Kit vs homemade

[Bartman]

I have made lots of wine from grapes but lately I am convinced that, for me, kits are the way to go. The following are some of my reasons:

* Kits have improved greatly and continue to improve.
* I have made better tasting wine from kits than I ever made from grapes.
* Many varieties are available that would not be to me from grapes.
* Kits are consistently balanced and "good" juice; grapes can vary dramatically.
* Kits offer a cleaner process.
* Kits are much less work.
* Kits require less equipment and space.
* Kits are available year round.
* For all the above benefits, kits are competitively priced compared to grapes.
* I HATE FRUIT FLIES!

You're going out on a limb there Rocky. You know a lot of folks on here will disagree with you vehemently that kits produce better wine than grapes. As you suggest, the primary issue is the quality of the raw materials.

 

[Rocky]

Hi Bart, yes I am sure that there will be those that disagree with my assessment. That is why I was careful to preface my remarks with "for me, kits are the way to go," and list my reasons.

I believe that people who want to make wine from grapes should do so. For me, it is not worth the time, effort, space, equipment, limitations on when I can make wine, etc. as enumerated in my posting. As I said, I have made wine from grapes (we used to do about 250 gallons per year at home) and I get wine from people who make it from grapes. I stand by my remark that I have made better wine from kits than what we made at home and what I get from experienced winemakers who make it from grapes. Again, that is not true for everybody, but it is for me.

 

[Stefani]

Is that percentage in volume of wine or number of batches?

 

[Rock]

I have walked this road before.Lets just say in a nice way that im not a fan of kit wines and i have tried quiet a bit.Also made some and none compare to the grape wines we make.So its grapes all the way for me.By the way we did a blind taste test and picked kit wine from the grape wine we make a mile away the kt taste is always their.Just had a 3 year kit syrah i made,and yes it was one with a grape pack so called high end.Still taste "KT" in it.To me grapes are the best.By the way do they sell commercial kit wines in stores bottled?

 

[KSKOH]

Most of my wine is made from grapes picked locally. I tried my first wine from juice. Still waiting for it to finish. Started with kits and still make one every now and then.

 

[REDBOATNY]

Kits seem way more expensive compared to local juice. I have never tried one myself. From reading here they sound like a crap shoot as far as quality goes.

 

[PCharles]

I started with kits, making about 5 of them. I'm just finishing my first season of making wine from grapes. The wine from grapes was far better. Also, my wife can always spot the kit wines and she does not like them.

I've just ordered several Chilian frozen juice products and hope they work out well for me. These will keep me busy until the fall harvest.

Also, I've made a variety of fruit wines. If I get a bargin, I will continue with fruit wines, but expect to do less fruit wine and more wine from grapes.

I've also taken up beer making to keep me busy when grapes are not available.

 

[jswordy]

Hmm, no entry for ZERO.