WineXpert A real newbie question.

[earl]

O.K. I really enjoy drinking a good wine, at least as good as my 15 dollar per bottle budget will allow, and now would like to try my hand at making some. I have a couple of questions.


1. What is a good starter kit? I really enjoy reds, shiraz in particular, is this reasonable for a first kit?


2.Are there any kits to absolutely avoid for a first timer?


C. How is the quality of a home wine compared to that from a winery?


Thanks


earl

 

[Hippie]

I will let someone who knows more about kits answer #'s 1 & 2, but I can tell you that you there are alot of kits to be made and alot of them way better than most $20-$30 bottles of wine. It might need to age a year or more, but it can be better. Also, kits give the homewinemaker the oppurtunity to try wines from around the world that we might not ever taste.

 

[masta]

Welcome Earl,


Almost all wine kits use the same process from beginning to end with some slight variations with some.This being said I don't believe there is any kit that you should stay away from. You have found a great forum for assistance and The Winemaker's Toy Store is the best place to buy all your equipment and kits because of the unmatched customer service, excellent value and 100% money back guarantee.


If you follow the directions included in the kit and pay attention to proper sanitation you will make a quality wine with your first kit. I encourage you to go to the main website and take some time and read the wine making tutorial and other resources to learn about the process before getting started.

 

[peterCooper]

You could try just about any kit. I would avoid the Crushendos until you
have gotten the hang of everything though. It's not that they are more
difficult but just require a couple of extra steps.

Welcome!

 

[Waldo]

I would highly recommend Rj Spagnols or Wine ExpertsAustralian Shiraz. http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDet.asp?PartNumber=13124


I did a kit of it recently and it was great Edited by: Waldo

 

[Bill B]

Hi Earl , Welcome. Ditto to all the above especially on the Crushendos kits. They are a high end kit and I would recommend you make a few kits to get the feel of the process and comfortable with taking hydrometer reading and such, Other than that Happy Wine making.


Bill

 

[smurfe]

I would suggest you start with a 4 week kit like the Vintners Reserve kits. These are ready to drink much faster than the high end kits.


If the budget allows order another kit such as one of the Wine Expert Selection kits and start it right after you bottle the first kit if you only have one carboy. These kits take longer to mature but you will be treated with a very fine wine after a time of aging that will be a joy to drink.


After you have made 3-4 kits I would take a stab at a Crushendo kit which uses grape skins which is the ultimate kit. These kits are complex and normally take a year to age to reach potential.


After making about 5 kits and sitting here waiting for them to age, I am now making 3 Vintners Reserve kits so I have something to drink while waiting for the higher quality kits to age. I really wish I had made a few of the lower end kits first. They really aren't bad and compare to an $8-$10 bottle of wine.


Smurfe

 

[earl]

Thanks for all the responses. I was looking on the website and they have a starter kit for around $200. Is a good kit to start on?


Smurfe said Vintners reserve kits are 4 week kits, is that when they are ready to drink or ready to bottle?


earl

 

[smurfe]

They are ready to bottle and many are ready to drink after a month or so in the bottle.


I started with the Deluxe kit George sells and have to say I am extremely pleased with it. It came with a kit, a great corker, bottler, bottles, labels, you name it. Everything you need to start using good materials. It is well worth the investment. You won't be disappointed.


Smurfe

 

[peterCooper]

When you look at pricing, sometimes the good kits can look expensive on
the front end. you will save a lot of frustration going with a good kit though
and it is probably well worth it.

I started with the Vintners' reserve Chianti. It is (was, didn't last long

)
a pretty easy but good wine.

The Wine Experts Pinot Grigio is excellent as an early drinker. Tastes like a
$10 bottle or better.

Right now, even with the cost of the starter kit, I have my overall costs down
below $4 a bottle. Remember, the cost of that that starter kit is going to be
factored over very many winemaking and drinking experiences.

 

[geocorn]

I think my deluxe kit is the best value I have. It has everything you need to make your wine and prepare your bottles. It is also the most complete kit on the internet, as I want you to not only have success, but have fun. My kit includes some items, like the drill mounted stirrer that really simplifies the process.


I heartily recommend a Vintner's Reserve for your first kit. The Bouregon Rouge, Bergamais and Bourgeron Blanc are very good first kits as they don't require much aging. If you have any questions, please give me a call.

 

[smurfe]

Peter is right on the money, the kits may be a little up front investment but in the long run, you knock your per bottle price way way down. I did some figuring and with a high end crushendo kit AND having to buy bottles, my price was still less than $5.00 a bottle.


