Cooper s Shiraz

Made 2 of those.......... the last one is now 18 months aged. Appears to me that they have missed the acidity on these kits. However, in fairness, perhaps another year in the bottle may change that. My opinion is save your money. Ron

Im trying not be too parochial ( I live in Adelaide where theses kits are made) but the Coopers name is very well regarded in Home brewing and winemaking, and I would suggest that they make one of the best kits available (in terms of quality). Dont take my word for it, how abour one of your countrymen Kaz!! See below.

Simon

Ron et al,

As a newbie I find the reference to wine aging in the bottle, which I have seen a number of times on this list so far, a little off, as far as my experience goes. I have lived in Spain and Portugal and the Bodegas there all tout that the aging of the wine is in the cask. I have always been told that once the wine goes into the bottle aging stops because there is no interaction of the wine with its glass container.

In any event, if actual aging does occur in the bottle, what reaction is taking place inside the confines of the glass bottle? Going by what I have been told over the years that leaving the wine in the bottle three years is not going to change its taste or presentation if it has been bottled and stored correctly. I know for a fact that when a bottle of brandy says it has been aged for 15 years it has spent 15 years in wooden casks and in no way suggests that it has been in a bottle for 15 years.

So, have I had smoke blown in my eyes over the years, or are there levels of aging and/or how things are aged, is this one of those subjective discussion topics, or what?

This newbie would like to know.

Tom, take a look here