Kenridge Classic Trilogy and higher end kits

[GDog]

Been dabbling with spending more than I can afford, to see what is decent - and here goes:

Atmosphere Amarone, £80 - beat 100 other kits in a blind taste test (some were £200 ish). as you'd expect, this is unreal. Better than any commercial wine. Have made x2 30 bottle kits and recently took 10 bottles to a party full of wine knobs, and they couldn't believe it was home brew. They said it had body and legs.

Winexpert World vinyard with skins £60 - GSM grape mix. Also amazing, possibly my favourite of the lot but seems to be discontinued.

Kenridge Classic Trilogy - £46. Beautiful. The 'sweet spot' and I don't think I'll buy anything else now.

Cab Conn, and Beaverdale - £38. Decent session wine, but tastes lie home brew.

Cellar 7 . Decent session wine, but tastes lie home brew.

There you go. Kenridge Classic Trilogy is the best pound for pound wine I've made in 2 years,

Al

 

[LeeH]

Interesting. I could not decide which was better between the kenridge and beaverdale so I normally buy the latter. I’m no wine buff though.

 

[LED_ZEP]

I've made a few different Beaverdale and CC reds and while it makes a very nice wine I struggle to find much difference in flavour between the so called "different grape varieties". I now have a Kenridge on the go and it'll be a while yet before I can compare the two but I'm hoping that the extra money means it actually will taste of the variety of grape it says it is.

As neither the the Beaverdale or Kenridge state on the box what grape varieties are used I suspect I may be just paying extra for an increased amount of the same stock "grape juice and/or concentrate" as it says on the boxes.

 

[GDog]

I've made a few different Beaverdale and CC reds and while it makes a very nice wine I struggle to find much difference in flavour between the so called "different grape varieties". I now have a Kenridge on the go and it'll be a while yet before I can compare the two but I'm hoping that the extra money means it actually will taste of the variety of grape it says it is.

As neither the the Beaverdale or Kenridge state on the box what grape varieties are used I suspect I may be just paying extra for an increased amount of the same stock "grape juice and/or concentrate" as it says on the boxes.

its purely down to the volume of actual juice provided i think. The Atmosphere kit was 16 litres and is huge! some of the mad expensive eclipse kits are 18L i think

 

[GDog]

just sampling a Kenridge Classic Shiraz, and it's even better than the Trilogy ! Only 1 week old, but there was half a bottle from my batch because I used some new wine pouches too

 

[stephen1546]

I fancy trying a kenridge kit, Just now i use Solomon Grundy which i find are better that Cellar 7 kits. Both are priced at around £32. How long does a Kenridge kit take from fermenting to it being acceptable to drink?

Cheers

Stevie

 

[LED_ZEP]

I fancy trying a kenridge kit, Just now i use Solomon Grundy which i find are better that Cellar 7 kits. Both are priced at around £32. How long does a Kenridge kit take from fermenting to it being acceptable to drink?

Stevie

I've had a Kenridge Cabernet Shiraz bulk ageing for around 3 months, I tried a glass last night and I'm very happy with it. Personally I will bottle it and drink the odd bottle but try to leave most another 6 months, but it is perfectly drinkable now.

 

[stephen1546]

Dont know if i have the will power to wait 6 months but will give it a go!!

 

[Bigcol49]

I've had a Kenridge Cabernet Shiraz bulk ageing for around 3 months, I tried a glass last night and I'm very happy with it. Personally I will bottle it and drink the odd bottle but try to leave most another 6 months, but it is perfectly drinkable now.

Hi!
Is that a total of 9 months ageing? That's a hefty investment tied up for a long time.
Do you have several kits on the go at one time? I'm sure 30 bottles will disppear in less than 9 months!

 

[LED_ZEP]

Hi!
Is that a total of 9 months ageing? That's a hefty investment tied up for a long time.
Do you have several kits on the go at one time? I'm sure 30 bottles will disppear in less than 9 months!

I've always got at least one ferment on the go. The WOW's and whites are quick turn-a-round so there's always something to drink, it just means the reds are at their best. I've two wine coolers that hold 36 bottles (72 total) so I can keep at a steady 12-14°c while they age and not all the bottles will make it to 9 month + . If I'm paying £50 for a good quality kit why not get the best out of it?

 

[Tony Palmer]

Most of the red wine kits like Beaverdale, Kenridge Classic etc produce a red wine @ 12% which in comparison with commercial wines is a bit low. I believe you have to supplement the basic kit to increase to around 13.5% abv (I have been up to 15%). This is done by adding red fruit & sugar. Damson, elderberry and sloe all give a benefit, fermented on the pulp and allowing an increase in volume so after primary fermentation you can still achieve 23 Litres after removing yeast debri. In addition an increased addition of oak granules and bentonite is helpful.

 

[GDog]

Hi!
Is that a total of 9 months ageing? That's a hefty investment tied up for a long time.
Do you have several kits on the go at one time? I'm sure 30 bottles will disppear in less than 9 months!

I've tried 2-3-4-5 months plus (leaving the odd bottle), and I'll be honest, I can't see any improvement on most kits sub £80, there just isn't enough juice to develop 'body' like commercial wine.

The Kenridge Classic (Trilogy, now Shiraz) seems just as nice at 1/2 months as it does at 3+... Make it, and drink it!..

 

[Crabby_patty]

Is the trilogy on Ebay old stock then ? Would it still be worth trying ? Its £52.45 .
Thanks in advance.