What's your go-to brand for wine kits?

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I've been making wine from kits for about 5 years. It's all been RJ Spagnols, just because it's what I'm finding in the local shops. There haven't been any bad wines yet, all good to very good, but I want to try some different brands and I'm looking to order on line for more variety. I'm just wondering what your favorite brands are, what you've had the best results with. Suggestions for where to shop on line for best prices are also appreciated. Thanks
 
I like Winexpert, but they are slightly more 'fruit forward' than the RJ Spagnols kits I've made. I buy mine @ my LHBS!
 
It also seems like we should be telling you what we like. I like semi-sweet or sweet wines. I have only tried one kit; wineexperts green apple reisling, but it was pretty good. My only complaint was that the alcohol content is low (about 5 or 6 percent). Being a newbie, at the time, I just followed directions to the letter. Some people online have suggested adding half the fpac during fermentation, and I may have to do that if I try this kit again.

Ps, the reason I say "if" I try it again is because I like to try new things, and my wife didn't care for the fact that it was a white wine. I would try it again, but I'll be trying several other things first.Having one carboy, and still being pretty new, I have been experimenting with juice wines, instead of kits.
 
I tend to alternate between red and white to try to keep a balanced inventory. And I like a lot of different wines. For whites, my favorites are sauv blanc and pinot grigio but I also like reisling, chardonnay, gewurtstraminer.... pretty much all of it. Reds- zinfandel, cabernet, malbec & chianti, along with various blends, are my go to's but, like whites, I drink it all.
I tend to steer away from very tannic wines. Don't like them overly dry. Moderately dry to semi sweet.
I am fairly patient with my wines too. I do a 3 stage fermentation over a period of anywhere from 3-6 months. After bottling, I generally wait 3 months before trying it and have enough of a collection that everything will get to be over a year old. So far I've made about a dozen wines.
Don't know if all that is really of any help. Just wondering what are considered to be the better quality kits out there since I only have experience with one brand. Thanks for the input.
 
I have a Cellar Craft Showcase Cab in my glass as we speak, incredible!

I have a CCS Sauv Blanc ready to bottle, last taste was fantastic.

Maybe some of the cheaper kits are just as good, but @ $6 a bottle, it's such a deal that there's no reason to try something cheaper.
 
Cellar Craft Showcase and En Primeur have been the best I've ever done.

I do a mix of those super premium kits (they're very expensive!) and a mix of cheapies (Winexpert) and then some moderately priced ones. That way I've always got a good selection of decent to good to excellent wine in my cellar.
 
I tend to alternate between red and white to try to keep a balanced inventory. And I like a lot of different wines. For whites, my favorites are sauv blanc and pinot grigio but I also like reisling, chardonnay, gewurtstraminer.... pretty much all of it. Reds- zinfandel, cabernet, malbec & chianti, along with various blends, are my go to's but, like whites, I drink it all.
I tend to steer away from very tannic wines. Don't like them overly dry. Moderately dry to semi sweet.
I am fairly patient with my wines too. I do a 3 stage fermentation over a period of anywhere from 3-6 months. After bottling, I generally wait 3 months before trying it and have enough of a collection that everything will get to be over a year old. So far I've made about a dozen wines.
Don't know if all that is really of any help. Just wondering what are considered to be the better quality kits out there since I only have experience with one brand. Thanks for the input.

The island mist kit is meant to be used within a years time. I have a couple of bottles that are 15 months old, and they seem ok, but it uses bentonite, and iirc, bentonite produces off flavors after a while.
 
Cellar Craft Showcase and En Primeur have been the best I've ever done.

I do a mix of those super premium kits (they're very expensive!) and a mix of cheapies (Winexpert) and then some moderately priced ones. That way I've always got a good selection of decent to good to excellent wine in my cellar.

+1

This is a good strategy. It's mine as well.
 
The island mist kit is meant to be used within a years time. I have a couple of bottles that are 15 months old, and they seem ok, but it uses bentonite, and iirc, bentonite produces off flavors after a while.

dont almost all kits include the bentonite packet?
 
Not sure about bentonite producing off flavors...

I'm sorry. I got that wrong. I was thinking about this quote from Jack Kellar, regarding potassium sorbate:

A few words of caution about potassium sorbate are in order. It does impart a taste to the wine, however slight, and you might want to avoid it if you intend to enter your wine in competition. Also, avoid sorbate if you intend to keep your wines a very long time. The "slight" taste tends to get stronger over time and after several years can be quite disappointing.

(source http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/finishin.asp )
 
No matter what type of wine I make, I find that Winexpert kits give me very consistent, high quality results.:mug:
 
I make Island Mist Fruit Wine Kits because that is what SWMBO likes. If you prefer a higher ABV, try adding between 3-5 lbs. of white sugar at Step 1 (before adding the bentonite).

