Finer Wine Kit Finer Wine Kits

[Shurt1073]

I think these wines take longer to come around and in some cases don’t have enough body to content .
Adding Reds to a competition they need at least 2 years idle to make the mark .
Because of all the variables being add to them it could take longer to come of age even for this style kit.
Just remember these are only my thoughts , don’t take as a personal thing.
Also when you go into wine makers or , cell masters you’re going up against some petty good crafts people.
Just my thought’s

I have one FWK bulk aging and two other FWK in the refrigerator I was going to start this weekend. Is there something I should know or do different before I start my kits this weekend? Did you have a bad experience with FWK?

 

[jgmann67]

I have one FWK bulk aging and two other FWK in the refrigerator I was going to start this weekend. Is there something I should know or do different before I start my kits this weekend? Did you have a bad experience with FWK?

I don’t think Joe is saying that he had a bad experience at all.

Start your wines and follow the directions. Bulk age for 9-12 months, then bottle.

What I got from Joe’s post - These FWK will take longer to mature than the traditional, ultra-pasteurized kits. So, we’re not there yet.

Personally, I’ve been making kits and wine from grapes for about 8 years. Other than the Luna Bianca (my wife’s favorite white wine), and a red here and there, I seem to have switched to these as my go-to kits. I’ve done more than a dozen FWK kits so far, and am very happy.

 

[joeswine]

It’s not any of that it’s the construction of the wine and what it takes to get it to the finish line.
Yes I’ve made a few and tasted a few And like you have done it all, and that’s just my opinion nothing more or less.
I have 4 styles on my shelf, and just about made every kit out there. I do have some expertise in the structure of the wine and have worked with Wine Expert in the very beginning. THE COMPANY
It’s my opinion only. Their reds are decent there whites need work and that’s the long and the short of it, in my opinion

 

[winemaker81]

The necessary aging time depends on the kit, and this is true of all vendors.

My first was a pre-Tavola Barbera (no skins, carboy aged, 1 oz Hungarian medium toast cubes) that was drinkable in 8 months, and has improved. It's coming up on 2 years old (August) and is holding well.

November 2021 I started a Chardonnay, which was drinkable after 6 months is is holding well at 15 months.

Same month I started Forte Super Tuscan and Forte Syrah / Petite Sirah / Merlot, which were barrel aged. They are coming up on 15 months old, and are drinkable, but need more time. This is a combination of the skins & seeds in the Forte kits, and barrel time.

Last spring I started Tavola Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, both carboy aged (PN no skins, 1 oz Hungarian cubes) and bottled at the 6 month mark. The PN was very drinkable a month after bottling, lighter in body and fruity. The SB was also immediately drinkable.

Early last summer I started Frutta Blackberry and Strawberry, which were bottled at the 4 month mark. Both were drinkable quickly. I have no idea what to expect for shelf life, so they are in the usage rotation.

September 2020 I started WE Australian Chardonnay and Australian Cabernet Sauvignon for my son's wedding reception in Oct 2021. Both were very good at that time, although I was highly disappointed that the Chardonnay we in decline before 2 years of age. The CS is holding well, although I have only 1 bottle left.

Drinkability and longevity are no different for kits than they are any other wine. Heavier wines, e.g., reds or fruits with skin contact, oak, etc., will take longer to age before becoming "good", and generally have a longer lifespan. Lighter reds, whites, and lighter fruits have less chemical changes to experience so they are drinkable sooner, and generally age out faster.

I was honestly surprised that the Tavola reds were drinkable as quickly as they were. IMO this is good, as I can produce a drinkable red in ~6 months, in sharp contrast to my heavier reds that typically need 15+ months.

In the past I had more lifespan from whites, so the WE Chardonnay surprised me, although my son commented that served its purpose and the last couple of bottles declining was not a big deal (which I agree). Based upon that, I'm watching the lifespan of the FWK White and Tavola (no skins) kits. I also note that no two wines are alike, so the lifespan of one kit may be different from the lifespan of an identical kit.

