WineXpert Lambrusco

[Hi In The Pines]

Ok, as I have said before, "I dont drink the stuff". But now I have found a wine that I would drink, drink, and drink. Well, I dont know if it is a real wine or not. Its Riuniti Lambrusco. Is there a kit that I can get to make that??? Its perfectly sweet and has a nice kick that got me very very relaxed last night, although it was about 3/4 of a bottle.

 

[cbwenger]

jojo aka (John) from California just ordered a Lambrusco kit... i remember seeing them, but can't tell you where I saw them... just checked George's website and didn't find them, but I send a message to jojo or call George, he'll hook you up or at least get you in the right direction... Lambrusco today, Pinot Noir tomorrow, next year you'll be a solid Cab drinker and an official wine snob!!!!

 

[geocorn]

Who makes a Lambrusco kit?

 

[Hippie]

I made one a few years ago from Domain Tradition. I am not sure who the parent company is. Very good. I think that Riunite Lambrusco is slightly carbonated. I had some this past weekend at the sis-in-law's in Pensacola. I forgot to take any of mine with us.The tiny bubbles help get the alcohol to your head. It is only about 9% abv. I actually added to my kit back then as a newbie and ended up calling it Love Potion #9. My wife has begged me to try and copy it ever since. It contained elderberries and oak chips and was fed slowlyin the secondary with 2 cups corn sugar. Finished with a pint of wine conditioner.

 

[cbwenger]

sounds very interesting.. and if i remember correctly, the Lambrusco does have some bubbly to it... i do not know who has a Lambrusco kit... i think i saw one, but i could have been mistaken... if i find one again i will let you know... Jojo (John from California) just made a post last week i believe saying he bought a Lambrusco kit, so he might be more able to help

 

[Hi In The Pines]

Sun Cal Vineyards puts out a 46 fl oz can that makes 5 gallons. And, Domaine puts out a Lambrusco-Mosti Kit which makes 6 gallons. That is what I have found out so far. Since I have never done a kit, I take it that some kind of concentrate or juice comes in a kit? and you have to add your own starter ingredients? And the kit has all of the above in one package?

 

[jojo]

I order the Domain Tradition kit through grapeandgranary.com.


It's a hard find.My local store doesn't carry it.

 

[Jackie]

I haven't tried it but I was told the Winexpert Island Mist black raspberry merlot was very similar to Lambrusco in taste. Maybe someone who has tried that kit can comment.





Hi In The Pines:


A 46oz can will just be concentrate and you add to it.


A kit has everything you need but water--it has concentrate (most are a combination of concentrate and fresh juice to varying extents--larger kits have more juice in them), the yeast, clarifying agents (like isinglass or chitosan), potassium sorbate, and postassium metabisulfite. And sweetner for a sweet wine.The sugar/acids are already balanced. All you add is water and follow the step by step instructions. Edited by: Jackie

 

[cbwenger]

Michael, you are correct, a kit contains everything you need, first is a concentrate in which you add water... the buzz about the creshendo kits is because you get good quality juice and a crushed pack of skins... you also get yeast, sorbate--not sure what this does??, oak chips (if needed), and fining agents and potassium metabisulphite that will be good for 3-6 months of aging... and step by step instructions!!!

 

[cbwenger]

sorry Jackie, we must have been typing about the same time

 

[Hi In The Pines]

Very cool. Thanks to you both. Im slowly getting it. I am still getting ready to make my wine. Still gathering ingredients.

 

[Jackie]

The sorbate is to prevent renewed fermentation. The kits are suppose to be basically foolproof so the sorbate is included even in dry wine kits in case someone accidentally bottles without a complete fermentation (not everyone that makes a kit uses a hydrometer at all much less properly). Exploding bottles wouldn't be good for business.


Most kit instructions say if you plan to age longer than 6 months, to add an extra 1/4 tsp metabisulphite. The sulfite level in kits is low to allow for early drinking but the better kits (15-16L) really need longer aging to achieve their true potential. In the crushendo kits, they are already including more sulfite in the kit so you don't add any.

 

[jojo]

the domain tradition kit has a very small pouch of oak chips. it almost looks like a handful. i haven't started it yet.

 

[Hippie]

That is the kit I used to make my Love Potion #9. Oh, and it works!

 

[jojo]

That is the kit I used to make my Love Potion #9. Oh, and it works!

Will it work for the married with children?

 

[Hippie]

Uh...I am married with children!


They should be in bed early on school nights!

Edited by: Hippie

 

[jojo]

it drinks beautiful






*cheers*

 

[Plymouthpete]

Michael,


Several weeks ago George had a list of the new wines he was expecting by the end of December, one of them was a Lambrusco kit. I ordered it at a cost of $60. and received it last week. My wife and I started it last Tuesday, it was a little cold in the cellar so I placed it on a heating pad set on "low" heat. The thing is bubbling like crazy. It's a 6 gallon kit with no F pack, but the concentrate itself is real sweet, and it's supposed to be a wine ready to drink in about 6 weeks. We were looking for a seet Lambrusco type for a while and I was glad to see that George now carries it.

 

[Wade E]

George sells to Lambrusco's, One is the 6 gallon Mosti Mondaile which
gives you a primary bucket, the other is the Mosti Mondaile Domain Tradition kit.

Edited by: wade

 

[jojo]

This one aged wierd. At 9 months it is bright and full bodied. My notes say it weak at 3 months and again at 6 months. The must is very very thick and sweet. Not much like any WE kit I've done.