Recommendation for First Kit

[theamigo]

Current homebrewer that is wanting shift genres and make my first wine kit. I like very dry, very oakie red wines. Anyone got some good recommendations on a kit to use for my first attempt that fits the bill?

 

[cpfan]

A couple of questions....

1. what part of the world do you call home? Yes it makes a difference to my answer
2. if you live in the US, are you willing to do mail order? do you have a preferred retailer?
3. how soon do you wish to be seriously drinking this wine?
4. how big is the primary fermenter that you plan to use?
5. what varieties of wine do you prefer? Cab Sauv? Amarone?

Otherwise, welcome to our big happy family.

Steve

 

[theamigo]

1) Southern Alabama.
2) Willing to do mail order and don't have any preferred shop
3) I'm in no hurry on the wine. I figured it would be between 6-12 months before it is ready for consumption
4) I have a 5 gallon carboy but was going to borrow a 6 gallon from a friend. I can get bigger if needed.
5) Cabs are the reds I drink mostly but I have enjoyed the Merlot's I've tried too.

 

[cpfan]

Thanks for the quick responses amigo.

OK you live in the USA (not Canada or the UK), so I can't recommend Vineco kits. There are lots of good mail order places, check some of the ads on this forum.

A 6 gallon carboy is what you need after the primary fermentation. If you use it for the primary fermentation, you'll have a mess on your hands. You need a big pail for the primary to permit vigourous stirring, have room for foaming (although wines usually don't foam too much), and room for the grape skins (if you choose a grape skin kit).

6-12 months rules out some of the better grape skin kits (like Cellar Craft Showcase). Winexpert has grape skins in some of their Selection International kits and they are supposed to very good in that time frame. Not certain about the Cellar Craft Sterling kits.

For a first kit, you probably should ignore the grape skin kits. A little more effort (and sometimes trouble). Also they should be aged longer in carboy to make sure that all the sediment drops out.

Lots of good choices without grape skins though. In no particular order, here's a few (no means all) suggestions from a couple of brands that I like....

• Cru Select Australian Cabernet Sauvignon might be a good choice but oak level is only 3 (out of 5)
• Cru Select Australian Cabernet Shiraz Merlot is oak 5
• Cru Select Australian Shiraz Viognier is only oak 4, but when I made that kit a few years ago, it came with a ton of oak. I'm not an oakie, so didn't use it all. It was WONDERFUL, but I'm not sure how long we waited before gettng into drinking it.
• Selection International Australian Cabernet Sauvignon has Oak Intensity Heavy
• Selection International Australian Cabernet Shiraz also has Oak Intensity Heavy

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Steve

 

[DrJayman]

The hardest part of making good red wine is just as Tom Petty says....."
....The Waiting IS The Hardest Part." As said earlier, if you like the structure and boldness of a great red, you have to almost forget about it for a year+ or so after you clear it/bulk it/bottle it. You will taste it coming out of clearing and will taste good. Sure, you can drink it early; but if you can leave it alone it will reward and surprise you.

Personally, I will not invest in a red without a grape pack. IMHO it makes a huge difference, color/tannin, nuance-wise.

The other aspect is starting out is the hardest because you want to drink soon after the effort. My personal advice is get a Sterling (and maybe and extra syrah pack) and make/bottle that.... then make a Showcase or MM kit and pack it away where you wont' be tempted. If you like whites these are nice diversions to keep from cannibalizing your improving reds. You can have nice whites after 4 months in the bottle.

I now it is SO hard being patient starting out.....Find away to drink something less bold/expensvie which will let the high-flyers reward you for letting them grow.... Once you get a pattern down of maturing wine you will feel like a king....

 

[Wade E]

I have to agreethat a grape skin kit is what you want if you want a big chewy red but there a few good kits without the skins that sneak by, one is the W.E. Stags Leap Merlot kit.

 

[GEM]

In my opinion, which is truly a "newbe" one, the grape pack kits are outstanding and come much closer to hi quality wine. I might suggest a CC Zin. That is what I started with over Christmas and I am just now putting it into bulk aging in a carboy. My next will be an Amerone and then a Cab. I got these, along with the equipment for Christmas from my lovely wife.
Gary

 

[shoebiedoo]

I realize this is a little late, but I just bottled RJS Cellar Classic Rosso Grande which I ordered by mistake (i wanted the winery series) but I have to say, it's a lot better than I was expecting. This will be a pretty good "right now" wine. it would make a good 1st kit too.