• Winexpert Reserve California Enigma wine kit
  • Winexpert Reserve California Enigma key facts: makes 28–30 bottles (23 L), ready to bottle in 6 weeks, ABV about 13%
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Winexpert Reserve California Enigma

Winexpert Reserve California Enigma

£84.99
£84.99
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Sanitise your fermenter, equipment and bottles first with ChemSan no-rinse sanitiser.

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Make 28–30 bottles of Winexpert's premium Reserve tier. The Winexpert Reserve California Enigma kit uses 10L of hand-selected grape concentrate and is ready to bottle in 6 weeks, delivering a smooth, medium-full red with black fruit, spice and vanilla.

New to home brewing? Get this kit as a complete starter kit.

Add a 25 litre fermenter with tap, bottling wand, airlock, hydrometer and sanitiser and it becomes our Winexpert Reserve Wine Making Starter Kit – all you need to add is bottles. Includes a step-by-step guide.

Get the starter kit – £108.99
Key specs
Makes 28–30 bottles (23 litres)
Approx. ABV about 13%
Style Dry, medium-full-bodied red
Oak Light-medium
Grape concentrate 10L | Makes 23L (28–30 bottles)
In the box grape juice, yeast and additive packs

Tasting Notes

Smooth black fruit, spice, and vanilla with light-medium oak. Enigma lives up to its name — a proprietary blend designed to be rounded and easy-drinking without giving away the exact grapes behind it. A great everyday red or an easy conversation starter.

What Equipment Do You Need?

A 23-litre fermentation vessel, airlock, hydrometer, siphon, and 28–30 bottles. New to winemaking? Our wine starter kits bundle all essentials. Always sanitise with VWP or ChemSan for best results.

Upgrading your yeast: for a smooth, rounded style like this, try Mangrove Jack's CR51, bred for fruit-forward reds meant for early drinking — a good match for Enigma's easy-drinking character.

Fermentation Timeline

Week 1–3: Primary fermentation at 20–22°C for reds.

Week 4–5: Add finings and allow to clear.

Week 6: Bottle and age for 2–3 months before drinking.

Tips for Best Results

  • Keep temperature stable at 20–22°C — consistency matters more with Reserve's extra concentrate
  • This style is drinkable young but softens nicely with a couple of months' bottle age
  • Allow wines to clear completely before bottling
  • Age for minimum 2–3 months before drinking

See all Winexpert Reserve wines. Browse all wine kits at BrewCo.

Frequently Asked Questions
How many bottles does it make?

28-30 bottles (23 litres), made from 10 litres of grape concentrate.

How long does it take?

It's ready to bottle in 6 weeks: primary fermentation in weeks 1-3, finings and clearing in weeks 4-5, bottling in week 6. Then age it for at least 2-3 months.

What's the ABV?

Approximately 13%.

What does it taste like?

A smooth, dry, medium-full red with black fruit, spice and vanilla and light-medium oak. The blend is proprietary, built to be rounded and easy-drinking.

What temperature should I ferment at?

A stable 20-22°C - consistency matters more with Reserve's extra concentrate.

What equipment do I need?

A 23-litre fermentation vessel, airlock, hydrometer, syphon and 28-30 bottles. Sanitise everything that touches the wine - ChemSan is a no-rinse sanitiser (2ml per litre, 2 minutes' contact), or use VWP as a cleaner/steriliser and rinse afterwards.