Top Questions on Wine Kits: Asked and Answered

Wine kits come with a list of instructions.  When followed correctly, you will be enjoying your own delicious home wine soon.  However, wine makers often have several questions that aren’t answered with your wine kit.  Here is a list of the top questions and answers.

Why Should I Purchase a Wine Kit?

Home winemakers want to make good wine. When purchasing a reputable kit the work of finding the proper equipment, supplies, wine grape juice is done for you.  Most winemakers starting out do not want the long process of de-stemming and crushing grapes, testing acid levels, sugar levels or any of the other time consuming chores that are involved in the wine making process.  All you need to do is ferment and bottle your own creation.

Why Didn’t My Wine Turn Out Right?

We answer that question with a question.  Did you properly clean your wine kit?  That is the number one reason why wines taste poorly and resemble vinegar or corked wine.  Sanitize, Sanitize, Sanitize!  We cannot stress this enough.

Do I Need To Purchase the Most Expensive Wine Kit to Make the Best Wine?

In one word:  No.  Wine kits are available for every budget and produce good and drinkable wine.  The best word of advice we can offer is go for the better quality wine ingredients and not the wine kit.  Most wine kits for the beginners fall in the price rage of $75 up to $150.  As you gain more experience, and if you want to continue with the wine making experience, more advanced kits may be worth pursuing.

What are the Basic Steps to Making Wine?

The good news is that making wine at home with a wine kit is not difficult.  In fact, it’s easier than most people think.  Simple instructions, as well as all of the ingredients are included in most wine kits.  Not only that, the internet is full of winemaking websites that can answer any of your questions.

Can I Blend Wines From My Wine Kit?

The answer to that is usually yes. Blending wines is normally combining two or more wines together to create your own unique wine.  Be careful:  Don’t blend a bad wine with a good wine.  It won’t make the bad wine better, only reduce the quality of the good wine.  Finally, not all wines work when combining.  Don’t try blending a chardonnay, as it just doesn’t work.  Also, red zinfandel’s and pinot noir’s are better left untouched.  We recommend that you work in small batches until you are satisfied with the end result.  Take excellent notes so that you can repeat with larger quantities when ready.

How is the Quality of Grape Juice from Wine Kits?  Can I use Fresh Grapes?

Keep in mind that the best wines start with the best quality of grapes.  Producers of wine kits know this and take ample time in finding grapes that are above average in quality.  This is a much needed plus when purchasing a wine kit as the hard work in selecting good grapes has been done for you.  Making wine from fresh grapes can be a different story.  There is a limited selection available of quality grapes, which can hurt the chances of producing a drinkable wine.

When Can I Drink My Wine?

There is no simple answer to this. When you start the wine making process with your wine kit, enjoying that first glass of wine is not far away.  Whites are usually ready before reds.  Some people prefer a few months to a few years for a more robust wine, however, many are enjoyable right off the bat.  The important thing to remember is to taste and judge yourself.  Nothing could be better than that.