WineXpert vintners reserve Sauvignon Blanc kit

[wood1954]

I started this kit Saturday and was surprised that the juice was so flat. It tasted good just flat. So I added 4 tsp of acid blend and 1 of tannin to try and get some bite to it. It ended up at about .70% TA and 3.9 PH. I added a lb of golden raisins and the SG was 1.092. Pitched the yeast and it was fermenting within the hour. for fifty bucks i think it will be pretty good.

 

[Rocky]

Sounds like you are off to a great start with this wine. Keep us informed on how it goes. I have found that there are some really nice whites out there that do not break the bank, particularly with a little "tweaking."

 

[hobbyiswine]

I had a bottle if this wine last night that has been bottled only a couple of months. I didn't make any changes just followed instrctions and it is tasting pretty good. More of a grassy/light/crisp style but very tasty for 2 bucks per bottle!

 

[wood1954]

Racked and degassed this kit and now i know i shouldn't have added any acid or tannin. The scary part is that it tastes like wine i've paid for and it's just done fermenting. It's about too tart by about how much acid i added at the start. It's still a golden color, not like some commercial blends that are so filtered they look like water. So in 3 months I'll try it again and i think it will be pretty darn good.

 

[jellyman]

what does this kit compare to?

I am making the Vintner's Reserve Sauvignon Blanc and I wish to know what it tastes like if you make it right.
Can someone give me an idea of what wine you could buy off the shelf that would taste similar?
Is there a guide online somewhere that attempts to make these kinds of comparisons between kits and commercial products?
It would be nice to get a rough gauge.

Does anyone know if this wine would be good for cooking.
Is there a better kit for cooking (from any producer) that you would recommend.

Thanks
Dave

 

[SouthernChemist]

I believe it's not advisable to trust pH and TA measurements of a kit wine prefermentation. Apparently, the concentration process ties up some of the acids with the sugars, and they are only liberated once fermentation is complete. That would explain the relatively high pH that was measured. These kits are already acid balanced, anyway, so it's highly unlikely one would need acid adjustment unless you're going for a completely different style.

 

[Enologo]

I am making the Vintner's Reserve Sauvignon Blanc and I wish to know what it tastes like if you make it right.
Can someone give me an idea of what wine you could buy off the shelf that would taste similar?
Is there a guide online somewhere that attempts to make these kinds of comparisons between kits and commercial products?
It would be nice to get a rough gauge.

Does anyone know if this wine would be good for cooking.
Is there a better kit for cooking (from any producer) that you would recommend.

Thanks
Dave

I would imagine any wine is good for cooking I always cook with wine, sometimes I even put it in the food.