Finer Wine Kit Finer Wine Kits

[David Violante]

Just ordered a Forte Super Tuscan… can’t wait to get it started! Everyone has loved the other three (Bordeaux, Zin, Barbera). This will be the first with a seed pack, I’m super interested in the difference from the other kits.

 

[jgmann67]

Checked the Bordeaux blend this morning. We’re fermenting along like a freight train. Only 5 days in and we’re down to 1.035. Smells like a good, healthy ferment.

 

[joeswine]

My fermentation is running with yours, interesting .
Very highly concentrated, ton of skins ?
the last two Reds worked out just fine,this one I’m not to sure.
It’s like trying to rebuild the structure using the double skins, seeds and oaks, it’s a lot to put into the mix, we’ll see.

 

[Bmd2k1]

Get mine Sat! Looking forward to Bordeaux adventure

 

[Bmd2k1]

My Bordeaux just arrived...overnite shipping

How long are folks typically letting it sit b4 it reaches room temp - mid/high 60s area?

Looking forward to this maiden Finer voyage ✌

Cheers!

 

[FredTheNuke]

I followed the instructions in the kit. Mixed the concentrate with roughly room temperature water. Then it’s sets for a day while the yeast starter gets rolling which allows the juice to reach room temperature

 

[winemaker81]

The kits I checked arrived with the must in the low to mid 50's F. I reconstituted with room temperature water (64-66 F) at ~6 PM. By the following morning the must was at 62 to 66 F, and I inoculated with a starter that had been perking for 12-14 hours.

IME, the starter is the key point -- one kit was at 62 F when I started it, and it took off well. I checked the temp AFTER I inoculated and was concerned, but it went fine.

 

[bstnh1]

My Bordeaux just arrived...overnite shipping

How long are folks typically letting it sit b4 it reaches room temp - mid/high 60s area?

Looking forward to this maiden Finer voyage ✌

Cheers!

Mine was thawed when I got it, but I had it in the fridge for close to a week before I started it. I didn't let it sit out at all. I added room temp or a bit warmer water to get it up around 70 degrees.

 

[Old Corker]

I ordered two Petit Syrah kits last week and got them today. I’m on an assignments that has me out of town 4 days a week so can’t start it until week of 1/24. I put the skins in the freezer and the juice bags in the fridge.

 

[Bmd2k1]

My Bordeaux just arrived...overnite shipping

How long are folks typically letting it sit b4 it reaches room temp - mid/high 60s area?

Looking forward to this maiden Finer voyage ✌

Cheers!

Underway

OG 1.106.

Must looks & smells pretty dang amazing! Looking forward to this Finer voyage

Cheers!

 

[oppyland]

I ordered two Petit Syrah kits last week and got them today.

I have a Petit Syrah bulk aging. It has taken pretty much all of my self-control to leave it alone for a while longer!

 

[Old Corker]

I have a Petit Syrah bulk aging. It has taken pretty much all of my self-control to leave it alone for a while longer!

I have ~ 20 gal. of Bordeaux, 11 of Sangiovese, 11 of Cabernet Bulk aging now. Hopefully that will help me keep my mitts off the PS.

 

[Tandrup]

I’ve been making a few other kits and now wanted to try and make a FWK kit - preferably one of the whites. Sorry if I missed a post, but I can’t find any of the whites available for purchase. Does anyone know if they are available for purchase still?

 

[She’sgonnakillme]

I’ve been making a few other kits and now wanted to try and make a FWK kit - preferably one of the whites. Sorry if I missed a post, but I can’t find any of the whites available for purchase. Does anyone know if they are available for purchase still?

No, they have been pulled off the market due to QA concerns.

 

[Tandrup]

No, they have been pulled off the market due to QA concerns.

Thank you for the super fast reply.

 

[ratflinger]

I think they should start selling them again, with the caveat that they may be more amber than you are used to.

 

[winemaker81]

I’ve been making a few other kits and now wanted to try and make a FWK kit - preferably one of the whites. Sorry if I missed a post, but I can’t find any of the whites available for purchase. Does anyone know if they are available for purchase still?

The white concentrates are dark, and the resulting wines range from the dark side of "normal" to too dark. I had satisfactory result with Chardonnay and my son with Riesling (see post below), but some folks have not. FWK pulled the whites off the market while they investigate.

https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/fwk-very-fast-ferment.74780/post-816963

 

[She’sgonnakillme]

Just my opinion, but I suspect there is more at play than just color considerations. If you think about it, color may be just the result of other variables in the manufacturing / handling process. Ie: temperature, stabilizers and how is the concentrate reacting to a freeze / thaw process for example, how much O2 exposure it has prior to freezing. I am in the food manufacturing business and can tell you that food and stabilization really changes when product is gone through these steps. I have not seen an ingredient statement on a FWK product (if anyone has one please share) so I cannot determine what they may/may not be utilizing for stabilizing, and I have not seen a UPC code either for product lookup. Point being, it’s not as simple as concentrating juice and freezing it, so I believe we will need to have some patience and let their food scientists figure it out as they cannot put products in market (their legal team would cringe at the idea) if there are any QA concerns for any reason, even if it’s just coloration.

 

[winemaker81]

Just my opinion, but I suspect there is more at plan than just color considerations.

Thanks for the detailed explanation. Color is the most obvious indicator, although folks have reported aroma/taste problems. Fortunately my son & I have not.

FWK buys from a concentrate vendor, so they must be working in conjunction to diagnose the problem. This is just as serious concern for the vendor as FWK. I have confidence they'll solve the problem, and it's entirely likely the vendor will have an overall better product as a result.

Personally, I'd buy the kits again. While the color is not optimal, it's satisfactory and the aroma/taste at the 2 month mark is good.

 

[She’sgonnakillme]

Interesting, I was advise directly by someone at LP that FWK has some sort of manufacturing setup right there in the LP facilities, so was under the impression they were not having it Co-packed for them. I was told that my Strawberry kit shipment was going to be delayed a few days as they were brewing a new batch and the employee who does it was out sick.