Merlot Wine Kit Novello Series

Overview

You are not making a conventional Merlot. This Merlot Wine Kit, Novello is a specialty red designed for immediacy, softness, and drinkability at the moment it is bottled. You choose this wine kit because you appreciate Merlot for its generosity and texture, expressed with freshness rather than weight.

Inspired by the Italian Novello style and produced from premium California varietal concentrates sourced from Lodi, your wine delivers a bright, fruit forward expression of Merlot. You experience ripe plum, red cherry, and raspberry, complemented by subtle cocoa notes and a gentle floral lift. The structure is intentionally restrained, your tannins are smooth and supple, the body lighter and polished, and the finish clean, soft, and refreshing.

A True Specialty Red

This is not a lighter version of a traditional Merlot, and it is not designed to age. Your Novello wine exists within a narrow window of perfection, when fruit expression, aromatics, and freshness are at their peak.

Every decision behind this wine kit supports that goal. Controlled extraction, reduced oak influence, and a fermentation profile built to preserve aromatics allow Merlot’s natural softness and fruit character to shine without heaviness. You are crafting a red wine with a defined personality and a defined purpose, to be enjoyed young and without ceremony.

Lower Alcohol by Design

Your wine is intentionally produced at a lower alcohol level of 10 to 11 percent ABV. This is a deliberate stylistic choice that prioritizes balance, flavor clarity, and drinkability.

This makes your Novello wine kit ideal if you enjoy smooth, fruit forward reds but wish to reduce your alcohol intake without sacrificing experience. You enjoy plush fruit, lifted aromatics, and a clean finish without the fatigue often associated with higher alcohol wines.

Lower alcohol allows you to enjoy more than one glass while consuming less alcohol overall. You stay engaged with the wine, not overwhelmed by it. Flavor and pleasure take priority over intensity, allowing you to enjoy the wine freely and confidently.

Designed for Early Enjoyment

Traditional Novello wines rely on carbonic maceration. Your wine achieves its expression through a slower, gentler fermentation designed to preserve esters and limit tannin extraction. You are not copying a method; you are honoring the outcome, a youthful red wine that is complete the moment it is finished.

You do not wait for this wine to come together. It arrives expressive, aromatic, and alive.

Serve Chilled

Novello wines are traditionally enjoyed slightly chilled, and your wine should be treated the same way. When you serve it at approximately 55°F or 13°C, you heighten aromatics, reinforce freshness, and keep your palate energized. Chilling is essential to experiencing the wine as intended.

This serving approach makes your Merlot Wine Kit, Novello exceptionally versatile. You pair it effortlessly with antipasti, charcuterie, roasted poultry, pasta, grilled vegetables, and casual outdoor meals. It feels just as natural outdoors as it does at the table.

Storage Requirements

Your wine kit contains raw, cold stored juice concentrates and must be handled accordingly. If you are not ready to begin fermentation upon receipt, you must store the concentrate at 3°F or colder to preserve freshness and prevent degradation.

Proper storage ensures that the wine you make retains the aromatic precision and fruit purity that define the Novello style.

Novello Features

No aging required
Lower alcohol and reduced tannin structure
Gentle fermentation designed to preserve aromatics
Minimal sulfites and additives
No yeast starter
No grape skins
Reduced oak influence
Ready to drink upon bottling

Raw Concentrates, Direct to You

You are working with raw, cold stored juice concentrates shipped in refrigerated packaging directly from freezer storage to your door. This process preserves varietal integrity and eliminates the cooked flavors common in shelf stable kits.

Because of its freshness and perishable nature, your wine kit cannot sit on a retail shelf. It is shipped directly to you, bypassing distributors and wholesalers, ensuring uncompromised quality and exceptional value.

Technical Details

ABV, 10 to 11 percent
Yield, 28 to 30 bottles or 6 gallons
Style, Dry
Region, Lodi, California

Finer Wine Kits were developed by home winemakers like you, adapting years of experiential knowledge into a surefooted process that gives fabulous results.

View Instructions.

*This kit is an agricultural product and must be fermented or cooked before being consumed.

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