Winexpert Eclipse Lodi Ranch 11 Cabernet Sauvignon (with Grape Skins) Wine Ingredient Kit

This kit worked as advertised. So far so good

This was the best I have ever had, outstanding.

Item was very beat up when it arrived. The wine kit was good but item arrived box was ready bad

Stuck fermentation after a week. I started this wine with a specific gravity of 1.100. A week later it's at 1.014. Over a month later it's still at 1.014 despite trying everything I know to get fermentation to start again. This includes:-Warm up the wine. It was too cold, 69 degrees F. So I warm to 78. Ferment did not restart. Warmed to 80. Ferment still didn't restart.-stirred with the lid off. Get a bit of oxygen back into the must and start the yeast again. No luck.-Got some yeast energizer from the brewing store. BSG brand. Added 1/2 tsp. No change after 4 days. Added another 1/2 tsp. Still no change.-Made up a new yeast starter, with 2 cups sugar water and a pack of Red Star chamgagne yeast. Wait until it's bubbling good, then add that to the 80 degree F must. Ferment still did not restart.-A buddy, fellow vintner, suggested that yeast gives off an enzyme when it dies. Hmm. So I set the bucket of must outside until it gets to 57 degrees F to settle it really well, then rack, then add another yeast starter that's bubbling well. Waited a week and the wine is still stuck at 1.014 specific gravity.I don't know what else to try. This is the stuckest ferment I've ever heard of.The wine tastes like it has potential, good flavor, not too acid. But sweet, dang it. Cab is not supposed to be sweet. So it's now 6 weeks after I've started it, and I'm at my wit's end with this batch. Expensive kit, dang it. Hate to throw it out.Also another bit of weirdness: the wrong labels were in the box. I ordered a Cabernet Sauvignon, but got labels for a merlot. Weird.

Have used this kit for years with consistently great results when waiting for at least two years to open. Follow directions and enjoy a very nice Cab.

This is the third time I have made this wine. You have to cellar this wine for three years. After that it's wonderful, worth the wait.

Our winemaking group bottled this Eclipse Lodi Ranch 11 Cabernet Sauvignon 1 year ago. Here is the result of our 1-year taste test:1. Appearance: a) clarity - bright, b) color - ruby, c) pigmentation - moderately heavy, d) body - medium/heavy2. Nose: a) intensity - medium, b) plum, cherry, dark currant, slight chocolate, c) aroma complexity - moderate3. Palate: a) body - medium, b) sweetness - dry, c) acidity - medium, d) intensity of flavor - moderate, e) tannins - moderate, f) flavor complexity - medium, g) finish - medium/long4. Alcohol: 13.8%Conclusion: All 5 members like the wine. While we intend to age it at least another year, it is already very drinkable. Consensus is that at 1 year it is comparable to wines running $15-20/bottle. The group was pleased enough that we are currently fermenting the Eclipse Lodi Old Vines Zinfandel

It’s my first attempt at this particular wine and bottled it 7 months ago. I was hoping for a more robust full bodied red so I I’m a little disappointed. If you were to ignore that and just accept it as a red blend I would be more satisfied. It is smooth, with medium complexity (decent but has no wow factor). I will sit on it for another year and see if it notably improves.