thinking of brewing up my first batch of wine. have a couple questions

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rodneypierce

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Alright guys, dont kill me for this one. :mug:

My girlfriend has shown some interest in perhaps making a wine. (I cant say no to that) but here is the thing. She likes the real fruity type wines. The ones I call kool aid. Like Arbor Mist. I myself like a good fruity shiraz. So my question is, is there a good common ground? Something that might be abit more kool aid like for her, but still taste like an actual wine, not like im drinking sugar water??
 
Yes! My best friend has similar taste to your girlfriend. Lori's idea of a "fine wine" is boxed wine with sprite, a "spritzer" that is fizzy and so sweet it hurts your teeth. She started making some very good wines, believe it or not, that most people like if not love.

She made several of those "Island Mist" kits. The flavors she made were Mango Symphony and Kiwi Pear Sauvignon Blanc. I actually enjoyed them both when she shared them with me. They are more like a wine cooler in some ways- 7% ABVish, and have a "F-pack" in them for sweetening the finished wine. But not terribly thin or sweet, and really nice for drinking pool side in the summer.

She also made some "regular" inexpensive wine kits. The Vintner's Reserve valpollicella for one. It's a light dry red, and not really fruity but she liked it.

The last one that she made was a "port" kit. I think it was also by Vintner's Reserve, but I'm not sure. It made 3 gallons and was very rich and sweet.

None of these are really to my taste, but she loved them and I thought the valpollicella was good for a table wine. (That was probably the one she liked the least!)

The kits I mentioned, except for the port, were all in the $55-$60 range at the LHBS and made 30 bottles. I've given her a few of my bottles of the "better" kits and she said they were good and thanked me but I know she didn't really like the real wine-type kits.

I think most of the online HBS carry those kits, if you want to see the variety they have. I've seen blackberry merlot (never sampled) and some others. My friend likes the mango symphony the best, and believe it or not, I think that might be one of my favorites of the ones she likes, too. It's definitely very fruity and a bit sweet, I guess sort of a "chick wine" if you're the kind who thinks girls like those type of things more than guys do. Her husband swigs it along with her, though.
 
. They are more like a wine cooler in some ways- 7% ABVish, and have a "F-pack" in them for sweetening the finished wine. But not terribly thin or sweet, and really nice for drinking pool side in the summer.

haha i knew it...I've already told her next batch I am going to keg a gallon and carb it lol
 
oh yooper, I didnt mean to sound stereotypish. I know there are many out there of both genders with the same tastes. I like Port's also. Ill have to check into a few of these. But wow, 30 bottles it alot of wine!!! ha. Looks like I better get on a diet, and cut out ALL sweets with my new found home brew hobby. I am already packing on the pounds, and I cant afford to have any more :)
 
oh yooper, I didnt mean to sound stereotypish. I know there are many out there of both genders with the same tastes. I like Port's also. Ill have to check into a few of these. But wow, 30 bottles it alot of wine!!! ha. Looks like I better get on a diet, and cut out ALL sweets with my new found home brew hobby. I am already packing on the pounds, and I cant afford to have any more :)

I know you were weren't stereotyping- I didn't think that at all. I have to admit that I'm amused watching her 230 pound husband drinking "spritzers" all evening long while I'm drinking a stout or IPA.

30 bottles isn't really that much when you think about it! The Island Mist kits won't age well, but they'll be ok for up to a year with no problems. That's only a couple of bottles a month!

I just remembered that lschiavo made a riesling kit for his wife, and he gave us a bottle. I don't know the brand (maybe PM him and ask if you're interested) but it was really good! It was fruity, but not really sweet and Bob and I enjoyed it. Maybe something like that would be a good compromise for you two.
 
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