Best Wine kits?

[TonyT40]

I was looking at getting a good stock of wine (from kit) built up. There are so many to choose from I don't know where to start and the prices vary greatly. Anybody got any recomendations. i have seen Belvino, Docs, Cantina and Magnum kits in my local HBS. are they any good?

 

[bobsbeer]

Not made any of those kits you mention, but I have made Celar 7, Australian 7 Day and a few Beverdale. The Beverdales are the best of the three makes, but cost more. The other two were about £30 for 22lt (should be 23), and were fine as a house red after 6 months. You get what you pay for I guess, but the £30 ones were still very drinkable so don't be put off. I only make red kits as for white and rose I make a range of WOW type variations.

 

[Pearlfisher]

Beaverdale Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc are both excellent and very easy to make.

I've 30 bottle kits of Vintners World Reserve to bottle soon ,slightly more expensive but do contain 25% more grape juice.

 

[GREBO75]

I don't normally use kits but just completed a Wilco (Wilkinson's own brand) kit for elderflower wine.

This is a normal grape based kit with some elderflowers added for a short time when fermentation finishes. TBH I probably wouldn't go for that exact kit again as the dried elderflowers in the kit really don't seem to add much to the wine, but other than that I've got a decent extremely clear wine in 2 weeks. It's not quite ready to drink but tastes like it'll be a nice fruity little number with a month or two.

Kit was either 7.99 or 8.99 (can't remember which) and came with everything except sugar and water. I'd definitely consider another of their kits, I'd just avoid the elderflowers ;p

 

[Ken L]

Another vote for Beverdale.
I'm currently drinking a Cabernet Sauvignon 30 bottle kit and it's very drinkable.
I was sufficiently impressed to have ordered another two of their reds which will go on once the weather has cooled down a bit.
I managed to source the two for less than £80 and because I was spending more than £70, got free delivery - works out at about £1.60 a bottle.
For whites, I do juice wines too - like a WOW but with just over half of the orange replaced with apple.

 

[oldstout]

I've done Cathedral, Australian Blend, Youngs, and a few others I forget which are at the cheaper end of the range, they all turn out palatable stuff :thumb: Beaverdale kits are the most expensive I've done and give a cracking result - Oaked Chard and Shiraz are brilliant IMO :thumb:

Top of the range Selection and California Connosieur are recommended but I've never took the plunge

Some of the WOW wines I have made are really good, and at well under a pound a bottle can be easily appreciated as classy :lol: :lol:

Try a demijohn to experiment with six bottles rather thatn a 23ltr kit


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[BIGJIM72]

I've made Youngs,Solomon Grundy,California Connoisseur,Beaverdale & Selection kits.
I would suggest the more grape juice concentrate in the kit the better.
TBH I found the whites/roses were better than the reds at the lower end of the price range.
I made the Beaverdale Shiraz & found it a bit thin,and a year on hadn't aged that well,but the Chardonnay & Chablis blush were okay.The Selection kits are superb,but its hard not to baulk at the price.

I think if I were you I would have a go at a few WOWS or some of CJJ Berrys recipes to start with,or a kit from the lower end of the price range (just to get used to the process & build a bit of confidence) & then move up through the kits in terms of price range.

 

[tonyhibbett]

The cheap whites are perfectly acceptable but for a decent red, the mid range upwards.