WineXpert Using old kits

[Maestro]

I was recently given three WE Selection International kits from a local winery because they said they needed to clear some stock. They were the White Merlot, the Italian Amarone, and the Australian Chardonnay. We did the White Merlot first. It's time for bottling and I feel the wine may be bad. The white merlot has a brown tint in the glass and the taste is just not right. The numbers on the label are in the picture attached. Am I right in reading this label as this being a 2012 kit? Would sitting in the bag three years kill these kits?

 

[ibglowin]

Yes that kit was made in February 2012. Almost 4 yrs old now. As long as the juice bag is not bloated or showing signs of spoilage. Open the juice, look at it for color, clarity, smell it, does it smell OK? Taste (lastly) does it taste OK?

You have nothing to lose (really) if they were given to you really but the longest we have seen kits work out well is about 2 years from DOM.

The whites have no tannins really so they will spoil faster, the Amarone might be the only one of the lot with a decent chance since it has some tannins (which help as a natural preservative)

 

[salcoco]

if the taste is not a flaw try soem bench trials with sugar syrup. might be a good sipper wine.