Wine kit choice help please

[Markdon]

Ok so i have been brewing ales and ciders since nov last year, the boss (swmbo) has requested a white wine made.

Hmmm. Choices choices.

She would normally get sav blanc reserve, vhdello (no idea on spelling), Chardonnay reserve etc etc. if its got reserve on, she normally goes for that, not sure what the difference is though?

Anyways, she's spotted i have an empty fv in the shed and has pointed out now would be a good time to get a wine on.

So, can anyone give any good recommendations for a reasonably priced white wine kit? Collected 30-odd wine bottles and have all the usual ale brewing kit.

Thanks.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

You might find something in the A - Z wine kit review thread - viewtopic.php?f=59&t=43696

 

[supersteve]

Personally I loved the Wilkos Chardonnay, as did my girlfriend.

 

[Grand gris]

For a cheepo everyone seems to like the Wilko - personally I find it average to say the least.

Best white I've made is Californian connoisseur - there are so many to choose from - good luck :?

 

[bobsbeer]

As she likes dry white wine and you have a 25lt fermenter available I would recommend a WOW type wine. Try this:

5 lt White Grape Juice
3 lt Apple juice
2 lt Grapefruit Juice
5 tsp pectolase
5 tsp grape tanin
4 kg granulated sugar
Youngs White Bordeaux Yeast or Lalvin D47
Yeast nutrient

I disolve the sugar in a large pan with about 1.5 lt water and bring it to the boil. I add 1 tsp citric or tartaric acid to the sugar and the tannin before I add the water. This helps to stop the tannin clumping. The acid helps to start the conversion of the sugar.

Add the juice to the FV, then add the dissolved sugar. Top up to 25lt with cold water. Check the temp and if below 25c add the yeast. Leave to ferment at around 20c for about 2 weeks. Assuming it has finished ie fg .990-.992 rack to an empty FV and add 5 crushed campden tablets and 2.5 tsp potassium sorbate. Give it a really good shaking to degas and then add 2 part finings. Leave for a week to clear then bottle. The wine will be ready in about 1 month, although it is drinkable straight away if needs must. :lol:

Cost per bottle about 40p. :whistle:

If all that is too complicated then buy a decent kit. But once made prepare yourself to keep the stocks up. :lol:

 

[Markdon]

I like the sound of the diy option, but is it really comparable to a decent white wine?

Willing to give it a go though! I assume from the fg you state, that ends up quite dry? Is there a generic rule for a medium dry? Not too sweet though.

Ive used strong tea for ciders needing tannin, can this be used in this case or is "proper" wine tannin the way to go?

Cheers for the replies.

 

[BIGJIM72]

For a white can't really go wrong with a Beaverdale or Cal Con kit. The red wine kits its better to go for high end-worth the extra.

 

[narmour]

The best white wine I have ever made was Kenridge Founder's Series Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. I served it at a barbecue for my family and everyone was drinking it all day without realising it was homebrew! It's about £75 for 30 bottles but thats still only £2.50 a bottle. I would put it on a par with a £7 bottle of supermarket plonk.

 

[Markdon]

Going to pop to lhbs tonight to get tannin and yeast. Will get the juices at tye weekend and get my first attempt under way, will also get a kit wine on after this has finished so she can compare and decide which she wants in future.

Is there any advantages to adding oak chips, or dried fruit/flowers to this?

 

[Markdon]

Got the bits from the hbs, got some french oak chips and dried elderberry flowers just in case.

No lavin d47 so got some vintners harvest bv7 which he recommended.

I also picked up a beaverdale sauv blanc 6 bottle kit im going to run alongside the diy kit to compare.

Happy valentines! I got you 36 bottles of wine. Come back in 3-6mth to try it.