The wildly popular Chocolate Raspberry Port is back along with the enticing Peach Icewine Style and last year’s hit, Blackberry Port.

Also back for a limited engagement is Selection International French Gamay Nouveau.  

As you know, these wine kits sell out VERY quickly.  Because of the special nature of these kits, they are seasonal and available by pre-order only.

PRE-ORDER ARE NOW BEING TAKEN FOR 2011 for delivery Mid Sept 2011 (Your Credit Card will not be billed until your wine kit(s) ship or are ready for you to pick up in our store. (PayPal payments are immediate)

These LIMITED EDITION Winexpert kits are hugely popular every year, many of our customers were left wanting more or some just plain missed out. This year, be sure to pre-order enough to meet your needs.

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Whether you’re looking to throw a spring fling fiesta, a summertime backyard BBQ extravaganza or you just want to relax in the sun with good company, these three fun-loving cocktail flavors have got you covered.  Each Twisted Mist flavor is fantastic chilled down all on its own, but you can also mix it up a little.  Serve them over ice cubes, blend them up with ice, add fresh fruit, a little soda or dry ginger — absolutely anything that sounds appealing to you.

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Wine Sweetness: Dry

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Wine Sweetness: Dry

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Wine Color: Red

Wine Varietal: Primitivo

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Wine Kit Timeframe: 6 Week Wine Kit

Wine Sweetness: Dry

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Some wines are more susceptible to poor storage conditions. Generally, white wines – particularly off-dry wines and champagne – are more frail than reds. Grape variety can also make a difference; for example, Cabernet Sauvignon wines are generally more resilient than Pinot Noirs. However, no matter what the wine, it always pays to minimize the risks associated with bottle storage:

Temperature – Constant temperature is the key. By causing the wine inside the bottle to expand and contract, swings in temperature rapidly ruin bottled wine. Ideal cellar temperature is 45 – 55 F (7 – 13 C). At lower temperatures, maturation is slowed, though more complexity is allowed to develop. Wine could be safely stored to within a degree or two of freezing, but it would take decades to develop. On the other hand, wines can be stored at up to 68 F, where they will mature quite rapidly. Higher temperatures than this will quickly damage the wine.

Light – Sunlight and ultraviolet light (ie. fluorescent lamps) are as bad for wine as excessive heat, but are problems usually much easier to overcome. Though most wines are protected to some degree by colored glass bottles, place wines in areas away from direct light or cover them with a blanket.

Humidity – Some degree of humidity is beneficial for long term storage, to ensure that the exposed end of the cork does not dry out and allow oxygen into the bottle. Beware of air conditioners, as they actually suck moisture out of the air. Ideally, relative humidity should be between 60 – 75%. Humidity higher than that encourages mould growth in your storage area (not to mention label deterioration!).

Movement – Wine does not take well to constant movement or vibration (particularly if there is sediment present), thus a secure storage space is a must. Don’t put your bottles next to the washing machine, or in a storage area where they will have to be moved often to reach other items. Secure storage should also mean storing bottles horizontally, allowing constant contact of the wine with the cork, preventing the cork from drying out and letting air in.

A simple check of all environmental influences in or near your storage area is advised. For example, areas such as garages or attics, which seem cool, may be subject to temperature fluctuations due to lack of insulation. A good option is to insulate a small room, large cupboard or area under the stairs, void of any heat sources like a water pipe or a boiler. Periodically checking the area with a thermometer is a good idea. A good way to do this is to put a floating thermometer in a one litre jug of water, and leave it covered in the space for 24 hours. This will let the water stabilize to the ambient temperature, and give you an accurate reading.

Allowing for the ageing of your finished wine in an environment which helps to preserve its finer qualities will pay big dividends in ensuring that you will have the best wine possible to enjoy with friends and family.

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Black Raspberry Merlot

The trendy Merlot’s fruit forward style accented

by luscious black raspberries.

Serve with opened faced prime rib sandwiches.

Raspberry Melon Mixer

6 oz. Island Mist Black Raspberry Merlot

1 oz. Melon Liqueur

1 oz. Vodka

Pour all ingredients over ice and stir. Garnish with

a piece of melon and enjoy.

Pair this with open-faced sandwiches with your

favourite fillers; try mixing mayonnaise with different

spices for a variety of sandwich flavours, such as hot

chilies, jalapeños or red curry.

Blackberry Cabernet

Cabernet’s natural rich black fruit character

enhanced by the zing of fresh ripe blackberries.

A great, complement to barbecue.

Blackberry Sour Fizz

1 bottle of Island Mist Blackberry Cabernet

1 cup lemon flavoured Vodka

Juice of one lemon

Juice of one lime

1 cup soda water

½ cup blackberries

Pour all ingredients into a large pitcher with ice.

Pour into tumblers and garnish with floating

blackberries and thinly sliced lemons and limes.

Blueberry Pinot Noir

The tangy, sweet burst of blueberry combines with

the light-medium body and cherry-spice flavours

of the Pinot Noir to bring a delicious blueberry

fruit flavour to your mouth.

Serve with Brie and crackers.

Electric Blue-Tini

4 oz. Island Mist Blueberry Pinot Noir

½ oz. Vodka

1 oz. Triple Sec

Shake drink mixture over ice in a cocktail shaker

and strain into a martini glass.

Toss in some frozen blueberries and add a twist

of lemon for garnish. For an added treat, rim the

glass with sugar.

This tangy cocktail will delight your taste buds all

on its own or as a refreshing complement to warm

blueberry compote (fruit cooked in syrup).

Exotic Fruits White Zinfandel

A fabulous blend of passionfruit and fresh ripe

berries with the natural fruit forward style of

White Zinfandel makes this wine truly exciting.

