Other Wine Maker Mag Top 100 Kits 2023

[Bmd2k1]

...and their survey says

Top 100 Wine Kits of 2023 - WineMakerMag.com

 

[mainshipfred]

I don't do kits but with all the positive posts on here about Finer Wine Kits I find it hard to believe not a single one made the list. I guess they didn't contribute to the magazine enough.

 

[sour_grapes]

I don't do kits but with all the positive posts on here about Finer Wine Kits I find it hard to believe not a single one made the list. I guess they didn't contribute to the magazine enough.

Even worse: One FW kit made it (#30). So at least one FWK was tested, and not none (as I suspected initially).

 

[Shurt1073]

#87 RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Specialty Toasted Caramel Dessert Wine

Surprised to see this was not in the top 20 ..... crowd pleaser at my house with family and friends. I will have made 87-90 bottles (375l) of this in 2023! We grew up on America's Classic or Werthers Caramel squares so its like candy with a little alcohol kick.

 

[Brian55]

Even worse: One FW kit made it (#30). So at least one FWK was tested, and not none (as I suspected initially).

It did make top Zin. Regardless, I wouldn't put much value in these types of mass tastings. Nothing beats a blind tasting with a group of friends and/or family.

 

[winemaker81]

It did make top Zin. Regardless, I wouldn't put much value in these types of mass tastings. Nothing beats a blind tasting with a group of friends and/or family.

You're both right and wrong.

Right because a local blind tasting provides really good feedback, although often times it's a bunch of folks with similar tastes. Obviously not always, but it may lean in that direction.

Wrong? Because the competition is probably a better reflection of the wine drinking world. By my count:

• 16 - dessert wines
• 14 - "fun" wines (grape wine base + fruit F-Pack)
• 13 - white/rose wines
• 8 - fruit wines
• 1 - cider

Less than half are dry reds, which is the largest single group, but still not a majority.

People like what they like.

 

[NewfieMike]

I noticed some of the kits listed here are a few years old (i.e, the RQ/LE)

Perhaps with some aging, you'll see more FW kits on the list

 

[pacific_red]

I don't do kits but with all the positive posts on here about Finer Wine Kits I find it hard to believe not a single one made the list. I guess they didn't contribute to the magazine enough.

I do note that #6 was a LE2020 Grenache Tannat Shiraz, which makes me think the wines submitted mainly predate the availability of the FW kits, so things will probably change next year. I did make #6 as one of the last non-FW kits I've made. I just got around to bottling it from bulk after several years and is nice, but not as nice (in my opinion) as the Forte Bordeaux I bottled at the same time after 18 months in bulk (my first Forte kit to be bottled).