Review and Rating: *** Chez Ray Rosso Grande “Kit” Wine, 2002

Posted by Ben in General, OtherDec 22nd, 2008 | no responses
Review: This is one of my earliest fermentation ventures, made from a kit Rosso Grande, now marketed by a firm called Cellar Classic.

The kit comes in the form of a bag of juice concentrate with tannins and other additives, along with required yeast, preservatives and the like. Although composed for six gallons, I made a five gallon batch, concentrating the flavors and adding more alcohol to the end result.

In the glass, it is dark magenta, virtually opaque. Looks like a young wine, despite its six years of age. Aroma has that sweetness which is characteristic of these kit wines.

On the palate, it provides a round sweet middle, brightened by a flash of everything cherry: black cherries, cherry cough medicine, cherry candy. The sweet cherry essence lingers for a bit, creating a modest finish. I'll give this three stars out of five. Not complex, but enjoyable. Doesn't need age, but I am curious about what age will do - it shows no bricking or thinning of flavor or anything that would suggest it is on the cusp of old age.


Leave a Reply