Forte Cabernet Sauvignon
Finer Wine Kits
The best kit-to-bottle quality I've made. If you're patient enough to age it 12 months, it drinks like $40+ wine.
See where to buy
- Varietal
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Volume
- 18 L / 30 bottles
- Time to bottle
- 8 weeks (then 12+ months aging)
- ABV
- 13.5%
- Body
- full
- Price
- $159
Pros
- 18L of pure varietal juice — no water top-up dilution
- Includes generous French oak cubes already in the box
- Two-stage fermentation produces serious depth and structure
- Holds its own in blind tastings against commercial Cab
Cons
- Demands patience — drinking it at 8 weeks is a waste
- You really need a Vinmetrica or accurate SO2 testing for the long aging
- 18L doesn't fit standard 6-gal carboys cleanly; plan ahead
Tasting notes
Aroma
Cassis, cedar, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate. Closed when young, blossoms after 6 months.
Palate
Full-bodied, gripping tannins, layered dark fruit, real oak integration.
Finish
Long, structured, slightly herbal. Tastes like it cost three times what it did.
Pairings
Lamb, ribeye, aged hard cheeses, dark chocolate desserts.
How it fermented
The boring data nobody else publishes. SG numbers, timing, and what we noticed.
- Starting SG: 1.098 — high for a kit, exactly as advertised.
- Primary 10 days, 68°F. Slower start, deeper extraction.
- Two rackings spaced two weeks apart. Oak cubes left in for 6 weeks.
- Three SO2 doses across the year — measured, not guessed.
- First bottle opened at month 12. Worth the wait.
Who it's for
Winemakers building a cellar, not just a fridge. Anyone who's done a few kits and wants to know what 'kit wine' can actually become with patience.
Where to buy
We bought ours from Label Peelers. Other retailers we've verified stock it:
Get the supplies first
Don't open this kit without the gear. Russ's matching shopping list:
Premium Red Aging Shopping List
Built around an Amarone or Cab kit you plan to age 12+ months. Get the oak, the SO2, and the corks right.
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