Now that I have been bestowed with like 100 cases of empty bottles as well as a few kits, these 3 kits will cost me like35 cents a bottle if you figure in my kit investment which actually has already paid for itself with previous kits made.


George is on the money also. His kits ARE the most complete unless you figure there aren't enough Carboys for all the stuff you are going to make

The only item I have bought since buying his kit is 6 more carboys, more airlocks and more sanitizer.


BTW, the comment about the Pinot Grigio is right on as well. This was my first kit and after a couple months in the bottle, WOW, it is great.


Every kit I have made thus far is great. I am rapidly approaching 1000 bottles of wine here. I have less than$1000 invested so far. Half my kits were lower end (Vintners Reserve) and the other half high end kits (WE Selection, Limited Editions, Cellar Craftgrape pack kits).


If you look I will average $1.00 a bottle for my wines. These wineswill be as good or better than those you buy in the store. The Pinot Grigio is already better than the store bought wines I drank. (I normally buy around a $10.00 bottle of wine or cheaper like Yellow Tail, Barefoot or Woodbridge) so I figure I have saved at least $9000 already!


Now I did have about $200-$300 worth of stuff given to me but even if you add that in, you still see the huge savings. Ask George why he got into wine kits, to save money and have a superior product. Plus you really can't exceed the pleasure you get from producing a fine product in your home! The kitshave really exceeded my expectations once I learned patience and let it age some LOL.


OK, once again, I have rambled on about my passion with this hobby. I think it has become an obsession more than a hobby. Good thing I have lots of wine drinking friends and good thing some of these kits age well for years to come!


Smurfe

 

[Hippie]

I really dig reading ramblings. Ramble on!

 

[geocorn]

I agree. I enjoy the ramblings. It is fun to read about the enjoyment people receive from this hobby.

 

[promo0]

I really dig reading ramblings. Ramble on!


--------------------------------------------
Ramble On
Leaves are falling all around,
It's time I was on my way.
Thanks to you, I'm much obliged
For such a pleasant stay.

And now it's time for me to go,
The autumn moon lights my way.
But now I smell the rain,
And with it pain,
And it's headed my way.
Ah, sometimes I grow so tired,
But I know one thing I got to do,

Ramble on,
And now's the time, the time is now
To sing my song.
I'm goin' 'round the world, I got to find my girl,
On my way,
Been this way ten years to the day,
Ramble on,
Find the queen of all my dreams.

Got no time for spreading roots,
The time has come to be gone.
And though our health we drank a thousand times,
It's time to Ramble on.

Ramble on,
And now's the time, the time is now
To sing my song.
I'm goin' 'round the world, I got to find my girl,
On my way,
Been this way ten years to the day,
Ramble on,
Find the queen of all my dreams.

Mine's a tale that can't be told,
My freedom I hold dear;
How years ago in days of old
When magic filled the air,
T'was in the darkest depth of Mordor
I met a girl so fair,
But Gollum, the evil one crept up
And slipped away with her.
Her, her....yea.
Ain't nothing I can do, no.

Ramble on
-------------------
Nothing puts me in a better mood than wine and Led Zep!

 

[Cove Cottage]

Earl,


The Premier Wine Starter kit that George sells is the way to go. You won’t regret having a high-end corker and some of the other extras in the kit. It makes it sooooo easy. But I think Smurfie said it best.


BTW ... Waldo, like the new avatar. mwm

 

[RAMROD]

Don't over look the Island Mist kits they are very good and need no aging but do get better with some.

 

[masta]

Yes the Island Mist Kits are great and I am glad my wife loves them so I can spend more money on the higher end kits for me!

 

[Vaughn]

my price was still less than $5.00 a bottle.


...


If you look I will average $1.00 a bottle for my wines. These wineswill be as good or better than those you buy in the store. The Pinot Grigio is already better than the store bought wines I drank. (I normally buy around a $10.00 bottle of wine or cheaper like Yellow Tail, Barefoot or Woodbridge) so I figure I have saved at least $9000 already!

Brings up a question for the group. Kroger food store here in Euless, TX carries a couple of brands of wine that go for 2.99 a bottle (one is called Winking Owl, makes me think they know something I don't). My question is, how is this done? How can a winery make any money selling wine so cheep? Even if you used all the short cuts and sloppy methods of wine making, even if it were the worst table wine imaginable, I still don't see how they can sell so cheep.

 

[peterCooper]

I can only imagine that it is like end of year sales. They've already made
their profit on selling the same wine at a higher price earlier on and they are
just trying to offload the remainder because a) it won't age and so it has no
value after a time, b) they need the warehouse space and c) it makes
Kroger's looks good so they can place more expensive bottles in the future.

I have a somewhat sceptical approach to retail