wine kit question

I am looking to do a kit Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. While I know the general rule is more expensive is better, does anyone have any feedback on these kits? Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Vinters Reserve World Vineyard Australian Chardonney Vinters Reserve Chardonnary Selection Estate Sonoma Dry Creek Valley Chardonnay Selection International Australian Chardonnay Selection International Chilean Chardonnay Selection International French Chardonnay

Vinters Reserve World Vineyard French Sauvignon Blanc Vinters Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Selection Estate New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Selection Sauvignon Blanc

Reply to
arrassa
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While I haven't made any of these kits, I would expect them all to be quite good. I think that the generally accepted order of quality (and probably price) is (bottom to top)....

Vintners Reserve Vinters Reserve World Vineyard Selection Selection International Selection Estate

Just remember, quality of the kit and taste in your mouth are not necessarily the same. Specific kits may come with or without oak, different oak, and/or different volumes of oak. That will make a difference in taste. Also consider the three International Chardonnays. All will taste different. Which one will YOU like best? Tough for anybody else to say.

I'm not a Chardonnay fan, but personally I would make the NZ Sauv Blanc. I've heard good things about this one, and I like NZ Sauv Blancs (as a general rule).

Steve

Reply to
Steve

Your have the price listing about right. I am leaning towards the NZ Sauvignon as well. Most of the ones I've tried I have liked (really like Monkey Bay for casual use)

Steve wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Reply to
arrassa

Not always the case. More expensive is not always better. It's all about taste. Your best bet is to purchase a few from different locations and manufacturers to find the best taste that suits you and your freinds.

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arrassa wrote:

Reply to
marabella

I also never know which kit to try, but I have found if you can find a micro-winery ( I found Silver Moon in Dover, Ohio) that sells bottles of their kits, and actually, they also sell by the glass. This makes it great to figure out what I like and don't like.

Maybe you could find a place like that, they are hard to find though. I hear this is a good new business opportunity,as they also offer folks to come to their site and make their own wine on site. And charge them for assistance, labels, bottles, etc. Pretty cool. I just buy the kits, since I live far away. DAve

arrassa wrote:

Reply to
Dave Allison

That's pretty common in Canada but it must also be catching on in Ohio too. I am pretty sure Grape and Granary does 'brew on premises' too and they are in Akron. I've never heard of this in PA but we have pretty strange laws regarding sales of alcohol in general.

Joe

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

Yes, brew on premises stores are pretty common here in Canada, after all, we dominate the world kit market. But AFAIK, the stores cannot sell the product they make; they can't even have free tastings to advertise what they're making. So that part is pretty archaic here too. In fact, if the kit is produced in the store, the customer's involvement is minimal by the law - they throw in the yeast and then bottle the final product, they cannot be involved in the actual winemaking.

Dave, is that a real winery or just a brew store that also sells kit wines that they make? I.e., are they making anything else from scratch?

Thx,

Pp

also be catching on in Ohio

Reply to
pp

Oh, it's not a winery. It's a brew on premises that also has a bar up stairs that sells by the drink, and sells bottles of their wines.

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They say winery, but I had the owner take me for a tour. The basement is full of kits and primaries and carboys with many kits in progress. He also offers to help others (for a price) establish themselves in the same manner. They sell nothing else. They make a lot on custom labels, even if they make the kits for individuals. Weddings, anniversaries, etc.

I am heading past them again in 3 weeks and hope to taste a few kits and then purchase them there. (tax is cheaper in Ohio also for me)

DAve p.s. When I retire > Yes, brew on premises stores are pretty common here in Canada, after

also be catching on in Ohio

Reply to
Dave Allison

I think Dover is near Akron; that is only a few hours away from me. I'll stop over there some day too on my way to Columbus.

Joe

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

I haven't tried any of the above kits as I prefer reds, but a recent Wine Maker article rated the top 100 wine kits as part of an amateur competition.

The top Chardonnays:

#38 - Advintage Celebration del mondo Italian Chardonnay #40 - Wineexpert Selection Estate Series Sonoma Dry Creek Valley Chardonnay #77 - Wine Art Chardonnay #86 - Advintage Mosto Italiano Chardonnay

The top Sauvigon Blancs:

#14 - Winexpert Selection Estate Series New Zealand Marlorough Sauvignon Blanc #15 - Vineco KenRidge Showcase New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc #18 - Vineco Kenridge Showcase French Sauvignon Blanc #25 - Vineco Vinterra Sauvignon Blanc #42 - Vineco Legacy Sauvignon Blanc #55 - Vineco KenRidge Classic Sauvignon Blanc #76 - Winexpert Vintners Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

There were something like 1,296 wine kit entries. I have no idea whether some of the others you listed were entrants or not, but they didn't make the top 100 if they were included.

Reply to
Nick

I can't speak to Chardonnay grown in Dry Creek but the best American Chenin Blanc I have ever had came from there. It was as good or better than most of the Vouvray's I have had.

Joe

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

Interesting as Winexpert and Vineco are both owned by the same company.

Steve

Reply to
Steve

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