Other how kits are made

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Very interesting. Thanks for posting that, Bryan.

From that article:

One of the largest of these juice and concentrate processors is located in California. If it were legally advisable to tell you the company’s name, it would be instantly recognizable. From the air, the facility looks like a sprawling, gleaming oil refinery, with tank farms and refining towers as far as they eye can see.

Hmmmm, here is a view from Google Maps of Modesto, CA:

Gallo.jpg
 
Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

IMHO, The article didn't spread any light on the subject of kit taste (boiled jammy taste). On the contrary, using vacuum concentration, HTST Pasteurization along with very rapid chilling and not least, using aseptic filling instead of pasteurizing the final must bags means that the must never have been subjected to prolonged high temperature ("cooked"). Would be interesting to know where the FWK process differs from that outlined in the article; no HTST step?
 
Great read.

I had already decided that I was going to stop making 6 week kits after my yeast experiment demonstrated the clear difference between the higher end and concentrated kits.

The Pinot Noir and Montepulciano blend had a great flavor profile right at racking and distinct varietal qualities, while the low end kits have an undefined red wine taste. Not bad, but very little varietal notability, and now I completely understand why. I was becoming aware that the higher priced kits contain higher quality juice, but this demonstrates that we are pretty close to producing the same quality as commercial wineries if we choose our kits well. It really comes down to the tricks and skill of the home wine maker as to what we are limited to. Very interesting.

I am currently giving kits with skins a higher priority in my mind, but the Pinot Noir did not have skins. It was just a high end kit and it still shines well above the 6 week kits. I am very curious to see how the three high end kits I have on the go come together with time. For the time being that will be my choice, unfortunately I have some time before I can really start comparing.

Knowing that the production of juice and concentrate is so widely used in the industry brings up some interesting questions as to cost per bottle. The playing field is pretty level with such a uniform practice. Obviously not all wineries are using concentrates, and there are going to be yield and cost differences per harvest and varietal. It would be interesting to see a more in depth break down of the other factors involved. Simply paying for a brand? Aging times, procedures and techniques, etc.
 
I guess this really sums up what sets FWK apart, as well. I have watched videos from Label Peelers and I believe that they use the same vacuum concentration process, just without pasturizing. IIRC they referred to it as a low temperature evaporation, but I am pulling that from memory and months past.

Maybe I am just writing this out for my own clarification, but with a commercially balanced kit that is not pasturized you will have very close to the same quality of wine that you can produce from grapes, but you will have WAY more consistency and predictability. That is a pretty amazing thing to bring to the home wine maker.
 

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