Reserve Californian Merlot Wine Kit

WINE KIT DETAILS

Your Reserve Californian Merlot Wine Kit is a reputable Merlot with abounding fruit and herbacious subtleties. The plump, lush fruitiness of this respected grape translates into a wine which perfectly balances berry and spice flavors with a smooth, supple texture. Mouth-filling and delicious; a standout with grilled meats. Renowned for its ripe cherry character, this Merlot is a perfect partner for red meats, lamb, and hearty stews and a must have on those crisp autumn evenings.

This kit may appear changed but, this is only on the outside. These kits have been refined by Winexpert to be better in a much smaller package. These kits have moved from a 16L Size down to 10L all while still producing the same amount of wine. This kit comes with 10L of juice and makes a 6 Gallon batch (23 L) which yields approximately 28-30 standard 750 ml Bottles.

• Sweetness: Dry
• Body: Medium
• Tasting Notes: Deep in color & full of fruit intensity.
• Oak Intensity: Medium
• Kit Size: 10L
• ABV: 13%

OTHER PRODUCTS YOU MIGHT NEED 

Equipment Kits

If your Reserve Californian Merlot Wine Kit is your first, equipment kits are a very easy and cost effective way to obtain what you need to get started. Wine kits provide ingredients and instructions but do not provide equipment. The Vintner's Best Deluxe Wine Equipment Kit pictured here has everything you need to make a six gallon batch of wine. Each batch yields approx. 28 to 30 - 750ml bottles of wine. This kit is the top of the line and there are other equipment kits you can choose from for your kit. 

Equipment Kit includes
- 7.9 Gallon Fermenting Bucket 
- Lid with Grommet
- 6 Gallon Glass Carboy
- Bottle Filler
- Double Level Corker
- Triple Scale Hydrometer
- Easy Clean Cleanser
- Auto Siphon w/ siphon hose
- Carboy Bung w/ Airlock
- Corks 30 count
- Plastic Mix Stir that attaches to drill 

Fermenters

A 7.9 Gallon Fermenter with a grommeted lid is the right vessel to use for your Chilean Merlot Wine Kit because you need extra headspace to account for active fermentation. It is good to replace buckets from time because plastic harbors bacteria. Here's a link to our fermenter equipment.

Hoses

Many people reuse their hoses for far too long. Replacing your hoses often is highly recommended with winemaking. Even if you have good sanitation practices, hoses are particularly difficult to keep clean. You do not want to risk a bacterial contamination in your Chilean Merlot Wine Kit over something that costs very little to replace.

Siphons

Auto-siphons are a great luxury item to have in your winemaking equipment. Once you have one you will never go without one again. Don't forget to use a heavy duty sanitizer to clean it since you don't want to replace it often as hoses. A good sanitizer for that job is Five Star San. Like hoses, Siphons are also difficult to keep clean so it is advisable to replace them.

Corkers

Corking can be a big job especially if you make a lot of wine. Also bigger corkers give you the option to use wider corks which are beneficial if you want to age your Chilean Merlot longer. The Italian Floor Corker pictured here is easy to use and makes corking fun.

Airlocks

Airlocks are another inexpensive product that should be periodically replaced. Though it might be easy to assume bacteria is not a concern with airlocks because they do not actually touch your wine, this is not the case. A small increase in temperature could cause your wine to swell and back up into the airlock. It happens often. You don't want to risk losing your Chilean Merlot over a potentially unsanitary and cheap piece of plastic.  

Carboys 

Your Chilean Merlot Kit is designed to fit a 6 gallon carboy pictured here. Though glass carboys are one of the safest sanitary options for secondary fermentation and bulk aging your wine, they are fragile and break from time to time. If you use glass carboys, a carboy handle or carrier is very advisable. They should not be moved when full without carrying equipment.

Stoppers and Bungs 

Your Chilean Merlot will need to sit in a carboy during secondary fermentation and like airlocks, bungs and stoppers should also be periodically replaced, especially if you make a lot of wine. Stoppers are available drilled for use with airlocks or solid for bulk aging after your wine has fully gassed out. The size 6.5 stopper pictured is made for a 3, 5, 6, and 6.5 gallon glass carboy. If you have many different sized vessels, universal bungs might be a more economical option.

Hydrometers

Hydrometers can last a lifetime, if they don't break. If you have suffered the disappointment of breaking your favorite hydrometer you can view them here.

Corks

Winemakers always need more corks. Be sure to read the corker requirements of different corks before you make your selection because some cork sizes do not work with all corkers. If you want to age your Chilean Merlot, wider corks are preferable.

 Mix Stir

You may be using the back of your stirring spoon to degas your wine but a mix stir is the best way to remove unwanted gasses from your wine. 

 DID YOU KNOW

Though it originates in the Bordeaux region of France, Merlot is the 5th most planted grape in Italy.