Kenridge Classic Sauvignon Blanc

[Simon_]

If you're looking for a wine kit to make there are few recommendations about which kits are best. I've done a few wine kits and found this the best yet. A greater amount of juice (i.e. less concentrate) is supposed to give a better result. This one comes with 10L while some really expensive ones come with 18L. Cheaper ones comes come with alot less. So this kit looks like good value being middle of the road in price but with a fair amount of juice. 

I made a batch of this starting in early February and eventually bottled it in mid April. It was minimal effort. I racked it after about 6 weeks off the lees, added the finings, racked it again after another 2 weeks then bottled it a few days later. It dropped to .992 but still retained alot of sweetness. The wine is crystal clear, smells and tastes like a nice Marlborough. It came with a sachet of Hungarian Oak which you add initially. Alot of this got plastered to the sides with fermentation so I'm not sure how much oak character made it into wine.

I got 25 bottles out of the kit. My wife loves it so alot have been drunk. Alot given as presents. Worth a shot if you want to do a kit and don't know which to go for.

[Drzava]

Interesting. I've done a few white kits for the wife from the low - mid price range. Seven day kits were ok at best; Magnum Ultra 14-21 day kits definitely better. I stepped up to a Beaverdale (one rung below KenRidge on the price ladder) Californian white a few weeks ago and hope to bottle this weekend, although I'm not sure if it's fully cleared yet. Early indicators are that the extra expense was worth it. I also have a KenRidge Trilogy red ready to go, and should be putting it on within the month.

My only 'problem' (not really a problem) with all these kits is trying to deduce how good they are from the amount of juice - i.e. is "18L is better than 10L is better than 5L" actually true? The simple fact (as far as I see it) is that brewers have no idea how much varietal grape juice and/or 'generic' grape juice and/or sugar makes up the juice - no breakdown is given. So, a Merlot kit could have a tiny amount of actual Merlot in it, with the bulk made up of unspecified grape juice and sugar. Plus, is the juice in 'better' kits actually better quality - or just more of the same juice from lower kits, or even the same juice watered down to a greater volume? Are the 'better' kits simply a marketing device? We have no idea!