Need a good Pinot Noir kit?

[Elmer]

I am trying to find a good Pinot noir wine kit.
While I did not want to make any high end kit until next year, I figure if I get a head start now, maybe by this time next year I will not have to buy my wife a store bought bottle of Mark West every week.

I notice that my 2nd nearest LHBS has Wine Expert Selection™ Chilean Pinot Noir 16L Wine Kit for $129.

I have no experience with wine expert, does anyone?
There is no mention of a grapeskins or dried grapes.
I am trying to move towards making decent kits and have been under the assumption that good kits usually have skins. (althought I have my dried grape pack left over from the super tuscan).

I was trying to avoid having to order one off the interwebs. This way I could keep the transaction off my books, as my wife would see.

So if I could get my LHBS to order it, I would be good to go.

 

[Boatboy24]

I started the En Primeur Pinot Noir back in July and just moved it into a Vadai barrel on Monday. The nose is already spectacular (IMHO) and the flavors are really coming around nicely. Wishing I had done it a year ago so I could be enjoying it this Thanksgiving.

 

[SoCalGuy]

I'm doing the cellar craft Pinot noir. It comes with a bag of skins. Getting ready to do my first rack.

 

[bkisel]

If you're interested in a lower end kit...

Both my wife and I were well pleased with how our first wine making experience turned out, an RJS VdV Pinot Noir kit, in spite of a glitch along the way. A remake of that very same kit is currently bulk aging.

 

[kevinlfifer]

I have done the WE Estate selection, The Cellar Craft Sterling and a cheap RC Paklab (with tweaks) I think they are all better than a Mark West.
The cellar craft was $100 with a grape pack. I picked it up in Ft Myers while down there. The Paklab was $45 + 19 for tweaks.

If you guys drink a bottle a week, after you make your own it will become a bottle a day sooner than you think. Sooo, make a few kits.

 

[the_rayway]

I've also been looking into a Pinot Noir, and wondering: does anyone know of a kit that has/could be tweaked to taste similar to MEIOMI Pinot Noir? I love the very forward vanilla it has, and it is so smooth!

 

[Elmer]

Thanks for feedback on Pinot. I am real close to pulling trigger on wine Expert Selection™ Chilean Pinot Noir 16L Wine Kit for $129.
I got home lat night and wife had bought 2 more bottles of mark west. What drives me nuts the most about mark west is their bottles are near impossible to de-label. They cause me the most time with soaking and effort. I think they do this simple out of spite, knowing I am looking to replace them.

I was just weary because I have no experience with wine expert expert selection series.

I also don't know where this brand compares to MM or Rj Spags EN.

I also have no idea how Chilean Pinot Noir compares to west coast (napa/Washington) Pinot noir?

 

[Boatboy24]

I also have no idea how Chilean Pinot Noir compares to west coast (napa/Washington) Pinot noir?

Why not let your taste buds tell you? . It's a great reason to go to your local wine shop.

 

[tonyt]

As Jim Boatboy said the RJS EP Dashwood is excellent.

 

[GaDawg]

Cellar Craft Premium California Reserve Pinot Noir is excellent! This is my second kit

 

[Elmer]

For $30 more I can get the En Primeur Dashwood, Pinot Noir.
Considering it is 18L and not 16, seems to be a good selling point.
Since I already have the super tuscan and I know how good that is, cant imagine the Pinot Noir would be any different.

Thanks for all responses

 

[GaDawg]

The fine vine wines web sight list the RJS Winery Series as 16L
http://www.finevinewines.com/

The Southern Homebrew and Wine Making Supply list the RJS Winery Series as 18L
http://www.****************.com/rjspwise.html

The RJS Winery Series I have made in the past have been 16L, have they changed to 18L?

 

[Elmer]

The fine vine wines web sight list the RJS Winery Series as 16L
http://www.finevinewines.com/

The Southern Homebrew and Wine Making Supply list the RJS Winery Series as 18L
http://www.****************.com/rjspwise.html

The RJS Winery Series I have made in the past have been 16L, have they changed to 18L?

I think the Winery are still 16L,
But En Primeur are 18L

 

[GaDawg]

The RJS Winery Series with grape pack is 16L + 2L grape pack. The RJS Winery Series without grape pack (ex. Chile Chardonnay) is 18L

 

[Boatboy24]

I just called Southern Homebrew and Wine Making Supply and they said the RJS Winery Series is 18L

Great news

If I'm not mistaken, the way that works is the kitmakers call it 18L, but it is actually 16L of juice and ~2L of grap pack.