Other What are your favorite inexpensive "everyday" kit wines?

[byathread]

What are your favorite inexpensive "everyday" kit wines? I know the worth of premium kits, but being on a limited budget is partly what drew me to making my own. So, keeping my high-end kits for "special occasions", I'm looking to find if any folks have favorite "lower-end" kits (let's say 12L or less, with or without grape pack, $100 or less including tax or shipping). I've made WE Mezza Luna Red (with a couple tweaks) but still waiting on the verdict. I enjoy a wide variety of reds and whites.

Who's first?

 

[the_rayway]

As I've said in other threads, I love me some Cheeky Monkey Malbec. We can get the kit for about $70 - or $60 when they're on sale. Good stuff!

We've also had great luck with the CC Sterling ($80): Cabernet, the Amarone, and the Malbec/Shiraz. They all turn out very nice just by following the directions.

 

[cpfan]

Unfortunately Canadians may recommend kits that are not readily available in the States. Rayway just did it with the Cheeky Monkey kit. I'll add to it by saying that the Ken Ridge Classic Merlot is our house wine. It was also the best selling kit (by far) when I ran a Ferment on Premises. (Ray ...Cheeky Monkey just became available a few months before the store closed.)

When it comes to whites, our standard is Ken Ridge Showcase German Gewurztraminer (made dry by putting the Suss Reserve in the primary before the yeast). A bit more $$$ than the KRC Merlot.

Steve

 

[richmke]

IMHO, when you are spending $60 vs. $120 for 30 bottles (and all the work involved), the extra $2/bottle is a much better wine.

That said, the Island Mist (green apple, blackberry cabernet) have their place in my collection. Also, I did need a quicker maturing wine so that I could start enjoying the fruits of my labor.

 

[GaDawg]

It would seem to me that before we recommend and everyday wine kit we should know if we talking about reds, whites, day or sweet. A lot of people like the Island Mist type kits, but how does one compare them to a Cabernet or Amarone

 

[ColemanM]

I just made a cellar craft GSM with skins 12 liter kit for $95. First sub 100 skins kit I've made. Not sure how early it will drink though. I think the wine expert world vineyard just came it with some 10 liter kits with skins that are about $80? Joeswine made a cheap Sangiovese kit with some tweaks that seemed to be a great wine AND an early drinker.

 

[LoneStarLori]

I did the Mezza Luna white with a few tweaks and it was a big hit with anyone who got a taste. I would make it again in a heartbeat.

 

[bkisel]

I've made a handful of RJS VdV kits purchased from my LHBS for $75.00 (that's US $). Each has turned out better than I hoped for and with help from my wife would compare to many store bought running around $10.00 per 750ML.

I believe RJS VdV are only 9L.

 

[heatherd]

I had great luck with the RJS Grand Cru California Meritage. Got it for $89+ shipping from George at FVW. It's a limited edition but still available. I made it last year and it is a really nice blend of reds that tasted good young and is getting better. 12L kit with skins and oak chips. I will definitely make it again!

 

[byathread]

IMHO, when you are spending $60 vs. $120 for 30 bottles (and all the work involved), the extra $2/bottle is a much better wine.

I hear ya. I agree. I'm typically a quality over quantity guy. But at this particular moment in time we're poor. And I have time. And I'd rather enjoy decent wine frequently than excellent wine on occasion. And I'm making some high end kits too. But I'd like some experienced advice on what is good for cheap. It seems like good for inexpensive is harder to come by than great for expensive. Times are tight and rather than give up the joys of wine I'm just going to have to make ALL of my own (and 75% of it is going to be the lower priced kits, for now).

It would seem to me that before we recommend and everyday wine kit we should know if we talking about reds, whites, day or sweet. A lot of people like the Island Mist type kits, but how does one compare them to a Cabernet or Amarone

I drink reds and whites about 50/50 over the course of a year. Maybe 60/40 in favor of reds. I have a strong preference for dry wines (so I don't think the Island Mist style wines would be up my alley) but I'm okay with off-dry if its balanced with acidity. I especially enjoy the face-meltingly acidic whites like NZ Sauv Blancs, dry Rieslings, etc.

Thanks for all the replies so far.

Cheers!

PS - I'm more poor than impatient. I can wait 6-9+ months to start drinking so long as its a under $100 bones.

