Cellar Craft Sterling Old Vine Zinfandel

[fishonline]

Has anyone made this kit? I just picked one up on sale at my local brew shop for cheap. I was thinking about re-using my grape skin pack that I have in my Super Tuscan. Just wondering if anyone had made this and what the results were? It says it won a silver medal.

 

[Boatboy24]

Cellar Craft? This one comes with a 1.5 liter grape pack, right? I made the Merlot (just bottled) and the Syrah (still working) last summer. The merlot is a little thin, but a decent wine. I doctored the Syrah up, so I can't say what that would have been like. I don't see any harm in adding additional grapes, but I'm not sure how much you'll get out of a used pack. It certainly won't take anything away.

 

[fishonline]

Yes it's the Cellar Craft Sterling not the Showcase. I don't think it comes with skins but I haven't opened the box. I'll have to wait till I get home from work.. Hmmmm..

 

[PurpleToes]

Since it's a Sterling kit, and a red one at that, it comes with 10.5 liters of juice/concentrate and a 1.5 liter package of crushed grapes.

CAUTION: You should know that these kits were discontinued by the manufacturer early last year. Please check the expiration date of the kit itself and the yeast so you know what you're getting into.

Cheers.

 

[fishonline]

That explains why it was on sale.. I'm willing to take a chance with it since it was so cheap. Hopefully it will be a decent early drinker. It does have the skins btw.

 

[Dino466]

Dang, I did not realize they were discontinued. I got a Pinot Noir at Christmas - made it the yeat before at Christmas - bulk aged it for 4 months it was really good - (first kit I made with grape pack). They were at a nice price point for a grape pack kit and were good early drinking wines. They are still on the Vineco website.

 

[fishonline]

Hey Dino, it looks like your Pinot is still being made but the Zin is discontinued. Glad to hear you liked the kit. I still haven't had a chance to start mine. Hopefully this weekend!

 

[SouthernChemist]

From what I understand, you probably won't get much out of your used Super Tuscan grape pack...it more than likely has given what it's going to give.

 

[Dino466]

So what other ones did they discontinue in the CC Sterling line, cause the place I go to only carries 4 in the CC Sterling (Amarone, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo) - Sorry fish - when I read it quickly it sounded like all the Sterling line was discontinued.

 

[PurpleToes]

The only kit in the Sterling line that was discontinued in 2012 was the Old Vines Zin. Of course, they still make the ever popular Showcase Collection size of OVZ, the 18L size that includes a crushed grape pack.
Haven't heard the 2013 updates yet. Still waiting to hear from the manufacturer.
Hope that helps.

 

[ann8]

I just bottled my Pinot Noir and Tempranillo this weekend - holy sludge at the bottom!!!! It totally clogged my filter and I ended up losing about 2 bottles because of all of the thick sludge.

 

[Dino466]

I had the same thing happen to me with another kit. I bulk aged for 6 months - I did not rack off the the sediment which I will do from now on at the 4 month mark.

 

[ann8]

I'm wondering if it's from the grape pack? I don't bulk age but still, even with racking you'd still lose a lot, I think. I lost about 5 bottles between the two kits (even after topping up with commercial wine).