RJ Spagnols Type of kit and optimun maturation period.

[Pal]

I like heavy-body, dry, slightly acidic and deep aromatic taste in my red wines.
So far the best and a reasonably priced kit I have tried is En Primeur, Winery Series, Italy Amarone Style. Request to guide me here and two questions 4 U: a) Could RJ Sagnolds product be better than this? b) What is the minimum maturation needed? I do not wait more than 6 months after bottling .

 

[Johnd]

I like heavy-body, dry, slightly acidic and deep aromatic taste in my red wines.
So far the best and a reasonably priced kit I have tried is En Primeur, Winery Series, Italy Amarone Style. Request to guide me here and two questions 4 U: a) Could RJ Sagnolds product be better than this? b) What is the minimum maturation needed? I do not wait more than 6 months after bottling .

I have the same taste in reds, and that happens to be my current favorite, a great kit wine IMHO. Don't have my records with me in the deer stand, but mine was well over 6 months before bottling, probably over a year old now, and I've only tasted a 375 so far. Not very aromatic, but really bold, fruity and jammy, a thick chewy wine.

Try holding on to a few bottles and tasting at varying ages, I believe that bigger bodied wines need more time be at their peak, and every one ages differently.

 

[Pal]

John, thanks for your prompt response. Which of the two you mean by "same"; is it Winery Series or RJ Renolds? Secondly, I did not quite understand what you imply by IMHO. Kindly clarify. I will try to be patient and let the wine mature for more than 6 months, thanks.

 

[Brian55]

Never heard of either RJ Sagnolds, or RJ Renolds, so I'd avoid them both. I think Johnd intends IMHO to mean "in, my, home, office" or possibly "in, my, hind, orifice" but I might be wrong.

 

[Pal]

Probably your latter assumption could be right, Ha Ha ! Thanks.

 

[Brian55]

Probably your latter assumption could be right, Ha Ha ! Thanks.

You're welcome. Joking aside, RJ Spagnols En premieur/winery series are consistently good. In my honest opinion, they should be aged no less than a year before you start sampling the occasional bottle. At two years+ they start to develop quite nicely.

 

[Johnd]

John, thanks for your prompt response. Which of the two you mean by "same"; is it Winery Series or RJ Renolds? Secondly, I did not quite understand what you imply by IMHO. Kindly clarify. I will try to be patient and let the wine mature for more than 6 months, thanks.

"Same" refers to my taste in wine, I have the same taste in wine. The Amarone kit I was referring to is the RJS EP Winery series. IMHO = In My Honest Opinion.

 

[jgmann67]

I had a 3.5 year old En Premier RJS Amarone (by BoatBoyJim) last night. Not a big nose, but a genuinely fine wine. Rave reviews at dinner.

 

[Johnd]

And the Vineco Cellar Craft Showcase Amarone is a big stud too!

 

[Boatboy24]

And the Vineco Cellar Craft Showcase Amarone is a big stud too!

Gonna have to give that a go. I have a Winery Series finishing up in the barrel now. Want to do the Cellar Craft, then circle back around to the EP. I honestly think I screwed mine up a bit by cold stabilizing.

 

[Johnd]

Gonna have to give that a go. I have a Winery Series finishing up in the barrel now. Want to do the Cellar Craft, then circle back around to the EP. I honestly think I screwed mine up a bit by cold stabilizing.

At this young stage, it's easily the best, I have four top line Amarones going right now, two bottled, two in barrels. I have kinda high hopes for the MM Meglioli, but we'll see how they all turn out in another year or two.

 

[Boatboy24]

Don't be surprised if the Meglioli takes 2+ years. I haven't done any, but have read quite a bit that they take a long time.

 

[Johnd]

Don't be surprised if the Meglioli takes 2+ years. I haven't done any, but have read quite a bit that they take a long time.

I've read the same, have some approaching two now, but haven't sampled in a while. Last notes were what you'd expect, edgy, unintegrated, tannic. Sadly, none of those cats got any barrel time, they're pre-barrel wines. Wish I'd started using barrels from the beginning.....

 

[heatherd]

My MM Meglioli Amarone was started 6/15. It had both raisins and a giant bag of grape skins. I have not tasted it, as I am currently pretending it does not exist until 6/17 or 6/18.

 

[Johnd]

My MM Meglioli Amarone was started 6/15. It had both raisins and a giant bag of grape skins. I have not tasted it, as I am currently pretending it does not exist until 6/17 or 6/18.

You've got quite a few months on me, started 3/1/16, used BM4x4, and have added no chems at all, except KMS. It's been racked twice and has very little sediment in the carboy at the moment. In December, it'll get racked into my oldest barrel for a 6 month sit, then a little carboy time for sampling and adjustments and then bottling. I've not tasted this wine yet either......