I only order from Label Peelers (http://labelpeelers.com/wine-making-wine-kits-c-158_159.html?zenid=oktgmf0g99bidj53ku7s7r9nq1) when I order online. Their prices are reasonable and sometimes their wine kits are on sale for a great price. Shipping charges are reasonable and the service is great.
 
I've only used wine expert but have had amazing results from their kits. My LHBS owner told me that they have a guarantee on their kits that if it doesn't turn out well they'll replace it. I was looking on their website but couldn't find anything. Has anyone else heard anything about this?
 
I've only used wine expert but have had amazing results from their kits. My LHBS owner told me that they have a guarantee on their kits that if it doesn't turn out well they'll replace it. I was looking on their website but couldn't find anything. Has anyone else heard anything about this?

Yes, that's something they just rolled out. Maynot have reached everyone, but we heard about in the last month or so.
 
Cellar Craft Showcase or Limited Editions. They are now owned by WineExpert, BTW.

For those thinking about getting into kits, I recommend only the top of the line kits. For an extra $1 or so per bottle, you get a wine that'll taste quite good and make you proud in 1-3 years, rather than leaving the hobby because it doesn't compare with better wines. Leave the sorbate out, and keep things sterile like you do for beer.

Note, this is for dry wines. I don't like the sweet stuff or the wine coolers, so can't be of any help there.
 
I use the niagara mist kits and just add enough sugar to raise the OG up to about 1.090 during the primary fermentation. This puts the final alc % to around 11.5% instead of 7%
 
I'm doing the Winexpert Moscato for my wife right now. Smells delicious coming out of the fermenter. It's getting moved to a secondary tomorrow. Someone said Winexpert was "cheap"..... I spent 100$ for this kit. That is $4.00 a bottle not counting supplies (bottles, corks, etc...).

After all equipment, supplies and kit I don't think your saving much money over the commercial clone of it, which is Barefoot Moscato. I wouldn't call that cheap.
 
I'm doing the Winexpert Moscato for my wife right now. Smells delicious coming out of the fermenter. It's getting moved to a secondary tomorrow. Someone said Winexpert was "cheap"..... I spent 100$ for this kit. That is $4.00 a bottle not counting supplies (bottles, corks, etc...).

After all equipment, supplies and kit I don't think your saving much money over the commercial clone of it, which is Barefoot Moscato. I wouldn't call that cheap.

I do not know where you’re getting your Barefoot wine at but I would buy it by the case. When I get the 750ML bottles they cost between 9-12 dollars a bottle. So after the initial bottle fee you still save 3 or 4 dollars a bottle, depending on the corks.
 
Ya, I would say 10~ is about right. I don't know the exact cost off the top of my head. But what I was saying is that, yes - the cost of the kit alone comes out to about $4 a bottle but when you add the cost of the equipment, supplies etc... it's probably not much savings.

But we brew (or I do anyway) because we enjoy brewing - not to save money. I don't have many friends that brew to save money.
 
Don't worry, you won't buy that equipment again, so that $$ only applys to the last kit you made. From now on you are saving 50 - 75% off what you used to pay for wine. I honestly don't know why more folks don't do this! :)
 
Guess that explains why I use fresh fruit instead of a kit. If I use what I have for fruit then my only cost is $10 in suger and additieves for a five galleon batch. Plus bottes and corks. Even when I buy fruit or juice the cost is still less then $50. Maybe I'll try a kit when I get rich!
Rhubarb season is almost here!!
 
I make Island Mist Fruit Wine Kits because that is what SWMBO likes. If you prefer a higher ABV, try adding between 3-5 lbs. of white sugar at Step 1 (before adding the bentonite).

I only order from Label Peelers (http://labelpeelers.com/wine-making-wine-kits-c-158_159.html?zenid=oktgmf0g99bidj53ku7s7r9nq1) when I order online. Their prices are reasonable and sometimes their wine kits are on sale for a great price. Shipping charges are reasonable and the service is great.

My LHBS owners are big on wine, and this is exactly what they say to do. My wife has done the Mist, Winexpert,and fresh grapes. The fresh grapes are the only ones that didn't need a "boost" to get the brix up.
 
I pretty much stick to the Limited Edition Kits that you must preorder from Wine Expert in the fall.

With wine kits, I have found that the more you pay, the better the wine is. At least with the mainstream kits that the LHBS stores stock.

Not a wine snob, but the difference between a $130 kit and a $150 kit is worth it in my opinion.

If you want the most out of your wines, they should age 6-12 months; but I have found them to be good after a month or so.
 
RJ's En Primeur and Showcase Select, are the best I have made, the RJ's Winery Series also makes a really good wine.
 
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