumping it or making vinegar.

This is the voice of experience talking. Been there, done that, have the T-shirt.

 

[mhenry41h]

You are gentlemen and scholars...thanks for the input. I want to make and drink good wine, not bottom shelf stuff. I read somewhere that the bottom line kits are the equivalent of your $5-$10 dollar stuff, your 15L,16L kits are more like buying $15-$20 bottles and the 18L-23L kits are much more comparable to $20+ dollar bottles of wine. Of course, I realize this is a tremendous generalization that implies all wines' quality is directly proportional to its sale price...which we all know is far from true...but I think you'll get what im getting at!

 

[Wade E]

Yep, nothing worse then a watery red wine!!!!