Other What makes a kit good?

[JoshDivino]

I'm still very new to winemaking but my first few batches have all been from fresh ripe fruit from a close friends vineyard.
What makes a kit better than fresh fruit? How do you tell which kit to buy? There is no way for me to tell based on the description... They all sound great

 

[Billy8998]

I would say that your follow the principles that apply to anything else; you get what you pay for. The ultra premium kits source the juice from areas all over the world synonymous with fine wines and you can produce wine capable of matching some very expensive commercial wines for a fraction of the cost.

My rule of thumb is not to make a kit with less than 16l juice.

 

[rjb222]

On a great year grapes make a wine providing done properly that can not be rivaled. On a poor year grapes display that also. Kits are consistent in quality. A person that is a good wine judge will always pick up a kit at a tasting. That is due to the processing a kit goes through by law to be a food item and shelf stable.

 

[TonyP]

I'm still very new to winemaking but my first few batches have all been from fresh ripe fruit from a close friends vineyard.
What makes a kit better than fresh fruit? How do you tell which kit to buy? There is no way for me to tell based on the description... They all sound great

First, welcome.

Some of what you've asked has been answered, so I'll try to parcel out what's remaining. Kits are not necessarily better than going from scratch. One difference, though is the ease in selecting exactly what you want. For example, there's French, Australian, or California chardonnay without oak, with oak, or with toasted oak.

There are several good and readily available wine kit brands: Cellar Craft, RJ Spagnols, and Winexpert (the largest) are among the favorites at this forum. Each brand has levels of quality from ultra premium, to premium, to value. Generally, the better the quality, the greater the amount of concentrate and/or juice that's included, and the higher the price. There are also limited edition and specialty wines you should consider.

The basic exercise is to find something you may like, at a relatively high quality, and at a price you want to spend. Many people ask for forum recommendations on kits they're considering or read earlier posts. After reading comments here, I recently started a Spagnols Super Tuscan.

One last comment, try to find a local wine making supply store and get information from them, too.

Tony P.

 

[JoshDivino]

First, welcome.

Some of what you've asked has been answered, so I'll try to parcel out what's remaining. Kits are not necessarily better than going from scratch. One difference, though is the ease in selecting exactly what you want. For example, there's French, Australian, or California chardonnay without oak, with oak, or with toasted oak.

There are several good and readily available wine kit brands: Cellar Craft, RJ Spagnols, and Winexpert (the largest) are among the favorites at this forum. Each brand has levels of quality from ultra premium, to premium, to value. Generally, the better the quality, the greater the amount of concentrate and/or juice that's included, and the higher the price. There are also limited edition and specialty wines you should consider.

The basic exercise is to find something you may like, at a relatively high quality, and at a price you want to spend. Many people ask for forum recommendations on kits they're considering or read earlier posts. After reading comments here, I recently started a Spagnols Super Tuscan.

One last comment, try to find a local wine making supply store and get information from them, too.

Tony P.

Thanks for the reply! As funny as it sounds living in the Columbia valley with red mountain AVA being less that 20 miles out from my house, there are no close homebrewing shops, partially because there are about 100 wineries around the tri cities

 

[TonyP]

Thanks for the reply! As funny as it sounds living in the Columbia valley with red mountain AVA being less that 20 miles out from my house, there are no close homebrewing shops, partially because there are about 100 wineries around the tri cities

Sounds like a business opportunity, especially together with beer.
Tony P.

 

[JoshDivino]

It definitely would be a hot spot, too bad I don't have the capital!

 

[Rocky]

Josh,

I agree with all that TonyP said above about kits vs. fresh fruit. I have made wine both ways and I feel there are advantages to both. If you are making wine in quantity, fresh fruit is probably the way to go. Fresh fruit varies from year to year and so will the quality of the wine. It happens that 2012 will likely be a great year for most grape producing areas of the country, so if one would like to try his hand at fresh grapes, this would be a good year to do so.

Personally, I prefer high quality kits (> 16 liters of juice, hopefully with a grape pack) for the following reasons:

1. they are much easier to work with than fresh fruit.
2. less equipment is required.
3. less of a mess is created.
4. the number of varieties of grape juices exceed what one could buy in fresh grapes.
5. one can make small batches easily.
6. kits are more consistent in quality of juice.
7. one can make wine any time of the year, not just in the Fall (northern hemisphere grapes) or Spring (southern hemisphere grapes).
8. the quality of kits is continually improving and wines made from kits, in many cases, are out performing wines from fresh fruit at judgings.
9. I hate fruit flies!

I hasten to repeat, this is a personal opinion and is not judgemental of people who prefer fresh fruit. I admire people who make wine from grapes for their efforts and their attempts and desire to preserve tradition.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Those of us stuck in the horrible muscidine grape growing area are very thankful for kits!

P.S. I just got back from a wine tasting trip in the Columbia Gorge AVA. Interesting wines in that area!

 

[JoshDivino]

Those of us stuck in the horrible muscidine grape growing area are very thankful for kits!

P.S. I just got back from a wine tasting trip in the Columbia Gorge AVA. Interesting wines in that area!

Really? Which wineries did you visit?

 

[DoctorCAD]

Maryhill, Dry Hollow, Cascade Cliffs, The Pines 1852 and Stoltz.

I was driving, so I could only sip, but my wife drank it all!

 

[JoshDivino]

Maryhill, Dry Hollow, Cascade Cliffs, The Pines 1852 and Stoltz.

I was driving, so I could only sip, but my wife drank it all!

Nice nice! Well next time your in the area send me a pm and I'll show you my favorite wineries!

 

[DoctorCAD]

Nice nice! Well next time your in the area send me a pm and I'll show you my favorite wineries!

When I hit the Lotto, I will be opening a winery in that area. That was my first trip to the Pacific Northwest. Lots of really nice stuff in that area.

The trip was our first real vacation in many years. We started in San Francisco and toured several wineries in the Livermore Valley AVA, went to Portland and drove down to the Willamette Valley AVA for 2 days of tastings. Then we drove to The Dalles and did the wineries I mentioned earlier. Back to Portland for several micro-breweries.

Needed a week to dry out, but it was worth it!

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

When I hit the Lotto, I will be opening a winery in that area.

How to make a small fortune in wine????









Start with a large one

 

[JoshDivino]

When I hit the Lotto, I will be opening a winery in that area. That was my first trip to the Pacific Northwest. Lots of really nice stuff in that area.

The trip was our first real vacation in many years. We started in San Francisco and toured several wineries in the Livermore Valley AVA, went to Portland and drove down to the Willamette Valley AVA for 2 days of tastings. Then we drove to The Dalles and did the wineries I mentioned earlier. Back to Portland for several micro-breweries.

Needed a week to dry out, but it was worth it!

Hmmm, I personally wouldnt invest in a winery around here, its much too competitive. There is just so many already.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Hmmm, I personally wouldnt invest in a winery around here, its much too competitive. There is just so many already.

Just a high dollar hobby!

 

[JoshDivino]

Just a high dollar hobby!

As long as you have the dollar! Good luck