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

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

On Mon, 15 Jan 2007 11:19:42 -0600, arrassa <arrassa> wrote:

>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

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
:

> 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

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. www.marabellavineyard.com


arrassa wrote:
> 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

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:
> 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
>

> 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.


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

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


On Jan 17, 9:21 am, "Joe Sallustio" > wrote:
> > 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.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

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.
http://silvermoonwinery.com/

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 in 3-4 years, I may even attempt one of these in the
Raleigh, NC area.

pp wrote:
> 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
>
>
> On Jan 17, 9:21 am, "Joe Sallustio" > wrote:
>>> 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.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
>

> 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)
>
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

On Mon, 15 Jan 2007 11:19:42 -0600, arrassa <arrassa> wrote:

>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


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.

> 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

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

>
>#14 - Winexpert Selection Estate Series New Zealand Marlorough
>Sauvignon Blanc
>#15 - Vineco KenRidge Showcase New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

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

Steve