Any recommendations for a BIG (Rhone style) red wine

[Cellar_Rat]

Grapefest is the one. Depending on which varieties you choose, and berry size you might even want to consider bleeding them. It's a little bit out of balance at the moment but I have a lot of success with this last year.

[lockwood1956]

Grapefest will givve you the right raw materials, and also some red grape skins to add to kits to enhance them (they freeze too)

[rjb222]

I agree with Steve. Kits are set up to fit a mid range taste profile so they appeal to a larger consumer group. There is also the processing they go through to make them shelf stable that removes some of the tannins ETC needed to make a monster red. Two months ago wine maker magazine did a article on making a monster red there was no mention of a kit it was all done from the grape. Control of the sugars, tannins and ph levels are all necessary to produce one of these baby's.

[NorthernWiner]

Do I need to wait for grapefest?

This would be my suggestion. Kits are fine, for the most part, but you will never produce a tannic monster red with one - even with a grape skins kit.

Grapes, on the other hand, allow you a great deal of control over the amount of tannin in the final product.

[mcblades]

I've been making wine kits for a while now and while there is some variation in flavour profile, none have approached a big tannic rhone wine. Most tend towards a softer style. Fortunately I like soft wines but occasionally also enjoy a ballsy Barolo or cote du rhone.

I have tried most of the beaverdale and kenridge classic ranges. Also a good selection of california connoisseur and 2 of the winexpert range (petit syrah and washington meritage). None of these has had heaps of body, though the latter 2 come close (still need more tannin IMHO).

The nearest I have come so far is a beaverdale kit (barolo) that I added 2L of elderberry juice (steamed) and extra oak to. This is smoothing out nicely after nearly 2 years.

Have any of you made an off the shelf kit wine that really delivers on body and tannin levels in the above styles? If so, I would love to hear about it.

Do I need a kit with skins as well as varietal juice?
Do I need to wait for grapefest?

any help gatefully received.

Mark