 

[ColemanM]

Ok ok so I'm probably gonna be kicked off this forum for saying this but...... If you're more poor than impatient then you should consider buying a good cheap kit, something you like, Pinot noir cab or GSM, Tweaking it with tannin and raisins. Now while that is aging the six months it needs, join a wine club. Look for the ones that have three bonus bottles for joining. You can then get 15 bottles of wine for 60+20 shipping. Cancel before recurring purchases happen. Now you have 15 wines for @$6 a bottle that you will milk for 6 months. Hopefully in that time you save enough to buy a premium kit. When the six month is up, you have 30 bottles of lightly aged wine to drink while the 30 premium age more. And hopefully in that time you can purchase another premium kit. Think of it as a snow ball effect. That's what I told myself until I realized I have 15 full carboys in the basement aging, a vadai barrel and 15 bottles of mezza Luna red to tide me over. Actually, don't take my advice, you'll be broke and impatient.

 

[sour_grapes]

Wait, why target kits? How about Dragon's Blood or the like?

 

[vernsgal]

RJS's VDV's will be on sale next month for about $50 a kit. I'll be buying a few of them!

 

[Uvas]

Sorry, what's RJS VDV?

 

[vernsgal]

RJS iscompany name for Spagnols and VDV is wine type Vino del Vido

 

[Bartman]

Mosti Mondiale's entire Vinifera Noble line - I have yet to try one of these kits and be disappointed. I add a few teaks here and there (include some grapes in the primary ferment, add some tannin, use RC-212 yeast instead of EC-1118). I created a thread a couple years ago to sing the praises of the VN Castel del Papa. Check it out hereL http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f84/vn-castel-del-papa-still-good-2-years-29988/

 

[bkisel]

RJS's VDV's will be on sale next month for about $50 a kit. I'll be buying a few of them!

Do they go on sale at all the LHBS or is this just an online outlet with which you do business? 7 of the 8 kits I've done have been RJS kits and 5 of the 7 have been VdV kits for which I paid $75.00 each. I've been pleased with the wine from all my finished kits; I'd be thrilled to get a bunch of VdV kits for $50.00 each.

 

[cpfan]

Do they go on sale at all the LHBS or is this just an online outlet with which you do business? 7 of the 8 kits I've done have been RJS kits and 5 of the 7 have been VdV kits for which I paid $75.00 each. I've been pleased with the wine from all my finished kits; I'd be thrilled to get a bunch of VdV kits for $50.00 each.

vernsgal lives near the Spagnols factory in Vancouver BC. They have a big warehouse sale every February. I would guess that she is referring to that.

Steve

 

[vernsgal]

Do they go on sale at all the LHBS or is this just an online outlet with which you do business? 7 of the 8 kits I've done have been RJS kits and 5 of the 7 have been VdV kits for which I paid $75.00 each. I've been pleased with the wine from all my finished kits; I'd be thrilled to get a bunch of VdV kits for $50.00 each.

Steve is right about the warehouse sale. All the LHBS here match the sale as well. I know my girlfriend mentioned the sale at her local LHBS ( she lives in a different province) and they matched it on their RJS kits. So maybe mention it at a few of yours and see, it never hurts to ask. The sale runs from Feb13-23

 

[kevinlfifer]

We are birds of a feather. I like a bottle of dry red daily (shared with my wife). I am one of the forums minority supporter of the Paklab kits, as cheap as I can find them, which is harder and harder. $20 on Alibaba if you buy 500 kits. Amazon and Ebay have some but if its over $50 with shipping per kit its too much.

Basically find the cheapest red kit or concentrate you can, and doctor it up. Add zante currants or frozen grapes, oak, make sure the brix is high enough....

http://homewinery.com/cgi-bin/concen.cgi

I made the Ruby Red ($28/conc) with grape skins and it is quite good already.

here are the batch notes:
Nov 14, 2013 6 lb sugar
Nov 14, 2013 1 tbs peptic enzyme
Nov 14, 2013 1 tsp yeast nutrient
Nov 14, 2013 4-5 lb marquette skins
Nov 14, 2013 1 cup med toast oak

Alcoholic Fermentation Nov 14, 2013 red pastuer in marquette

Alcoholic Fermentation Nov 14, 2013 ec-1118

Rackings
Nov 23, 2013 Clearing Sprakloid SG .992

Made 24 bottles with a 2.5 bottle top off. Avg cost was $1.12/btl.