StillSmart

Just wondering if anyone's treid one of those seemingly super expensive red wine kits you see in HBS around £80?

SWMBO has a soft spot for Tempranillo Rioja and I want to make a 30 bottle kit for Xmas, I know from experiance you can get perfectly good 30 bottle white/rose kits for around £30 but Reds are another story to find a good one, I've been advised to spend some cash on an expensive kit to get a top quality wine.

Just wondered if anyone here's tried one of these expensive kits and if you think they're worth the extra cash?

I've tried them in Canada and now that is all that I will make. I am assuming what you have available locally would be similar. They make an excellent wine, with full body and a complex taste.

Thanks Chill

I was hoping someone would agree to get the espensive ones, justifies the price if it's recommended, here's one I've been looking at, do you have this kit in Canada?

http://www.leyland-home-brew.co.uk/sele ... -483-p.asp

No, that does not look familiar. Here is the list that I pick from. Lower down the page is better:
http://www.westcoastubrew.com/wine/


Chuck

I would respectfully suggest that if you were looking at the high end wine kits, then you've left it a bit late for this Christmas.

I have never spent that much on a kit myself but have had some very good results from mid range kits made short (using a couple of litres less water than instructed).

They have been drinkable quite young, but so much better after 6-12 months.

IMHO mate...I've tried them only a couple of times, and I don't rate them, maybe it's me...
The last one I ran it through the still... but it's like everything, unless you try one you'll never know...but is the cost worth it??

I stick to the fruit wines I make...

+1 GET. It will not be ready for Christmas.
IMO is doesn't matter how much you spend it will still taste like kit wine.

Tampranilla is a good choice and maybe next year get some grapes grapes and have a go.

I tend to make a "hedgerow" wine including currants and some elderberry but always add a small can of grape concentrate to each gallon.
More of that tends to get opened than the propper bought in wines.

I have some wine snobs for friends (no accounting for taste in friends). They have conceded that the better kits make some good wine, comparable to a $20 bottle. As GTF said, if you are not aging these for 6-12 months then you are wasting your money. I read that you were going to buy it for Christmas, not drink it then!

Well I was hoping to drink it at xmas but like you guys have pointed out, it won't be ready in time, I'll get away with a white/rose kit for Xmas so I might just go for one of them.

I bought a Wine Expert Rioja kit in the end to keep SWMBO happy, at £79.99 I almost felt a little sick paying for it, it's certainly the most I've ever shelled out for a wine kit!

Anyway some will get done at Xmas but I'm hoping to keep as much as possible to age for a couple of months.

Keep us posted please

Anavrin wrote:I bought a Wine Expert Rioja kit in the end to keep SWMBO happy, at £79.99 I almost felt a little sick paying for it, it's certainly the most I've ever shelled out for a wine kit!

Geeezz A ...that still works out at £2.66 a bottle, and you've got all the work making it.

Best of luck mate hope it turns out good for you...like I said before I put my last kit through the still...much better drink.

Well here's an update, I bought the wine expert Rioja kit, and in a day or two ill be bottling it, I'm impressed so far with the little tastings I've had along the way, I'm sure it will be on par with some good shop bought Rioja like the yellow labled Campo Viejo Rioja, even at Christmas, just hope it lasts long enough for me to do another batch before it runs out!!

Then I can at least keep a few bottles for a few months :-)

Update 2

It wasn't ready at xmas, I was being somewhat over optimistic, it was drinkable, but by no means exceptional, now in April ive just cracked open the last demijon, very nice indeed, this years xmas wine will need to be made in June I think, and with less added water, maybe only top up the kit to 20lt to give it some more body and a little more %idge :-)