WineXpert The "NEW" Best Wine I Have Made To Date Thread

[jobe05]

MotoMike: I have the Cellar Craft LOVZ thats been in the bottle almost 6 months and is already fantastic. Nice tannins and flavor at this stage. I had a bottle a while back that was 2 years old and it was incredible.

I now have a Cellar Classic kit that Im getting ready to do, and to compare.

 

[Francie]

Jack,


I, too, have noticed the "kit" taste. I have beenmaking wines now for one year. I have to tell you, the wines I bottled exactly one year ago, do not have the "kit" taste anymore. Everyone told me to wait a year, but I did not listen or believe them, but they were right!!!!!! Give your wine a few more months and I would suffice that you will not be disappointed. I also have the Lodi Cab bulk aging and won't touch it until next year at Christmas!!


Happy New Year!


Francie

 

[laneygirl]

Why does aging in the bottle or bulk in carboy affect kit taste?


Jack, I have similar experience with WE Lodi Cab and Lodi Zin. I am hoping aging will do, but have pretty much become convinced that CC makes a better red wine kit than WE....but a few more months will reveal for sure since I just bottled two styles and want to give them a chance to get over bottle shock before trying even one.

 

[PeterZ]

Why does aging in the bottle or bulk in carboy affect kit taste?

The taste of a wine is ruled by a host of complex organic molecules. These molecules continue to react over time, combining, breaking down, and otherwise changing. That is what contributes to the maturation of a wine, either in the carboy or in the bottle. Kit taste is just one family of those organic molecules, and eventually they break down (or combine into more complex chemicals), and the KT is gone.

 

[laneygirl]

Hi PeterZ-


Thanks for the reply...in your experience or perhaps you have more scientific data, is KT taste broken down in 1 year or does it take more time? Or is it kit or manufacturer dependent?

 

[smurfe]

Hi PeterZ-


Thanks for the reply...in your experience or perhaps you have more scientific data, is KT taste broken down in 1 year or does it take more time? Or is it kit or manufacturer dependent?

Different kits will take different time frames. I have seen some loose KT quick such as a couple months or so. Some take a year or so. It really depends on cellaring conditions (temps). I have found the bulk aged wines loose it faster than bottledbut that isn't a "gimme" though. It appears the heavier the wine, the longer it takes.

 

[PeterZ]

I have to agree with Smurfe. Smell and taste are very subjective, and often subject to our genes. For example, cilantro tastes, to me, like soap. Broccoli, to SWMBO, smells like dirty feet. Neither of us has the same negative reaction. I love broccoli, and she likes cilantro. Neither is ever stocked in our fridge.

 

[rexmor]

I haven't been on this site for quite some time as I was disappointed in the quality of the kits [I made six VR kits and one crushendo]and stopped making them. At the time I was last on, people were even denying that there was a "kit taste", and since I [and both my sons in law, who are both "wine bozos"]definitely could taste and smell sort of a "jolly rancher grape flavor", I was doubting thediscernment of the people onthis boardwho were almost universally raving about the quality of the kits and claiming that they were delicious at six months.
My youngest wine is now eighteen months old and I guess I should bottle it and try it out.
I came on with a question: I bought a MM all juice kit just before getting totally disenchanted with the kit quality, and so I never made it. It's now over a year old and I'm wondering whether it would still be good?Edited by: rexmor

 

[Bert]

rexmor; as most that are sensitive to the Kit taste say that age seems to help make it go away...hope that is true for you too.....also ones sensitive to Kit taste have said the MM kits have little or no Kit taste
If you decide to make the MM kit, I would have a replacement yeast pack on hand and new clearing agent too....When you open the juice look for oxidation of the juice...a browning of the juice.....if stored in a cool place it maybe still good..
I hope you can get back into this hobby....I find it fun and very interesting....Best of luck..Edited by: Bert

 

[Wade E]

I think it should be fine as its in a bag and bucket and this protects it quite a bit more than the cardboard box that other kits come in and most of those are still good after a year. I second having new yeast on hand but think you will not need it.

 

[grapeman]

rexmor it is too bad you didn't make up the Mosti kit when you got it. It would likely be very good by now. Like Bert said, the Mosti kits don't seem to exibit the KT. Go ahead and make it up and age it some and you should like it.


I do taste and smell the KT with the less expensive kits, but a year in the bottle usually gets rid of it. I have started making the Mosti kits and they seem to be better especially when comparing young. More age with them is definitely good also.


I say go ahead and bottle what you haven't yet. Have you tasted any of the first ones you made yet lately? They may surprise you.

 

[PolishWineP]

I'd go ahead and just use a new yeast. I wouldn't waste my time waiting for theold yeast to take off.

For the price of a package of yeast...