Serve with spicy chicken wings.

Exotic Zinfandel Burst

5 oz. Island Mist Exotic Fruit White Zinfandel

1 oz. raspberry flavoured Vodka

2 oz. mixed berry juice

Pour all ingredients over ice in a tall tumbler,

garnish with floating berries or starfruit and an

exotic flower.

Green Apple Riesling

Clean, cool and crisp. The zingy fresh acidity

of Riesling accented by mouth watering fresh

green apple.

Serve poolside with shrimp kebobs.

Green Apple & Melon Splash

4 oz. Island Mist Green Apple Riesling

1 oz. Melon Liqueur

Shake on ice and pour into chilled

martini glass. Garnish with a thin slice

of green apple.

Kiwi-Pear Sauvignon Blanc

Crisply tart, and delightfully fruity with a

luscious combination of pineapple and banana

flavours, which meld beautifully into the soft,

rich pear aromas.

Great with barbecue ribs.

Kiwi-Pear Sauvignon Blanc Summer Slammer

2 bottles of Island Mist Kiwi-Pear Sauvignon Blanc

2 pears, peeled, cored, halved and cut into thin slices

2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch rounds

2 tbsp. of fresh squeezed lime juice

4 oz. of Orange Liqueur

2 – 12 oz. cans of Club Soda

Combine all ingredients except the Club Soda, cover, and place

in the refrigerator overnight. Just before serving, gently stir in

the Club Soda. Serve over ice, garnish with a lime wedge.

Peach Apricot Chardonnay

The dry, ripe character of Chardonnay made refreshing

by the addition of fresh picked peaches and apricots.

A perfect pairing with barbecue chicken.

Peach Apricot Punch

1 bottle of Island Mist Peach Apricot Chardonnay

½ cup of Peach Schnapps

½ cup of Vanilla Vodka

Juice of 1 lemon

Soda water

Fresh sliced peaches for garnish

Combine first five ingredients in a large pitcher, add ice

and peaches – stir. Pour into your favourite tumbler or

wine glass, garnish with peach slices and enjoy

Pomegranate Zinfandel

The Pomegranate’s earthy, rich juice balances with

Zinfandel’s slightly spicy, robust grapes creating

a delicate slightly spicy sweetness that has a

particular uniqueness on the first sip and leaves

you wanting more.

Serve with sausage or beef.

Pomegranate Zinfandel Spritzer

¾ part Island Mist Pomegranate Zinfandel

¼ part Club Soda or Lemon-Lime Soda

Ice Cubes

Fill a glass with ice cubes, then fill ¾ with Island

Mist Pomegranate Zinfandel and top up the rest

of the way with Club Soda, or if your prefer a

little bit of extra sweetness use your favourite

Lemon-Lime Soda

If you’re looking for something a little more

fancy to serve to your friends, garnish with a few

pomegranate seeds and

a wedge of lemon.

Strawberry White Merlot

The delicate red berry notes of a White Merlot

enhanced by ripe strawberries to make a

refreshing easy drinking wine.

Serve with barbecue pork chops.

Strawberry Daiquiri Spritzer

1 bottle of Island Mist Strawberry White Merlot

1 cup of White Rum

Juice of 2 limes

1 cup lemon-lime soda

1 cup of fresh sliced strawberries

(frozen are good too)

Combine first four ingredients in a large pitcher

over ice and add strawberries. Enjoy in your

favourite glass, garnished with a slice of lime.

Wildberry Shiraz

Juicy, fruit forward flavours of Shiraz and wild

field berries dance on the palate.

Serve with burgers off the barbecue

Berry Wildberry Punch

1 bottle of Island Mist Wildberry Shiraz

½ cup of Triple Sec

½ cup raspberry flavoured Vodka

1 cup of mixed berries (frozen or fresh)

½ cup of cranberry juice

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher, add ice,

stir and serve in tumblers.

White Cranberry Pinot Gris

Bursting with the sweetness that has made

White Cranberry a unique and popular flavour,

this wine is very easy to drink and is perfect for

backyard barbecues and sharing with friends.

A perfect accompaniment for pasta salads.

White Cranberry Mojito

3 mint sprigs

2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 tbsp. sugar

1 ½ oz. White Rum

Island Mist White Cranberry Pinot Gris

Cracked ice

In a tall thin glass, using a muddler, crush two

sprigs of mint with sugar and lime juice, and stir

thoroughly. Top with ice.

Add rum and mix. Top off with chilled Island

Mist White Cranberry Pinot Gris. Add a lime

slice and a sprig of mint, and serve.

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It turns out that the answer is not as simple as one or the other, but the main point is that rehydration is not really necessary. You can rehydrate your yeast if you absolutely want to, but be sure to do it accurately and precisely, as explained further below. The rest of us will tear open the package and dump it in, and spend the extra time sampling our last batch!

When performed correctly, rehydrating gives the highest live cell counts, and the quickest, most thorough fermentation. The catch is, it has to be done precisely correctly. Lalvin EC 1118 champagne yeast, for instance, asks you to add the yeast to 10 times its weight in water at 40-43°C (104-109°F).

Breaking it down, the amount of ’10 times’ is important if you’re trying to maximize live cell counts. That’s because the yeast is dried on a substrate of nutrients and sugars. At a ratio of 10:1 water/yeast, the osmotic pressure allows for maximum nutrient uptake (osmotic pressure is influenced by the dissolved solids in the water, like nutrients and sugars). If too much water is used, the yeast will grow only sluggishly. If too little water is used, the cells may burst from the flood of liquid and nutrients forced into them.

Secondly, the temperature range is inflexible. The oute