Other Help Choosing Next Kits

[TahunaJR]

I am wanting to start 3 wine kits. Preferably 5 gal. Here is what I am looking for...
1) A nice dry, bold Zinfandel
2) A very, very dry Chianti
3) a semi-sweet white. My first attempt at a white. This is a request from my daughter.
Any input would be greatly appreciated!


3

 

[cpfan]

Wine kits generally make 6 US gallons. Of course if you deal in Imperial measurements (ie Canada or UK or ...), that's the same as 5 Imperial gallons. Or 23 litres in metric.

Sorry I have no recommendations for a 5 US gallon kit.

Steve

 

[deboard]

The Cellar Classic Showcase Old Vine Zinfandel is a great Zin kit. Not sure about the Chianti kit though, haven't made one yet. I'm not a huge white fan, but I have been known to occasionally like a good Riesling. But no recommendations since I haven't made any of those either. I'm sure more suggestions will come along shortly.

 

[TahunaJR]

Thanks for the Zin recommendation. I will take a look.

Since this will be my first white, I am a little leery of what to try but have a lot of faith in kit wines.

If 6 gal. is the standard, I am sure willing to adjust. All my carboys are 5gal. but I can work around that.

 

[nbwii]

Hi deboard

did you mean Cellar Craft Showcase Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel? I found this on the Very Fine Vines site.

 

[deboard]

Hi deboard

did you mean Cellar Craft Showcase Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel? I found this on the Very Fine Vines site.

Yes, that's the one.

@TahunaJR - I see no one has suggested a chianti or semi-sweet white. I would suggest going to the high gravity website and using their wine kit search, you can search by white/red, sweetness, even down to blend or varietal style. They have decent prices, but I'd shop around at Fine Vine Wines or Brew & Wine Supply. High Gravity changed their shipping from $9.99 flat rate to by the pound, and now their shipping has gone very high.

All the links are here:
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/vendors/


@Moderators - High Gravity needs to change their ad banner! Great store with great service but the $9.99 shipping is gone now.

 

[ShaunDanz]

I have a Cellar Craft Old Vines Zin that has been aging 96 days now and every couple weeks I take a small sample to taste and I smile. Even at 96 days it tastes great, I can't even imagine how good it's going to be in a year. So, I second deboards' recommendation. I buy all my kits at finevinewines as well. I wish George, the owner, had reviews on his site, but he does only offer the best kits, so you can't go wrong.

As for a semi-sweet. I'd suggest a Riesling. I don't usually drink it, but I found that it was the perfect holiday wine, so I made a batch of Selection Estates Washington Riesling that was quickly consumed last month. I'm about to order a kit for Thanksgiving / Christmas this year and discovered that it's now sold under the name Eclipse Washington Riesling. I'll probably try a different kit but stick to some sort of Washington Riesling. Most Rieslings will come with a flavor-pack. If you want a sweeter wine, you add the entire thing. If you want an off-dry, you add roughly half. If you want a dry wine, you don't add it.

 

[nbwii]

Ok sounds great. Now I know what my next project is

 

[TahunaJR]

Well I visited my local supply shop yesterday to just browse and pick up some of the equipment that I needed since my last kit (over 19 years ago). Primary fermenter, large spoon, etc.

While talking to the owner, I decided to buy a Wine Expert VR White Zinfandel. I wanted to make something fairly quick to make and drink. This would be something the wife and daughters would enjoy (I believe I am the only true dry red drinker in the family!). So I will be back in the game and save a little more for a bigger kit!

 

[deboard]

That's a good choice for the white drinkers. I know what you mean, seems like everyone around me is a white drinker and doesn't know how to enjoy a good dry red.