Cellar Craft Super Pack

[uavwmn]

I was looking at the CC "Special Edition" wines and there was the Amaronne with a "super pack". Most of the other kits have the "crushed grape pack". What is the difference between the two?

 

[ibglowin]

Maybe someone who has made this exact kit will chime in but I suspect they supply some type of raisin pack instead of a standard grape pack since Amarone is made from the ripassa method using partially dried (semi-raisin) grapes.

 

[vcasey]

I've made the kit and I recall it was just a really big bag of the normal grape pack.I made mine at the end of 2008 and we opened a bottle this week and it has finally started to turn the corner. Granted this one is still maturing and developing but right now if given a choice I would take the MM Renascence over this one as it just had a deeper fuller taste from the start.

 

[v1rotate]

I think the Super Pack is 2.6L vs 2L for the normal GP. vcasey, I'm surprised to hear it is taking awhile for your Amarone to come around. Is this the normal Showcase Amarone? Mine was excellent at about 10 months and I have read about someone's which was the hands down favorite at a wine club tasting when it was under a year and compared favorably with 2 year old kit Amarone and even a store bought bottle. That recommendation convinced me to give the kit a try and I like it so much at 16 months that I have a double batch waiting for a run through the 40L Vadai.

 

[vcasey]

Yes, Showcase with the Super Pack. All my CC kits have taken a while to develop and most tend to be almost overly fruity so I'm not surprised. I'll open another bottle in a couple of months, but right now it is on my list not to try again.

 

[tonyt]

I think the Super Pack is 2.6L vs 2L

That's correct. I did the CC Limited Release Cuvee Rosso Fortussimo with super pack recently. Regular grape packs are 2L. Super Pack was 2.6L. Last month at bottling tasted the extra and it was spectacular. I was looking at the Amarone with Super Pack and wishing I had not started the MM Megioli and had seen this instead. I'm sure that two years from now I'll realize what a stupid statement I just made.

 

[robie]

If I remember correctly, appleman won a gold medal with a MM Ren. Amarone.

I made the MM Ren. Amarone about 18 months ago. It is still not quite ready, but about every two months I try a split and I can tell it is steadily improving.