WineXpert Newbie Wine Kit Question

[orion619]

Hi........After touring the California wine country this past summer the wife and I have decided to give wine making our best efforts. We were both fascinated by the wine making process. I've been doing as much home wine making research as I can visiting web sites and forums trying to make an educated decision as to our first kit. Some of what I've come up with is, most kits produce 30 bottlesat 750ml. What I can't figure out is some kits are4 week kits at 8liters producing 30 bottles of wine. Some are say 6 week kits at 16 liters also producing 30 bottles. My questions are, how can the 2 different kits produce the same volume of wine? Why is there a difference in finishing times? Why is there a noticeable price difference? Are there noticeable differences in the finished product of the 2 kits of the same wine? I notice that most of the longer kits have a slightly higher alcohol content. I am partial to red Italian wines and the wife loves her chardonnay's and recently Rieslings. What would be good first kits for us? Thanks in advance for all your help and I am thoroughly enjoying this forum.

 

[bmorosco]

Well First off...Welcome....


The wine kits will vary in price do to the amount of juice provided also the type of wine and location the juice is from. As for the amount of juice it will give you more body to your wine and I would assume more flavor. My first kit was a reisling and had good luck with this kit because you can understand and visually see all the steps right up until bottle.. Where as a red wine it is harder to see the clearing stage . I would say a white wine would be a good first wine choice.....WELCOME!! I hope this helps..

 

[smurfe]

You add more water to the concentrate of the 8 liter kits as opposed to the 16 liter kits. The kits with more concentrate will have more solids and more body. I recommend that if you are making a red kit to get a higher end kit. The smaller kits are kind of on the thin side. They make a decent and very drinkable wine but it will not match what you can buy at the wine market. The higher end kits will if you let them age correctly before consuming all of it.


The whites though are quite nice. Of course the higher end white kits are nicer but for example the Vintner's Reserve Italian Pinot Grigio is as nice as any commercial Pinot I have bought. The blush wines are quite nice as well. I make the Vintner's Reserve Blush kit and it is a big favorite with the friends and family. Keeps the moochers out of my good stuff!

Best advice I can give is buy a decent starter equipment set and buy the best wine concentratekits you can. Don't try to nickle and dime everything just to get by. I used everythingbut one item that came in my starter package on a regular basis.In the beginning it will be sort of expensive but in the long run it all pays for itself. I bought the nicest kit George sold when I got into it. I wish I would of upgraded my first concentratekit but it did turn out very good.


In regards to the type of wine you like, look through the catalog and concentrate on the Selection or Estate Series kits for reds or whitesin the Wine Expert brand or any of the Mosti Mondiale kits. I am partial to Italian reds as well and love the Super Tuscan. It is a Crushendo kit which will have an added grape pack to add for more flavor and body. I am really looking hard at the Mosti Mondiale Chianti kit for my next kit. I just need to get some stuff bottled as I am out of available carboys.


Smurfe

Edited by: smurfe

 

[pkcook]

Orion619,


Welcome to the forum. This was perhaps the hardest choice I had to make when I tried the kits. I had made wine from Welche's concentrate and a few fruit wines before trying the kits. Smurfe is correct in his description of the 7.5/8 liter VS. 16 literor higherkits. I was a little disappointed in my VR Vieux Château Du Roi (Chantaneuf Da Pape) because, as Smurfe described, it was a bit thin. It still has a way to go for aging, but you can tell the body isn't there. I alsomade a 7.5 literPinot Grigio (not Italian) and it was good, but not commercial quality.


As Smurfe stated, go with the largest volume kit you can afford and you will be better rewarded. Bottom line, higher concentrate volume equals a richer, fuller wine.

 

[Wade E]

Welcome Orion619. Be aware if not buying the equipment kit from this
website that some places will substitute your 7.9 gallon primary
fermentor(plastic bucket) for a smaller 6.5 gallon bucket. This will
work for some wines but will get you in trouble with others, especially
the higher end reds! Make sure they give you the 7.9 gallon bucket and
a 6 gallon secondary(glass ) One good example of a good fermentation of
a higher end red is in the picture I posted below of one of our
winemaker's fine specimens!

Edited by: wade

 

[Joanie]

My first wine was the Italian Pinot Grigio and it was and still is wonderful. (I'm doen to 3 bottles.) I'm glad I started with a white. As bmorosco said, it was easier to see what was happening along the way. Reds are tough. The Pinot was also a good choice because I could drink it after a month in the bottle. Waiting a month is a good way to start practicing patience--something that's a must (pun intended!)in winemaking!

Welcome to the forum!

 

[grapeman]

The first question you need an answer for is- Is it more important at this point that you get a drinkable wine soon or get a wine you enjoy a lot in six months to a year or more? Only then can you make a proper decision on what kit you want to start with. There are a number of kits that fit your description that are early drinking, but if you are willing to commit to a longer wait, then there are some really outstanding ones available. Which would you like a recommendation for?

 

[orion619]

First let me say thanks for all the quick responces and welcomes. I pretty much understand the differences between the kits.I think I'd rather get a longer finishing kit with a fuller bodied wine, at least when making a red. My wife is a little less fussy. I will follow the advice of having my first wine being a white wine. I figure for my first, the easier, the better. So I'd be open to a suggestion for either a short or longer chardonnay to begin with. After that I think I'll give a 6 week Barolo a shot. Any comments on the Heron Bay kit? Thanks again.

 

[geocorn]

Do have forum members covering my back or what? Thanks to everyone for helping this newbie. I can not think of anything to add, but WELCOME.

 

[grapeman]

Here are a couple Chardonnays from Wine Expert. The first link is for the new series that replaced the Vintners Reserve series. It has more juice in it than the old series for a little fuller wine. Should be excellent and ages early.
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDet.asp?PartNumber=3580


The next is a higher end kit that takes a little longer to age but is also an excellent wine.
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDet.asp?PartNumber=3125