Quick Wine?

[rubenst6]

I just finished my first batch of Vintner's Reserve Pinot Noir. I was very happy with how easy the process was and how the wine turned out. I am not an accomplished drinker of wine and don't have a sophisticated palate (yet).
So here's where I went wrong... Instead of bottling the wine on the schedule provided in the kit, I let it sit for 3 months before bottling. I've been led to understand that I should have bottled per the regular schedule and let it sit in the bottles, not the carboy, for further aging (though 3 months is probably too short to make a huge difference).
Anyway, I was so excited by my (relative) success that I gave the wine away much too aggressively and don't have the quantities left for consumption that I had originally planned. So, to that end, which kit is going to give me wine that will be ready to drink (even if just mediocre) fastest? I would like to make something for drinking very soon so I can choose something more interesting next that might take some time before it is ready for consumption. Does this mean I should try a white? I normally prefer reds, but have no problem drinking whites (plus they don't stain the teeth!).
Please advise which kit will make a decent fast wine in a normal (30 bottle) quantity. The Vintner's Reserve kit I used was so easy I was worried I was doing something wrong, but it came out great.

 

[Mud]

Can't say anything about kits, but there is no harm in bulk aging. That is, leaving it in the carboy for a few months before bottling. Most people around here think it's a plus.

 

[NSwiner]

Would you be interested in something like the Orchard Breezin mist wines ,they have a lower alcohol level then regular wine but they are tasty . You can go to thier site to check them out www.rjspagnols.com .There are some 4 week kits also in the white wines .

 

[vvolf34]

Whites will be drinkable faster than most reds. I am going to give you a website and they have a recommended aging period. If you want something fast, a mist or breeze kit takes about 2 months. I just did a Mosti Mondaile Black Cherry Shiraz, everyone that tried it likes it, but some more serious wine drinkers say it's sweet, which it is. Anyway, here is the website:
http://www.finevinewines.com/products.asp#CC

 

[cpfan]

Rubenst6:

You did absolutely nothing wrong with making that kit. You could have bottled at 28 days and then aged in bottle for 3 months (you may have seen the post from Tim V that seemed to recommend that). But leaving it in carboy for 3 months (as long as the air lock was good) was also fine.

FYI, many many people drink that kit (and others like it) starting at 28 days of age. Yes, it will improve if aged, but if YOU (and friends and family) like that wine young, then enjoy drinking it.

Many Kits are made in the Ferment on Premises of BC and Ontario Canada. Most of their customers couldn't age a batch of wine if you paid them.

Steve

 

[rubenst6]

Thank you all for the prompt and thoughtful replies. It is all very helpful.
While the sweeter wines are appealing (I like the idea of that black cherry shiraz), the summer breeze kits might be slightly closer to wine cooler than I would otherwise want. Plus, I would prefer a higher alcohol content (nothing wrong with a little buzz).
I'm going to keep browsing (the recommended sites are fantastic!) and see if I can find something that is pretty good when "young." I'll accept any further recommendations.
Thanks again!

 

[ffemt128]

Based on the fact that you made a Wine Expert kit the first time and assuming you purchased locally, you could go for one of the Island Mist series kits and add sugar to up the alcohol prior to fermentation. I saw several threads on how to go about this in the Wine Expert section.

I made the same mistake also, gave to much away of our first kit (valpolicella). We are just finishing a WE Selection Original Chianti and I'm going to bulk for a month in the carboy then bottle. I'll need the carboy to start an Island Mist kit or else I would bulk age longer. I intend on increasing the sugar to up the alcohol in our Isl Mist kit. We want something drinkable so that that Chianti can have a chance to age several months prior to much of it being drank.

 

[vvolf34]

Yep, on the Mist/Breeze etc kits kits you can just add some sugar to up the SG and get a higher ABV. I think this might increase the time it will take to drink it though!!

 

[Bailey]

I've had great luck with Vintner's Reserve kits. I've made their Liebfraumilch (similar to a Riesling) more than once and it was so good right away I was not able to keep it longer than a few months. The kit is 'back sweetened' with a 'F-Pack' (Flavor Pack) of fruit juice concentrate after fermentation so it does have some sweetness to it.