Finer Wine Kit Finer Wine Kits

[joeswine]

My Sharza, came out fruit forward I used a vinco grape pack.
Loose but rich.
Most of the dry skins or semi dry have more tannins in them it all depends on knowing what you want and having experienced what the different components bring to the mix, nothing more.

 

[RCGoodin]

Does anyone know if Costco's 3.3 refrigerators for $100 will hold two Finer Wine Kits? I'd like to get back into the hobby and try their kits. I know they need refrigeration if you are not going to start it when you receive it. The family fridge is always full.

 

[winemaker81]

The Styrofoam box inside the kit is 13"x15"x12", so the kit box is a bit bigger. I doubt 2 will fit in a 3.3 cf fridge.

However, you can take the juice bag out of the kit -- its shape is malleable so 2 bags might fit.

 

[Jovimaple]

Does anyone know if Costco's 3.3 refrigerators for $100 will hold two Finer Wine Kits? I'd like to get back into the hobby and try their kits. I know they need refrigeration if you are not going to start it when you receive it. The family fridge is always full.

Check out their videos - you can see how big the concentrate bag is. I kept mine in the full size fridge on one shelf for a weekend and I probably could have stacked 2 (unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of it in the fridge). I didn't have any skin packs but I seem to recall reading that skin packs should be frozen if not used right away (definitely DON'T take my word on that because I am not sure at all). Anyway, I would think that 2 of the concentrate bags will fit in a small fridge if you take them out of the boxes.

 

[Lukaswine]

Does anyone know if Costco's 3.3 refrigerators for $100 will hold two Finer Wine Kits? I'd like to get back into the hobby and try their kits. I know they need refrigeration if you are not going to start it when you receive it. The family fridge is always full.

You I don’t need a lot of room for the bladder. You can put it in the fruit/vegetable drawer. It lays fairly flat I kept mine in the refrigerator for almost 3 months and immediately froze the grape skins . I defrosted the skins in the refrigerator a day before I started the two kits

 

[Gilmango]

Does anyone know if Costco's 3.3 refrigerators for $100 will hold two Finer Wine Kits? I'd like to get back into the hobby and try their kits. I know they need refrigeration if you are not going to start it when you receive it. The family fridge is always full.

The bladders in the original FWKits (now Tavola) were 6-6.75 liters, so even if the Forte was 7.5 liters, you are talking about just 15 liters. And perhaps 4 skin packs to preserve as well in the fridge. This suggests that 15 liters is just over a half a cubic foot: (0.52972 Cubic Feet (ft³) 15 Liters to Cubic Feet Conversion - Convert 15 Liters to Cubic Feet (L to ft³) - Volume and Capacity Conversion
So if the fridge is 3.3 cubic feet you should not have any problems, and should be able to store the skins and yeast too. Just take the bladder, any skins, and the yeast out of the oversized boxes they ship in.

 

[heatherd]

Just saw that FWM split their kits into three offerings: Tavola, Fruta, and Forte. The grape skins and now seeds are standard.
Finer Wine Kits | Label Peelers, Inc.

 

[Gerry Congleton]

Just racked to a carboy after primary fermentation (2 weeks). Tasted the batch and it is good enough tasting to drink right now. According to kit instructions I should be adding Kieselsol and Clarifier Chitosan tomorrow. I am unable to do that on the 15th. day. I will have to do that 2 days later. Is that a problem?
I've been waiting for some aging my last batch Cabernet Sauvignon which has never tasted like wine, now at 10 months. Opened a bottle the other day and it is VERY much like vinegar. I guess that will leave bottles for this new batch.

 

[Jim Welch]

Just racked to a carboy after primary fermentation (2 weeks). Tasted the batch and it is good enough tasting to drink right now. According to kit instructions I should be adding Kieselsol and Clarifier Chitosan tomorrow. I am unable to do that on the 15th. day. I will have to do that 2 days later. Is that a problem?
I've been waiting for some aging my last batch Cabernet Sauvignon which has never tasted like wine, now at 10 months. Opened a bottle the other day and it is VERY much like vinegar. I guess that will leave bottles for this new batch.

It will be fine, many folks don’t even use the included clarifiers preferring to let the wine clear through aging and racking. A couple day delay shouldn’t hurt.

