Best concentrate/base brand?

[AJH89]

What's your favorite concentrate/base brand/company? Instead of mashing up a bunch of fruit everytime I wanna craft some wine I wanted to try out liquid concentrates, seemed like it'd be easier. I also feel it would save a mess/headache and clear up much faster using a concentrate/base especially if there's not really a difference in taste between raw fruit and concentrate then why not! Sooo... what do you use and why?

 

[winemaker81]

Quite a few folks recommend Vintners Harvest as a good quality concentrate.

I've used Vintners Best Elderberry, which came out really good. Note on this one -- the concentrates are not pure, e.g., the elderberry contains a lot of apple juice. It was an impulse buy and I didn't read the label until after I opened it. But ... everyone who tastes the wine likes it.

 

[Scooter68]

Quite a few folks recommend Vintners Harvest as a good quality concentrate.

I've used Vintners Best Elderberry, which came out really good. Note on this one -- the concentrates are not pure, e.g., the elderberry contains a lot of apple juice. It was an impulse buy and I didn't read the label until after I opened it. But ... everyone who tastes the wine likes it.

And that's the key - If you like it that's what matters most.

The only issue is that folks, especially first time around, should try going with the 100% juice so that they can taste all the characters of THAT juice. You can always blend in other juices/wines like apple, pear etc. THIS is of course just a personal call here. It just seems to me that until you have had the 100% juice, you can't tell how it stands by itself.

At present there is one more issue - supply sources are tightening up.

Additionally as a couple of other folks have mentioned on here, some makers may be adding to the juice or creating a juice that might not be optimal for wine making. So a lot of our choices come down to personal experience. Unless you hear something truly negative about a source, trying it once or twice might not be a bad idea. We did see some folks get upset, me included, when one supplier failed to mention that their wine bases had either been change to a blend of juices OR they were just never honest with folks about what was in the wine base. In that particular case the state agency overseeing their sales, tagged them with a citation for that behavior and a couple others.

 

[AJH89]

And that's the key - If you like it that's what matters most.

The only issue is that folks, especially first time around, should try going with the 100% juice so that they can taste all the characters of THAT juice. You can always blend in other juices/wines like apple, pear etc. THIS is of course just a personal call here. It just seems to me that until you have had the 100% juice, you can't tell how it stands by itself.

At present there is one more issue - supply sources are tightening up.

Additionally as a couple of other folks have mentioned on here, some makers may be adding to the juice or creating a juice that might not be optimal for wine making. So a lot of our choices come down to personal experience. Unless you hear something truly negative about a source, trying it once or twice might not be a bad idea. We did see some folks get upset, me included, when one supplier failed to mention that their wine bases had either been change to a blend of juices OR they were just never honest with folks about what was in the wine base. In that particular case the state agency overseeing their sales, tagged them with a citation for that behavior and a couple others.

I definitely want 100% pure juice to whatever the fruit is to be. Once I've had my primary colors of wine (so to speak) then I'll start combining my primary colors to make my secondary colors. I still wanna keep them 100% to the fruit though but I'll combine them in the combinations I'd like to try. That way I'm controlling my own experiment.

 

[Raptor99]

The only one I have used so far is Brownwood Acres tart cherry (Unsweetened Fruit Juice Concentrates - 100% Pure Fruit Concentrates). It is 100% tart cherry juice and has an awesome flavor. They also have free shipping, which makes a big difference if you are ordering a small amount.

EDIT: I changed it to "100% tart cherry juice" because "100% juice" mean other types of juice are added.

 

[Scooter68]

The one thing I have noticed is that the bottled concentrates that I have used are all slightly browned. Not sure I would call it oxidation but it gives the final wine that look. The taste is great - if you love tart cherries .... and I certainly do!

 

[Khristyjeff]

If you want pure juice, check out Walker's Wine Juice. They sell "Hot Packs" that I believe are all pure juice. They are not concentrates though. Expensive, but are at the right brix so they're ready to add their yeast and make wine. I've only ordered the blueberry but so far so good!