 

[Shurt1073]

Based on what I'm reading here there is nothing to worry about. I'll start my two refrigerated FWK this weekend and just follow the directions. The Grenache & Pinot Noir - no skins. Basic, simple, and reasonable for a newer winemaker branching out a little. Remember, I've only been mostly making the Island Mist fruit flavor kits.

I'm like a kid going to a new school for the first day. Excited but a little worried all at the same time! Wish me luck

 

[winemaker81]

Based on what I'm reading here there is nothing to worry about. I'll start my two refrigerated FWK this weekend and just follow the directions. The Grenache & Pinot Noir - no skins. Basic, simple, and reasonable for a newer winemaker branching out a little. Remember, I've only been mostly making the Island Mist fruit flavor kits.

I'm like a kid going to a new school for the first day. Excited but a little worried all at the same time! Wish me luck

You'll do fine -- just follow the instructions.

Regarding the PN, I added 1 oz medium toast Hungarian cubes in bulk aging, and aged for 6 months. As I mentioned upstream, it has nice body (not too heavy) and a lot of fruit.

 

[joeswine]

Thank you so much for this scale for judging homemade wines. The best wines I've made from kits - RJS En Primer series and another RJS International - by my estimation fall in the 85-89 range.
My every day drinking wine, made from RJS Master Cellar kits and Argentina Ridge kits, both from Costco for around $100 (Cdn) for double (60 bottle kits). These kits would be a 75 or less if you follow instructions exactly. I tweak the wines per advice from the tweaking cheap wine kits thread - short water, add raisins, grape skins and oak, and then bulk store for a year. That brings most cheap wine kits that I tweak to an 83 or 84. I
'd say a well selected $15-$17 (cdn) bottle of commercial wine would be comparable. Most commercial $15 wines are worse.

that say you can make

That’s the spirit

 

[heatherd]

Based on what I'm reading here there is nothing to worry about. I'll start my two refrigerated FWK this weekend and just follow the directions. The Grenache & Pinot Noir - no skins. Basic, simple, and reasonable for a newer winemaker branching out a little. Remember, I've only been mostly making the Island Mist fruit flavor kits.

I'm like a kid going to a new school for the first day. Excited but a little worried all at the same time! Wish me luck

That's the best part of this hobby: the excitement at trying new things! I have the Grenache aging and have the Pinot with two skings aging. You can totally do this! I have found the instructions to be much better than other manufacturers.

I'm more visual so the videos were great because I hadn't made a yeast starter before; that said, DO NOT do your starter in a winebottle or any other small container, do it in a large glass covered with a paper towel, because it is agressive!

You should get RC212 for the Pinot and I think ICV-D-47 for the Grenache Rose.

The Rose will have carbon, too; mine cleared fine with the provided chemicals.

https://www.youtube.com/@asimms1/videos

 

[jgmann67]

That's the best part of this hobby: the excitement at trying new things! I have the Grenache aging and have the Pinot with two skings aging. You can totally do this! I have found the instructions to be much better than other manufacturers.

I'm more visual so the videos were great because I hadn't made a yeast starter before; that said, DO NOT do your starter in a winebottle or any other small container, do it in a large glass covered with a paper towel, because it is agressive!

You should get RC212 for the Pinot and I think ICV-D-47 for the Grenache Rose.

The Rose will have carbon, too; mine cleared fine with the provided chemicals.

https://labelpeelers.com/wine-making/wine-kits/finer-wine-kits/pinot-noir-finer-wine-kit/#videos

I make a rose for my wife and daughters every year for summertime drinking. This year I got an early start with the Grenache rose. It’s been in the bottle a couple months now and, according to my wife, already delicious.

 

[heatherd]

I make a rose for my wife and daughters every year for summertime drinking. This year I got an early start with the Grenache rose. It’s been in the bottle a couple months now and, according to my wife, already delicious.

Great to know! How does it compare to your prior roses?

 

[heatherd]

I have one FWK bulk aging and two other FWK in the refrigerator I was going to start this weekend. Is there something I should know or do different before I start my kits this weekend? Did you have a bad experience with FWK?

