Best chard kit for beginners

[SLOweather]

While we scheme and plan our vineyard, I thought we'd get a kit or 2 and start learning the process.

My wife loves her chardonnays. What is the best kit for rank beginners? What should we look out for?

 

[robie]

Chardonnay kits do not have grape packs, so they are all about the easiest kits to make. However, some do come with raisins, but that's not going to complicate it much.

Depends on what style of Chardonnay you like. There's Australian style, warm-climate chards, which is a bit "bigger" and maybe darker chard. Less fruity than a Washington state chard, but not as minerally as a French Chard.

The Washington State chards are a bit softer (cold-climate chards). They are the most fruity of the chard kits. Much less minerally taste as the French chards.

Mosti Mondiale sells the Renaisance Australian style; also I think WineXpert has one of that style. Cellar Craft sells a nice, soft, fruity Washington chard.
I think the RJ Spagnol Chards are somewhere in between.

I would go by style. Either Mosti or Cellar Craft. But that's just my opinion.

Get the best kit you can buy and you will be happier in the end.

Don't know if that helps.

 

[Wade E]

^ Well said ^

 

[robie]

While we scheme and plan our vineyard, I thought we'd get a kit or 2 and start learning the process.

My wife loves her chardonnays. What is the best kit for rank beginners? What should we look out for?

I just noticed where you live! I am jealous. Once you get some kits under your belt, you should have easy access to fresh Chardonnay grapes. Guess if you go just south of town, you will find cooler climate grapes; go north to Paso Robles and you get the warmer climate grapes.

One of the wife's and my favorite places in California is very near you - Avila Beach. We have recommended it to several friends, who eventually stayed there, and also loved it. Makes me smile just thinking about it...

 

[SLOweather]

Yup. from our back deck, we can see the vineyards in the Edna Valley about 5 miles away, and belong to a few wine clubs around here. One of our friends owns an orchard and vineyard and is the one that piqued our interest in growing some grapes on our acreage. He is located very close to Avila, about a mile up See Canyon Road off San Luis Bay Drive.

You can always check the weather around here on our WeatherElement network map. Among others, we have a station at the Point San Luis Lighthouse, and one at Ed's orchard in See Canyon.

BTW, Thanks for the suggestions. We'll check them out...

Chris

http://www.weatherelement.com/UnitMap

I just noticed where you live! I am jealous. Once you get some kits under your belt, you should have easy access to fresh Chardonnay grapes. Guess if you go just south of town, you will find cooler climate grapes; go north to Paso Robles and you get the warmer climate grapes.

One of the wife's and my favorite places in California is very near you - Avila Beach. We have recommended it to several friends, who eventually stayed there, and also loved it. Makes me smile just thinking about it...