Tips for Taste

tenorvoice61 · Aug 10, 2011

I'm in the middle of my third wine kit - Mosti Mondiale Cab. My first two were RJ Spagnols and Cellar Craft (both cabs). I'd like to ask all you experienced vinters - what are your top tips for using wine kits to make the best tasting wines? I'd like to make wines that rival what I can buy for around $15-$25 (or more?). Obviously, choosing a high quality kit is key, as is following all the instructions completely. But what else is there i should (or should not) be doing to get a great quality wine?
My first two were disappointing, the first much more so than the 2nd. Certainly drinkable and many of my friends liked them, but I would say they were about the quality of a jug/boxed wine - weak on alcohol and lacking in flavor/depth.
I know many of you must make great wines with kits. What are your best tips for a newbe like me?
Thanks!

grapeman · Aug 10, 2011

How long did you age these wines in the carboy and bottles? If less than two years, it was not old enough to fully develop it's potential. It takes time to make really good wine.

ibglowin · Aug 10, 2011

Here are a few. Buy the top end kits with grape packs or grape skins. Never top up with water only a similar wine. Finally you may need a post fermentation finishing tannin like Tancor Grand Cru if you really like a wine with a load of mouthfeel and finish.

Welcome to the FVW forums!

tonyt · Aug 10, 2011

I just reviewed my notes on all 18 of the kits I have made in the past 3 years. I have actually never sat down and compared the notes of the ones that we have liked the best. So after reading your question I have done so and have a surprising discovery.

First, what Appleman is true but I think you can tell after only a few months in bottle if you are going to love the wine or not. Not saying to drink it then or that it won't get tons better aver a year or two, it will.

Second, and this is the surprising discovery, RAISINS! After making a list of the kits I think turned out not just okay but really good, I reviewed my notes to see what they had in common. They were Wine Expert, Mosti Renaissance, RJ Spagnols Cru Select kits that either came with raisins, dried skins or that I added my own raisins to. The only outlier was the Cellar Craft LR Rosso Fortussimo with super grape pack, that too is one that I absolutely love. Kits that had regular grape packs or none at all were in the stack of "okay" efforts.

Tenor, thanks so much for bringing me to this exercise. Oh, don't count me as one of the experienced, as you can see I am just getting around to figuring out what works for me and what doesn't. Emphasis being on what works for me because there are some who don't at all like the taste raisins impart. The best advice may be to make lots of kits, keep good notes and then figure out what worked for you.