All my FWKs are better than my prior kits from other vendors. I was excited to make something without "kit taste" that I'd have to mask or hide and at a price I can afford.

 

[Shurt1073]

All my FWKs are better than my prior kits from other vendors. I was excited to make something without "kit taste" that I'd have to mask or hide and at a price I can afford.

I don't have the experience to compare the FWK to much of anything! Feel like I've been walking in the dark making fruit flavor kits by the letter of the instructions and didn't really understand this process until I joined WMT in Oct 2022. The lights are on for me and I understand so making it more fun. I got home from a couple months in warmer weather than my home in Indiana and had two FWK in the refrig. Grenache was missing a couple chemicals so LP is sending me another packet but the Pinot Noir is fermenting away.

I have never made or tasted a Grenache Rose or made a Pinot Noir so this is exciting stuff for me. Did you know standing at the fermenter watching it bubble away does not speed up the process?

 

[heatherd]

I don't have the experience to compare the FWK to much of anything! Feel like I've been walking in the dark making fruit flavor kits by the letter of the instructions and didn't really understand this process until I joined WMT in Oct 2022. The lights are on for me and I understand so making it more fun. I got home from a couple months in warmer weather than my home in Indiana and had two FWK in the refrig. Grenache was missing a couple chemicals so LP is sending me another packet but the Pinot Noir is fermenting away.

I have never made or tasted a Grenache Rose or made a Pinot Noir so this is exciting stuff for me. Did you know standing at the fermenter watching it bubble away does not speed up the process?

Well, at least the lights are on now! I started with a Cranberry Merlot in 2012 and have gone from there. Now have two batches consumed of FWK sauvignon blanc, two FWK sauvignon blanc in progress, two FWK granache rose in progress, one FWK forte pinot in progress, one FWK forte cab sauv in progress, one FWK forte super tuscan in progress, and one FWK forte bordeaux blend in progress.

I have found that to be true about standing in front of the fermenter, but my FWKs have fermented super fast, so that should be a good thing for us impatient folks.

 

[jgmann67]

Great to know! How does it compare to your prior roses?

She says it's better than last year's RJS French Rose (made this one two years in a row because it was very good).

 

[Old Corker]

DO NOT do your starter in a winebottle or any other small container, do it in a large glass covered with a paper towel, because it is agressive!

Interesting. I do the starter in a wine bottle with a paper towel wadded up in the top and it works well. Admittedly, I never wait the full 30 hours to pitch it though. It usually barely makes it past 18 hours before I dump it.

 

[Shurt1073]

Interesting. I do the starter in a wine bottle with a paper towel wadded up in the top and it works well. Admittedly, I never wait the full 30 hours to pitch it though. It usually barely makes it past 18 hours before I dump it.

I used a mason jar last Thursday when I pitched for the FWK Pinot Noir and it seemed to work just fine, compared to the wine bottle I used for the Frutta blackberry.

 

[jgmann67]

I used a mason jar last Thursday when I pitched for the FWK Pinot Noir and it seemed to work just fine, compared to the wine bottle I used for the Frutta blackberry.

I use just regular glasses.

 

[winemaker81]

I'm more visual so the videos were great because I hadn't made a yeast starter before; that said, DO NOT do your starter in a winebottle or any other small container, do it in a large glass covered with a paper towel, because it is agressive!

Huh. I've had no problems with overflowing a 750 ml wine bottle. I wonder what is different about your situation?

 

[Mcjeff]

She says it's better than last year's RJS French Rose (made this one two years in a row because it was very good).

I made the Rose also. I’m no Rose expert but it compared favorably to the commercial Rose I bought to top off. (Sofia Rose). I back-sweetened just a little to off dry. Looking forward to getting more input this summer from friends on the back patio!

 

[Mcjeff]

Anyone compared the FWK Chardonnay with the Wine Expert Sonoma Dry Creek? I’m planning to make another Chard. The Sonoma one was quite good, the last juice bucket Chard I made was not so good, so curious how the FWK compares.