 

[Sailor323]

Just racked to a carboy after primary fermentation (2 weeks). Tasted the batch and it is good enough tasting to drink right now. According to kit instructions I should be adding Kieselsol and Clarifier Chitosan tomorrow. I am unable to do that on the 15th. day. I will have to do that 2 days later. Is that a problem?
I've been waiting for some aging my last batch Cabernet Sauvignon which has never tasted like wine, now at 10 months. Opened a bottle the other day and it is VERY much like vinegar. I guess that will leave bottles for this new batch.

No problem. Once secondary is finished there is no need to rush anything. You've got plenty of time--weeks if need be as long as sulfite levels are decent. As for your Cab problem, more info would be helpful.

 

[Gerry Congleton]

The Cab problem has been a mystery to me. I thought I followed the instructions carefully, but never a decent taste. Very weak and not much body. It has gone from WEAK to a strong vinegar taste after 9 months in the bottle. I'v pretty much given up on it.
Thanks for the help with my questions. Obviously, I'm a rookie!!

 

[bstnh1]

Just saw that FWM split their kits into three offerings: Tavola, Fruta, and Forte. The grape skins and now seeds are standard.
Finer Wine Kits | Label Peelers, Inc.

I don't believe skins come standard with the Tavola series - only with the Forte.

 

[Khristyjeff]

The Cab problem has been a mystery to me. I thought I followed the instructions carefully, but never a decent taste. Very weak and not much body. It has gone from WEAK to a strong vinegar taste after 9 months in the bottle. I'v pretty much given up on it.
Thanks for the help with my questions. Obviously, I'm a rookie!!

Was the Cab also a Finer Wine kit? I ask, because that was the first one I did (part of their start-up test batch). I started it 1st week in April, tasted it last month thinking I should bottle it. It did not taste good--but no vinegar taste-- so I racked and decided to wait and see. I guess worse case for you is that you'll have a lot of red wine cooking vinegar just in time for the Holiday gifting season.

I had a different Cabernet kit (RJS) that tasted horrible (flat like it had oxidized) at 1 year. Then at 14 months it tasted good. I didn't think a wine could go from flat to good, but I know now. Hopefully yours will still change for the better.

 

[Matteo_Lahm]

Was the Cab also a Finer Wine kit? I ask, because that was the first one I did (part of their start-up test batch). I started it 1st week in April, tasted it last month thinking I should bottle it. It did not taste good--but no vinegar taste-- so I racked and decided to wait and see. I guess worse case for you is that you'll have a lot of red wine cooking vinegar just in time for the Holiday gifting season.

I had a different Cabernet kit (RJS) that tasted horrible (flat like it had oxidized) at 1 year. Then at 14 months it tasted good. I didn't think a wine could go from flat to good, but I know now. Hopefully yours will still change for the better.

In my experience, the most common problem is sanitation issues. That’s been the culprit of every batch I have lost. The little details can be sneaky and all you need is one tube or funnel that’s not cleaned properly and it’s over. Losing batches is a rite of passage for every winemaker in my opinion. I learned the most from my mistakes. The second most common problem is oxidation.

 

[winemaker81]

Losing batches is a rite of passage for every winemaker in my opinion.

Sadly, I agree. We learn more from our mistakes than our successes.

Hopefully the advice offered on this forum helps folks live vicariously through the mistakes of others.

 

[bstnh1]

Sadly, I agree. We learn more from our mistakes than our successes.

Hopefully the advice offered on this forum helps folks live vicariously through the mistakes of others.

"Vicariously" ...... Another "I gotta Google that" moment!

 

[Matteo_Lahm]

Sadly, I agree. We learn more from our mistakes than our successes.

Hopefully the advice offered on this forum helps folks live vicariously through the mistakes of others.

I proceed with the assumption that how much I know about winemaking will never exceed how much I don’t know. I’m a wine geek and I’ve been reading about some ancient Roman and Greek winemaking techniques. Some involve using seawater and things none of us would ever thing to do. It’s a practice that’s probably 10,000 years old. I can’t imagine some of the creative things that our ancestors did. It’s very romantic to me.

 

[joeswine]

Its all about the base.

 

[sour_grapes]

Its all about the base.

 

[Khristyjeff]

"That Base" -- Now I get it. I finally get it!