WineXpert Making First Red Wine

[Mharris335]

New here...just started my first batch of wine ever. Was very
scared at first, but now its in the primary and bubbling away. I
am on day 4 and I think its doing its thing. I am making
Winexpert Zinfandel. Has anyone made this kit? I
wanted to try a cheap wine the first time to see if it is any
good.

 

[masta]

Which Zin is it...Vintners Reserve Red Zinfandel?

 

[Michael Vino]

Welcome to a great hobby and forum. There are a lot a great folks here to help calm any fears you may be experiencing. I'm a newbie to this craft as well and at the ready to bottle stage this week end. I'm making a WE Merlot kit and it looks great sitting in the carboy, I'm ready for that first glass.


Good luck with your Zin, but be careful this hobbie is great at empting your wallet.

 

[grapeman]

Welcome Mharris335 to the forum.


You chose a good wine for the first one. It's a good price and a very popular one. Everybody seems to love these. As your expertise and experience with wine matures, you will probably gravitate towards the heavier reds, but there are tons of people who like these. Have fun, learn patience and age themas much as possible while still consuming some. Sample as you go and it helps you learn what to expect.

 

[Mharris335]

It's the Vintners Reserve. How often should the thing bubble or
does it just depend on things I don't understand yet. lol

I have loved wine for the past 3 years and chose the Zin because the
local wine beer shop had only one kit that was under $100. I do
like zin's so it was a no brainer.



Thank you all for the warm welcome.

 

[rexmor]

The VR Red Zin was my first one also, and I hate to tell you that I have been disappointedwith it. Pretty thin, and no discernible varietal characteristic. It's only nine months old, so there still may be some chance for improvement, but I don't hold much hope.

 

[geocorn]

The VR reds can be on the thin side, but they are a great place to start.


Your local shop needs to carry more kits. Only 1 under $100.00 is a very weak selection or very high prices. I carry all of the Winexpert kits and only the Estate series and 2 of the International are more than $100.00.

 

[el wino]

Is that gonna be true for also for the VR australian shiraz.I have a kit that I have not yet started.I am concern that it will also lack the full body shiraz I am use too.(Rosemont,Pennfolds,wolfblass).Can I reduce this to maybe a 5-gallon batch oppose to 6-gal.There has to be a way to give this kit some body.I have just been reading on the forum that VR kits were kind of thin (bland ,lacking body).Does someone have a remedy to this..Ibought this kit before I read up on it........gil

 

[Wade E]

Ive heard of people adding things like raisons or elderflowers and heavier oaks!

 

[smurfe]

I did the VR Cabernet Sauvignon and added extra oak. It helped a lot but it is still not on par with a regular Cab. It is still lacks body. I drink some every now and then and it is a fine table wine but I mostly use it for topping off red wines.


Smurfe

 

[Mharris335]

Thank you all for the warm welcome. I was worried that the VR Zin
was not up to what I am used to drinking. Is there anything I can
do now to get it up to at least a decent Zin. (ie. Ravenswood,
Rosenblum $8 a bottle)



Is there a a hugh difference between Wine kits like mine and otheres that are higher priced?

 

[rexmor]

The big difference is the body. The VR isnot going to come close tothe body of the Ravenswood or Rosenblum [I like those, too BTW]. I don't think you can get more body by adding oak, just more tannin, which really needs body to effectively work.
There is definitely much more body in the higher end kits. You might find that the best use of this kit is for topping off some higher end ones. And, at least you got the experience of making it, which was why I ordered a lower end kit first. if I made a mistake i didn't want it to be an expensive one.
Sorry to be so negative about this wine, but I didn't want any disappointment in it to discourage you from makingfuture ones.

 

[Mharris335]

Thank you Rex for being truthful.



If it's as good as those other wines that’s find to me. I have
many friends that would love it. Next time I will buy a better
kit and see how that goes. Is it cheaper to buy on line or is the
local shop in town cheaper ($125)? Anyone got any kits they
want to recomend?



Plus I have been reading about adding Raisins to the thin Zin. What about that?

 

[rexmor]

I know there are some kits which come with raisins, but I would guess that those are specially picked and processedfor the type of wine being made [zinfandel raisins for zinfandel, etc.]. Others may know where you can find good quality raisins for this purpose, but I sure wouldn't add regular commercial raisins which are usually made fom"nonwine quality" grapes. I don't see how that could improve the flavor.
BTW, you may have misunderstood....I wasn't saying that the VR zin would be as good as Ravenswood, I was saying that it doesn''t have nearly the body as RW.


You can definitely buy higher end kits from this site for much cheaper than $125. Check out the catalogue. Edited by: rexmor

 

[EastCoast]

Hi Mharris335,
I hear what your saying about winemaking kits and theconfusion about qaulity.
Making your own wine from kits is certainly rewarding but trying to choose the right one to emulate what you would get from buying the same type of wineat the store is noy easy.


How do you choose?


Yes, you get satisfaction ofmaking the wine yourself butin the end,
you are still trying to get about the same quality from a kit as you wouldgetfrom a store.


Maybe some of the more experience folks on this forum can suggest what kits would be of equal value to say a $12.00 bottle of chardannay or a $12.00 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon to the appropriate kit available.


EastCaost

 

[Mharris335]

Thank You East.
I am looking for someone to tell me which kits are worth the money. I like all reds and some dry whites.(Sauvignon Blanc)

 

[daveb50]

Mharris335 , stay with the kits thatare 15 liters or more and they will have more body. Usually the bigger the kit, the better the wine. The grape skin kits are even better. $125 depending on the kit isn't bad, considering you will have to pay shipping when buying online. Your VR Zin will give you something to drink while your waiting for the bigger ones to age.
Dave

 

[Mharris335]

David.

Do you have anyone kit that you have made that you loved? And where do I get them from? My wife is wanted me to do a white for her for the summer. Plus a red for me.

 

[daveb50]

I like dry reds, my wife likes semi sweet. I have only been making kits for a little over a year, but my favorites so far: Cellar Craft Amarone- 9 months, WE Valpolicella - 8 months, WE Vieux Chateau Du Roi - 10 months and VR Mezza Luna - very drinkable at 4 months great at 9(drinking this one let the others age some more). My wifes favorites: VR White Zin - 4 months even better at 6, Vinters Harvest Strawberry - 1 year, WE Pinot Noir - 6 months
Can't help you on the whites, haven't made any. Lots of places online to order. Austin Homebrew, Fine Vine Wines, Grape and Grannary, Midwest Supplies andListermanns come to mind, I've delt with all of them, no complaints.
Dave

 

[Waldo]

Mharris.herein lies one of the afvantages of doing business with George. Give him a call. tell him what you are wanting to make and he will steer you to the correct kit. Edited by: Waldo