WineXpert Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre Kit

[JohnW]

I'm a big fan of Cotes du Rhone wines and thinking about purchasing the WineXpert World Vineyard Australian Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre Grape Skin 12L Wine Kit. I've only found a few reviews for this kit and hoping that some of you have some experience with it. I'm mostly wondering if it has similar character to the moderately priced French Rhones. It is a definite plus for me that it comes with grape skins but I would really like to know a little more before I pull the trigger on this one.

 

[JTS84]

My local shop gave me a sample of this one a while ago and it convinced me to purchase it in an attempt to make a "fast drinking" red while I focus on longer term wine projects.

I can't tell you the names of the Rhones I have tried in the past, most have been lower end - but my take is this is a little fruitier on the palate then I remember the commercial ones while still being dry. Oak level was similar or a little lighter than commercial. That bottle was made per WE instructions and I am guessing was a year old.

I started this on January 8th and racked last night. I followed instructions other than I left it on skins an additional 3-4 weeks while I was out of the country and gave it a little tannin boost. Now it is has a nice taste with the exception of a bitter finish. I have not degassed and it also is young so I am not worried yet. Just going to let it sit a little while.

Being that I wanted a French blend type wine, I would recommend this one for that purpose.

Hope this helps you out a little. I also have had these types of questions in the past. In 3 weeks my local store will have their biannual tasting of kit wines, I hope to glean more info on what different kits are like then.

 

[StreetGlide]

My local shop gave me a sample of this one a while ago and it convinced me to purchase it in an attempt to make a "fast drinking" red while I focus on longer term wine projects.

I can't tell you the names of the Rhones I have tried in the past, most have been lower end - but my take is this is a little fruitier on the palate then I remember the commercial ones while still being dry. Oak level was similar or a little lighter than commercial. That bottle was made per WE instructions and I am guessing was a year old.

I started this on January 8th and racked last night. I followed instructions other than I left it on skins an additional 3-4 weeks while I was out of the country and gave it a little tannin boost. Now it is has a nice taste with the exception of a bitter finish. I have not degassed and it also is young so I am not worried yet. Just going to let it sit a little while.

Being that I wanted a French blend type wine, I would recommend this one for that purpose.

Hope this helps you out a little. I also have had these types of questions in the past. In 3 weeks my local store will have their biannual tasting of kit wines, I hope to glean more info on what different kits are like then.

I have this kit aging right now. I also think a bit more fruit forward then most commercial Rhône Blends I’ve tried but I like that. I did a 5 week EM and used RC212 and 35g of French oak chips in the primary. I think it’s going to be pretty good. I’d recommend it

 

[JohnW]

OK, you guys talked me into this. I greatly appreciate the input and I am also OK with it being a little fruit forward. Did it come with RC212 yeast? There is a yeast specifically made for rhones, Lalvin ICV-D47, but it sounds a little finicky so I'll probably go with what is in the kit.

 

[JTS84]

Mine came with ec1118

 

[JohnW]

Mine came with ec1118

One more question: You said "I started this on January 8th and racked last night. I followed instructions other than I left it on skins an additional 3-4 weeks while I was out of the country and gave it a little tannin boost." At what point did you add the Sulfate/Sorbate? I'm making a CC Showcase Amarone style kit and want to leave the skins in a few more weeks as well. I assume that since I have a sealed lid with an air gap it will be OK to let it set unopened for a few weeks after fermentation is complete, after which I would add the sulfate/sorbate and rack it into a carboy. Thanks

 

[JTS84]

Right or wrong I added sulfate last night.
Iracked it into the carboy out of the primary fermenter at a SG of just over 1 on Jan30. Left the Lee's and oak behind, moved the skins to the carboy. Carboy was nearly full and under airlock, with some fermentation still occurring. I figured that would protect it while I was gone. Also, this in was located in a 62 degree room.

There are other threads on here that talk about when to add k-meta if you search for EM. My take away was I should be ok waiting as it was sealed with an airlock with little headspace. I'm still semi new to wine kits and learning - there are others on here who know a lot more than me.

 

[JohnW]

That all sounds reasonable to me. Thanks!

 

[cmason1957]

One more question: You said "I started this on January 8th and racked last night. I followed instructions other than I left it on skins an additional 3-4 weeks while I was out of the country and gave it a little tannin boost." At what point did you add the Sulfate/Sorbate? I'm making a CC Showcase Amarone style kit and want to leave the skins in a few more weeks as well. I assume that since I have a sealed lid with an air gap it will be OK to let it set unopened for a few weeks after fermentation is complete, after which I would add the sulfate/sorbate and rack it into a carboy. Thanks

Sort of a side note and take from it what you will. You ask when to add the sulfite/sorbate, in a dry wine, like I assume this will end up being, I would never add the sorbate. I'll even go a little bit further and say that kits have you add the sorbate way to early anyway. No need to add it, after fermentation completes, until such time as extra sugar shows up to be added to the party.

 

[JohnW]

Yea, I've seen multiple threads about whether to use sorbate or not. For now I'm still using it if provided as it allegedly prevents the growth of micro organisms that could cause the wine to spoil.

 

[StreetGlide]

OK, you guys talked me into this. I greatly appreciate the input and I am also OK with it being a little fruit forward. Did it come with RC212 yeast? There is a yeast specifically made for rhones, Lalvin ICV-D47, but it sounds a little finicky so I'll probably go with what is in the kit.

It comes with EC1118 like most kits. I swapped it out.

 

[cmason1957]

Yea, I've seen multiple threads about whether to use sorbate or not. For now I'm still using it if provided as it allegedly prevents the growth of micro organisms that could cause the wine to spoil.

Won't say you shouldn't use it. Just that, if you don't want to, it isn't needed. When I first started, I added it the first few kits I made also.

 

[LouisCKpasteur]

The Vieux Chateau du Roi from Winexpert is (or should be) a Cote du Rhone. I prefer to to the Aussie GSM. My GSM is at about a year now and while I enjoyed my first bottle last week it is a bit too fruit forward and I preferred teh Chateau du Roi.

 

[JohnW]

I think i did look at the Vieux Chateau du Roi kit but I chose the Aussie G/S/M kit because it comes with skins. I ordered it Saturday from Label Peelers. Hopefully it's to our liking.

 

[JohnW]

It comes with EC1118 like most kits. I swapped it out.

I guess the reason that so many kits come with EC1118 is because it is highly reliable. I normally use something else and throw the packet in the fridge just in case i have a stuck fermentation. I'm planning to split the juice into two buckets and use GRE yeast in one half and maybe BM4x4 for the other half. I like to experiment but this will be the first time I have tried splitting the fermentation