Cellar Craft Wine Kit Taste

[RJB]

I have seen numerous references to "wine kit taste", on this forum and elsewhere, some suggesting that it is a permanent feature of wine made from a kit, which will always distinguish it from a non-kit wine.

So... what is it?

I have made 5 red wine kits, all in the last 7 months, and have tasted each at every stage of racking/bottling. In each case the wine tastes more or less as expected (Cab, Merlot, PN etc), but there has always been a slight metallic tang present. I now find that in my earliest wine (an el cheapo CC Merlot, 6 months in the bottle) that the metallic tang has all but gone.

Is this "wine kit taste"? Can anyone else relate to this?

thanks in advance
Bob

 

[roblloyd]

I just tried (1/2 bottle left over from bottling) my WE Port kit. It was very good and I've had worse ports from the store. This was in the bottle 1 month! Can't wait until fall.
I'm not getting any metallic taste or anything that I've also read as kit taste. I have other kits at various stages and don't have anything bottled that I'm opening for a few months.

 

[wyntheef]

I've made dozens of kits, mostly reds, and have not found there to be some
'kit taste' across the board. Some come across a little thin, and some have not been aged as well as others, which can diminish some qualities, but most of them still appeal to me more than store bought wine. Personally, I cannot put my finger on one thing that they all have and call it 'kit taste'.
Then again, I'm not a connosieur as much as a home winemaker/drinker.

Keep in mind, there are a lot of variables such as, water being used, temeratures kept, degree of sanitation, and probably even the particular batch from the manufacturer which could affect the end result.

 

[ibglowin]

KT or kit taste is more or less the taste or smell of bubble gum, like you had when you were a kid. Not all kits display it and one in particular is known to be the worst (WE).

Higher end kits seem to display less of the characteristic. The addition of Potassium Sorbate can also give off a bubble gum taste/aroma. Sorbate and Sorbitol used as a sweetener in (you guessed it) gum has exactly the same chemical formula (and structure) sans a few Hydrogen (H) atoms.

 

[DrJayman]

Yeah, can't stand that taste. I skip the sorbate.

 

[Rock]

just skip kits,and you wont get the kt.O sorry better not.

 

[RJB]

Chemistry lesson needed

Yesterday, being Mum's day, I opened two bottles of CC Classique reds I had bottled in Aug 2010 ("Global Cuvee Merlot"), Sept 2010 (Cal.Rsv Pinot Noir). These were the first wine kits I ever made, $60 cheapies.

Yes I understand that these really need more time before drinking =:O

That said, the metallic taste that I have noticed before had all but gone from the Merlot, and it was actually an ok table wine. The Pinot still had a metallic tang to it, but after I left the bottle open for a few hours it seemed like the tang had largely gone.

So... can you wiser folks briefly explain what is the chemistry here? Is something evaporating? or is a chemical reaction happening in the wine?

thanks in advance
Bob

 

[ibglowin]

Couple of possibilities here. Could be just from the amount of tartaric acid in the wine which can at times be sensed as "metallic". The other possibility is if you let the wine sit on the lees for an overly extended period of time the yeast will keep producing enzymes that are said to cause a metallic taste. These enzymes will break down over time.

 

[wineh]

KT or kit taste is more or less the taste or smell of bubble gum, like you had when you were a kid. Not all kits display it and one in particular is known to be the worst (WE).

Seems to me that I recall you "know this" because other people told you, not because of any actual experience with WE. Kudos for not doing it on the Wine Expert forum though.
I have made at least 50 wine kits from several manufacturers, and have never tasted or smelled "bubble gum". I have had a few produce off odors or tastes young, which went away over time.

 

[ibglowin]

I have not and will never make a Wine Expert kit.

 

[RJB]

I suspect that some of the perceived tastes and flavours are a matter of personal body chemistry. I have never seen any other references to a "metallic" taste other than my own, but that is simply how i perceive the taste of newly made CC kits - so far i have made 8 CC kits and they all tasted metallic to me, when new. Others may perceive this as bubble-gum or something else again.

 

[robie]

Seems to me that I recall you "know this" because other people told you, not because of any actual experience with WE. Kudos for not doing it on the Wine Expert forum though.
I have made at least 50 wine kits from several manufacturers, and have never tasted or smelled "bubble gum". I have had a few produce off odors or tastes young, which went away over time.

The WE threads, just like all the other threads, are not just for those having a preference for that particular product, service or subject. Each thread is an open place (forum) for discussing individual likes as well as DISLIKES, and for asking questions to try to get some answers. It has not been designed as a place for taking personal jabs at each other.

Think "discovery" and "learning". Our individualism is as varied as the color, aroma and taste of the wines we make. We don't have agree.

It seems that a few have become very defensive that someone else would make a not-so-favorable comment about their favorite product, service or subject. As an example, agree or not, a lot of folks believe that some kits do have KT. Many folks even believe that one specific kit maker has more of the KT than other makers.

If you don't agree - fine.
If someone else does agree - also fine.

If you are not interested in others' comments or you feel the thread you may have started is some sort of personal, closed discussion, maybe you should take it off line and PM each other instead.

Just be mindful that when you start a thread, it is an open thread into which anyone can make a (hopefully always tactful) comment. Let's all be ladies and gentlemen when we disagree and how we word that disagreement; at the same time lets not let our feelings get hurt when someone disagrees with us.

 

[diggerdan17]

The WE threads, just like all the other threads, are not just for those having a preference for that particular product, service or subject. Each thread is an open place (forum) for discussing individual likes as well as DISLIKES, and for asking questions to try to get some answers. It has not been designed as a place for taking personal jabs at each other.

Think "discovery" and "learning". Our individualism is as varied as the color, aroma and taste of the wines we make. We don't have agree.

It seems that a few have become very defensive that someone else would make a not-so-favorable comment about their favorite product, service or subject. As an example, agree or not, a lot of folks believe that some kits do have KT. Many folks even believe that one specific kit maker has more of the KT than other makers.

If you don't agree - fine.
If someone else does agree - also fine.

If you are not interested in others' comments or you feel the thread you may have started is some sort of personal, closed discussion, maybe you should take it off line and PM each other instead.

Just be mindful that when you start a thread, it is an open thread into which anyone can make a (hopefully always tactful) comment. Let's all be ladies and gentlemen when we disagree and how we word that disagreement; at the same time lets not let our feelings get hurt when someone disagrees with us.

Can't we all just get along?

 

[ibglowin]

Amen to that Brotha!