WineXpert Kit Clarification?

[hdhunter]

Alright, I can assume that the higher the juice concentrate the better the kit. Such as a 15 l "Selection Original" kit is better than a 7.5 l "Vinters Reserve" kit and not as good as a 16 l Estate series kit.


So, I see that RJ Spagnols and Mosti Mondiale offer "all juice" type kits which one could also assume this juice is more pure and would make a better kit (of course this is only my assumption). I also see some 18 l kits from these other suppliers which I only guess would be better than the 16 l WE kits.


I would like to purchase some kits but would like the best kit possible......which is confusing the heck out of me.I would like to hear experiences from those of you that have made these different kits.


It seems as if WE kits are the most popular (I have my first two started and I am very happy with the product but have yet to taste) yet it seems other kits may offer more????

 

[masta]

Very good question and I am not sure there is a very simple answer. Most kits including some "all juice" (23 Liter) contain bothjuice and concentrate. Typically with a kit, the larger the volume the better the finished product but this can be very specificto the varietal and manufacturer.Another factor that comes into play with kits is the grapes that were sourced to produce the juice and or concentrate to make them and obviously some regions produce better grapes than others so therefore the wine will be better. An example of this is the Limited Editions offered every year by Winexpert. Some of these wines I have made over the past 5 years were excellent and was bummed I could not make more of it.


Sojust because one kit is 18L doesn't mean it will always make a better wine than a 16L or even a 10L. I made a 23L "pail type" kit years ago which was probably the one wine I was the most disappointedwith...but I only spent $60.00 on it.


From my personal experience I had found that most of the time the more I spend on a kit the better the wine is. So the old saying "you get what you pay for" holds true for me.


Your best bet is to find a good retailer (Like George here at FVW) who really knows the products he is selling and gets feedback from customers daily which can help you decide how to spend your hard earned money and make a wine you truly enjoy!Edited by: masta

 

[ScubaDon]

I started thinking the same way that you are thinking. One of my reasons wasbecause akit I made that was a 9 liter kit (Vida del vino or something like that) tasted really lite at bottling. Letting it age to see if it gets some body. But, last weekend while at a wine store in Jacksonville NC I tasted the Island Mist, Green apple, which is a small box so the amount of juice couldn't be much, and it was really good!! I like it a lot! The ABV was only like 7% but it tasted great. So, I am thinking that you have to find kits that make a wine that you like and don't go by price or amount of juice. If you like the finished product you found a winner. Try several different kits and after a lot fun and great wine you will find the kits that provides you the wine that you like the best. We can always hope that that kit is one of the cheaper ones so we can buy a bunch of them and continue our fun and hobby.

 

[hdhunter]

I wanted to start with something I could drink rather quickly so I have a WE Island Mist Green Apple Riesling in the secondary right now. Next, I wanted to get a better kit so I just started a WE Selection Original White Merlot (which is my style for drinking.....not an oak fan).


My next kit I would like to find the best possible. Hopefully I can get a limited addition kit. I would also like to try a kit with grape skins sooner of later.

 

[masta]

The White Merlot is an excellent kit and you should be very pleased with it.

 

[ScubaDon]

Hunter,
you are going to love the Green Apple!

 

[geocorn]

Sounds like you might like the Lambrusco. It comes in the 7 liter concentrateand the 23 liter all juice. Masta is correct. Generally speakind, the higher the price of the kit, the better the wine; however, there are some nice whites hidden in the Vintner's Reserve series. They produce fast drinking, good wines. The Bouregon Blanc is the first to come to mind.