Can WineBuddy Chardonnay be improved?

[pondlife]

Having read about Tesco Direct selling WineBuddy 30-bottle Chardonnay kits for only £9.90, I decided to temporarily stray from my usual WOW-style wines and bought 2 kits online this morning.

I'm now sort of regretting my impulsiveness as I did a bit of internet research on the kits AFTER I made the purchase and read mixed reviews of this wine.

Anyway, the kits will arrive at my local Tesco on Monday so I'm rather committed to making the stuff.

Does anyone know of any tweaks I can make to the kits to ensure that I get 60 bottles of reasonably drinkable wine?

 

[pondlife]

Well, I picked up the kits yesterday evening from my local Tesco, thus avoiding any P&P charges.

The instructions look straightforward enough, although it DOES seem a bit strange that the Chardonnay "flavour" gets added at the END of fermentation!

I don't have enough experience or knowledge to tweak/improve the wine so I'll just follow the printed instructions and then treat it like a WOW, leaving it to mature for some months before I eventually crack a bottle in the hope that it will be half-decent.

 

[srpsrp]

I bought a couple of these as well.. new to brewing and I've already saved a fortune !
( I drink like a fish LOL !)

 

[Moley]

it DOES seem a bit strange that the Chardonnay "flavour" gets added at the END of fermentation!

I don't have enough experience or knowledge to tweak/improve the wine so I'll just follow the printed instructions

With the better quality (and more expensive) wine kits such as the Beaverdales you will get a bag of sweetened Chardonnay grape juice. With the budget kits you get a generic wine base and then something to make it taste vaguely like a Chardonnay. Do you have to add sugar to this one?

The only suggestion I might make is that you brew it short and reduce the water by 2-3 litres.

 

[tonyhibbett]

The Youngs Chardonnay is fine as it is and does improve after a month or more. The concentrate is mostly apple, so I now use the Sauvignon blanc, which is grape based, and yes, I too get it from Tesco direct and pick it up along with my usual groceries. My other staple is the Cabernet Sauvignon, which is grape based compared to the Merlot. I pay £18 per pack. Last time it was on offer at £16, so I bought 4 packs and got double points and 2 fuel discount vouchers too!

 

[pondlife]

Thanks for the suggestions. :thumb:

...I drink like a fish LOL !...

Looks like your "swim" bladder is going to get plenty of exercise lol!

...Do you have to add sugar to this one?

The only suggestion I might make is that you brew it short and reduce the water by 2-3 litres.

The instructions say to add 4kg of white sugar to a total of 22.7 litres. When I count it up, that's about the same amount of sugar as I use for 5 gallons of WOW (800g white cane sugar + 312g sugar from the juice per gallon = 5.56kg). Of course, I have no way of knowing the sugar content of the pack concentrate and flavouring at present, but it probably won't be that far out, one way or another. You know, I hadn't even considered shortening it - never entered my head! I'll maybe do that with the second batch and see how it goes.

The Youngs Chardonnay is fine as it is and does improve after a month or more. The concentrate is mostly apple, so I now use the Sauvignon blanc, which is grape based, and yes, I too get it from Tesco direct and pick it up along with my usual groceries. My other staple is the Cabernet Sauvignon, which is grape based compared to the Merlot. I pay £18 per pack. Last time it was on offer at £16, so I bought 4 packs and got double points and 2 fuel discount vouchers too!

I like your save-money-while-you-drink approach!

Thanks for mentioning the quality of the finished product - as I said, opinion seems mixed but I'm encouraged by your comments. I HAVE read that the other, grape-based wines are better than the fruit juice + flavouring so it seems that the old aphorism is true - you get what you pay for. I'll definitely be maturing it for a couple of months.

 

[tonyhibbett]

Further tip: when it's finished fermenting, about 5 days this weather, siphon it off into another bin onto the stabiliser powder. Clean out the original container and put the contents of the concentrate sachet and the finings sachet 1 in. Pour the contents of the second container directly onto this with some vigour, to de-gass it. Stir in finings 2 after 1 hour, followed by finings 3 an hour later. The wine should be clear in 24 hours. Siphon this into the first container and clean out the second container. Siphon the clear wine into a 30 litre polypin and store this at an angle, at a height of 2 feet.
Prepare the next batch using the first container.
The wine is ready to drink immediately, so fill 2 screw top wine bottles from the polypin and put them in the fridge. When chilled, drink first bottle. When empty, refill bottle and put in fridge. When the next batch is ready and if there is some left in the polypin, fill some more screw top bottles and put in wine rack then refill the polypin.
This way, you will have a continuous supply of wine with a few bottles maturing.
This way, you will have a continuous supply of wine with the minimum of effort and expense.

 

[pondlife]

You've certainly cracked the organisation side of things! :thumb:

I'm just waiting for 2 beer brews to finish off and then I can get started on the Chardonnay and some more fiery ginger beer.

 

Sorry for bumping this.....

I was wondering if anyone as added any additional favouring Peach/apricot etc.... if so where did they get the favouring? also anyone got any updates on how well it turnout? I've taken the chance and ordered two kits.

Was thinking of adding 3 of theses? Anyone used them before! (will I need to boil it first?)
http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/asda-com ... ar_1L.html

 

[Wraeccan]

I've just started a batch of 'juice wine' using the Dimes sour chery drink. couldn't see much on the label so didn't boil. It started fermenting in about 20 minutes!! so I wouldn't think it needs boiling.

I haven't used the kit though...

 

I've just started a batch of 'juice wine' using the Dimes sour chery drink. couldn't see much on the label so didn't boil. It started fermenting in about 20 minutes!! so I wouldn't think it needs boiling.

I haven't used the kit though...

Excellent, thanks for the heads up!

 

[Dave Ne]

I made the 30 bottle version a while ago and had a bottle the other night, tasted allright to me and good value for money in these hard times, cheers Dave NE

 

[pondlife]

Happy days! I look forward to trying it out when it's ready! :thumb:

 

[mickthetrick]

just tried a couple of glasses there tonight and its better than i was expecting to be honest. i'm quite surprised :party:

 

[hairybiker]

We tried the first bottle last night, rest is still in the FV under airlock until I clean cornie for it. It was ok not exceptional but for some wine that is only 3 days old it it GOOD. :thumb:

I will cornie it then when the xyl wants some to drink she can fill a bottle (or two) and put it in the fridge. This way it will mature in "bulk" the same way they do with "real" wine.