What kit to use for good Cabernet or Zinfindel?

[bmd2k1]

What kind of H20 are folks adding to your grape juice to get it up to volume?

We have well water here that's pretty dang good and I've used it for brewing beers. I typically filter it thru our Brita first....just in case.

Cheers!

 

[ChiknNutz]

This is some good info. I've brewed a fair amount of beer but only one wine kit several years ago. The wine was actually quite bad and I've never tried another, but the Winexpert kits seem to be highly rated. The one I did was a Cabernet from William's Brewing. After reading up on the Winexpert instructions and comparing to the William's kit, there seems to be a few more important steps needed that the William's kit for sure doesn't include. I wonder if these missing steps are why the wine was bad (too sweet, seemed slightly carbonated, overall just poor flavor). You'd think since William's is based out of California, they'd have a good kit. Of course I could have botched something, but am pretty sure I did it all right and aged it for like a year and still was bad. It was bad enough that we dumped it all, sadly.

After reading this, I think I may give one of these better kits a go.

 

[ChiknNutz]

Planning to make the Private Reserve Lodi Ranch 11 Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Kit with a buddy. Label Peelers has the best price by far that I could find on the 'net.

 

[Broothru]

Planning to make the Private Reserve Lodi Ranch 11 Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Kit with a buddy. Label Peelers has the best price by far that I could find on the 'net.

It's a very nice wine, though I haven't done any of the WineExpert kits since they switched to the smaller more concentrated format. Down to the last half case of one from 2017. I've done several batches of the WE Cab, Old Vines Zin, and Stag's Leap merlot, all of which have turned out amazingly good. I have a Zin that's ready for bottling after a year in bulk aging with oak spirals, and Stag's Leap that's just finishing fermentation. There's one bottle of each from 2013 that are being saved for a vertical flight tasting after the 2019s are matured and bottle aged.

 

[ChiknNutz]

Have you tried the Classic or Reserve kits? I am tempted to try one just to see if there is a really noticeable difference. I imagine there is, but HOW much? Tough part with wine is waiting. At least with beer it's close to instant gratification

 

[Broothru]

Have you tried the Classic or Reserve kits? I am tempted to try one just to see if there is a really noticeable difference. I imagine there is, but HOW much? Tough part with wine is waiting. At least with beer it's close to instant gratification

True words! I used to make exclusively wines until the late 90s when both kids were in college. My son was living off-campus with a couple other undergrads and some grad students in what we affectionately called 'Animal House.' They all had developed a taste for Black & Tan, paying $10 for 4 widget cans of Guinness and $8 for a sixer of Bass. When I told then I could make 5 gallons of each for $40 total, well it didn't take a business major to figure out it was a good deal.

That's how I got into beer brewing. I thought I was a genius because my kid wouldn't be hitting me up for beer bucks. Ask me how much money I saved over the years since then.....

But SWMOB'd was never a beer drinker, and neither of us are more than social drinkers of distilled spirits. But we both enjoy wine with dinner, and I've always liked beer, so I both brew and vint.

I can turn a good ale in 6 weeks or less, 4 to 6 months for a top line lager. But wines take 4 to six for whites to be table ready, and I like a minimum of 6-9 months for reds with some going 2-3 years before they're at their peak. Ales are for immediate gratification, lagers for patience, wines (especially reds) require the indulgence of a grandparent.

Brooo Brother

 

[pagrider]

Since I bulk age red wine for a minimum of 6~9 months, I add 1/4 tsp NaMeta to help keep oxidation at bay. I also use oak spirals during bulk aging, sometimes in place of and sometimes in addition to any oak included in the kit. I almost never use the oak sawdust that comes with the less expensive wine kits. It works fast, but I don't, so why dump crap into your aging carboy when chips, cubes and spirals are so much better? Not that expensive and much better product.

The best advice in making wine from kits, especially red wines, is forget the optimistic timelines in the instructions. Take you time and make better wine.

I am new to winemaking been brewing beer for years. What is NaMeta and again how much would I add and at what point and is this something I should be testing for.

 

[Broothru]

NaMeta (sodium metabisulfite) and KMeta (the potassium equivalent) are both antioxidants that release sulfur compounds into the wine that are antimicrobial and bind with oxygen to help preserve and "age" the wine. Kits will generally include a small packet to be used during the stabilization and clarification stages after fermentation.

Most kits' instructions will suggest that you add 1/4 tsp of sulfite if you intend to age the wine for more than a few months. You can buy it at any LHBS or online outlet, pretty inexpensive. I'll use it occasionally for white wines and almost always for reds. Most whites are drunk within a year or two, but if they'll be cellared for a while they get dosed with meta.

You'll probably notice a sulfurous smell from wines that have been dosed, but that dissipates rapidly after pulling the cork. If you're sensitive to sulfates, you can swirl in the glass or decant, or just allow the uncorked bottle to sit for 15-20 minutes. Dosing with meta will help to prevent infections in the bottle and mitigate oxidation of the bottled wine. But remember that a little goes a long way, and less is more. No more than 1/4 tsp in 6 gallons of wine.

Brooo Brother

 

[pagrider]

NaMeta (sodium metabisulfite) and KMeta (the potassium equivalent) are both antioxidants that release sulfur compounds into the wine that are antimicrobial and bind with oxygen to help preserve and "age" the wine. Kits will generally include a small packet to be used during the stabilization and clarification stages after fermentation.

Most kits' instructions will suggest that you add 1/4 tsp of sulfite if you intend to age the wine for more than a few months. You can buy it at any LHBS or online outlet, pretty inexpensive. I'll use it occasionally for white wines and almost always for reds. Most whites are drunk within a year or two, but if they'll be cellared for a while they get dosed with meta.

You'll probably notice a sulfurous smell from wines that have been dosed, but that dissipates rapidly after pulling the cork. If you're sensitive to sulfates, you can swirl in the glass or decant, or just allow the uncorked bottle to sit for 15-20 minutes. Dosing with meta will help to prevent infections in the bottle and mitigate oxidation of the bottled wine. But remember that a little goes a long way, and less is more. No more than 1/4 tsp in 6 gallons of wine.

Brooo Brother

Thanks so much when do I add the additional dose my plan is to bulk age. Is it after 3 months or when I track and add the packet that came with the kit. Thanks again

 

[pagrider]

Thanks so much when do I add the additional dose my plan is to bulk age. Is it after 3 months or when I rack and add the packet that came with the kit. Thanks again