Other Recommendation for good white wine kit

She’sgonnakillme · Oct 1, 2022

G259 said:
Finer Wine Kits! I will buy more. (no I'm not affiliated!)

I agree, my wife's really digging her FWK Riesling and Moscato. She told me to only buy her FWK whites from now on, with the one exception being the RJS EP White Trio.

Khristyjeff · Oct 1, 2022

Eddie_G said:
OK so I have a question on this wine. It is currently in the secondary in the latter stages of clarifying. The wine was fermented to full dryness. RJS gives you a sweetening pack (simple sugar) with the kit. Anyone have any experience with this? Does adding the full pack make the wine really sweet? We don't like very sweet wines so I would be happy with subtle sweetness only.

I guess I have to run taste tests like with the blueberry and apple wines I made. Get samples and add various levels of simple sugar and see which level is best. Thanks for any advice you can give!

We're like you and don't like sweet wines. This wine is not sweet when adding the pack. I don't even care all that much for white wines but this is a good one. Enjoy!

Mcjeff · Oct 2, 2022

She’sgonnakillme said:
I agree, my wife's really digging her FWK Riesling and Moscato. She told me to only buy her FWK whites from now on, with the one exception being the RJS EP White Trio.

Question on the Moscato. Did you backsweeten? Also did it taste good right away? I made the WE California Moscato per instructions and my mother in law loved it. I thought I’d try the FWK and I’ve been doing some bench trials to get the sweetness level she likes, but I’m not quite there. Just curious what you did. I’ll need to get the FWK Riesling and try it as I’m about out of the last Riesling I made.

winemaker81 · Oct 2, 2022

Eddie_G said:
Does adding the full pack make the wine really sweet?

You don't need to add the entire pack -- bench test and add only as much as you want.

However, based upon the feedback from others, the wine is acidic and needs the sugar to balance the acid. I have a few bottles of a NY Vignoles that is rated "sweet". While I can taste sugar, it tastes off-dry, as the wine is highly acidic.

I also have FWK Blackberry and Strawberry in production. Both kits came with 2 backsweetening packs, and I added 1 pack to each before bulk aging. The wines did not taste sweet at that time, and actually had a bit of a bite. Take that with the understanding that the wines were very young. Others who have made the kits have put the full 2 pack in, and while I'm a dry red drinker by preference, I am currently expecting to put both packs in each wine. I'll bench test but expect the acid will require all the sugar.

Because the syrup is so thick, you have to stir REALLY, REALLY well to get it to distribute. I use a drill-mounted stirring rod, get the wine moving, and have my son slowly add the syrup in a fine stream. After the addition, I change direction and stir for a minute. Then taste. When you get to the point you think the wine needs just a bit more, stop.