Choosing the best wine making kits for beginners can be tricky. There are a lot of confusing options to choose from. It can be hard knowing if you will have all the materials you need to make great tasting homemade wine.
This guide will help you understand the three basic types of wine making kits, what’s included in each kind of kit, and which ones are best for beginners.
This article will cover:
- What do you need to make quality homemade wine
- What is a wine making kit and what are the different types?
- The Pros and Cons of wine making kits
- Best wine making kits for beginners
However, it’s also important to know that the best wine making kit for you depends on your taste in wines, experience level and what equipment you already have (if any).
What do you need to make wine at home?
Winemaking has been around for 8,000 years. Back then, people crushed grapes by stomping on them and let the juice ferment on its own with the help of the natural yeast found on the grape skins (and possibly people’s feet!).
While you can make wine from grapes alone, most wine makers these days typically use more ingredients to aid the fermentation process and guide the wine to their desired taste.
Here’s what you will need for modern homemade wine making.
Wine Making Juice
This is the base of every wine. You can use any kind of fermentable juice you like but most recipes call for grapes. Experienced wine makers enjoy the process of crushing, pressing, and fermenting the grapes. However, if you are new to wine making, then you should consider making wine from a ready-made juice. It’s easier and it won’t be accidentally contaminated.
Wine Fermenting and Racking Equipment
These are the tools and equipment you will need to hold the wine while it is fermenting and then ultimately transfer the wine to its final container. It also includes the materials you will need to sanitize all of the equipment to avoid spoiling your wine with unwanted bacteria.
Wine Making Ingredients
It takes more ingredients than just grapes to make modern homemade wine. Below is a list of the ingredients you will need to aid the fermentation process and bring the wine to your desired flavor.
Yeast
This is what converts the sugars in the fruit juice into alcohol. You actually don’t need to add yeast because most fruits contain natural yeast on their skins. However, even experienced vintners like to control the yeast and not leave it up to nature in order to ensure they can achieve the desired flavor and alcohol content consistently.
Consumables
These are the ingredients that you will use to stabilize the fermentation process and enhance the clarity, texture, and flavors of the wine.
What is a wine making kit?
So what is a wine making kit exactly? A wine making kit is simply a ready-to-use collection of two or more of the three things you need to make wine (Juice, Equipment, and Ingredients). Not all wine making kits are the same so you need to pay close attention to what the kit contains and what it doesn’t.
Let’s explore the different types of wine making kits to see which is right for you.
What are the different types of wine making kits?
It can be very confusing when looking for the best wine making kits. Not all kits include the same items and very few include everything you will need to make your first batch of wine.
To make wine you need 3 things: Juice, Equipment, and Ingredients. While many wine kits generally contain the consumable ingredients necessary to make homemade wine, there is a wide variety of which ingredients and equipment they include, if any.
That’s why I created this diagram to help you make sense of your wine making kit options.
Types of wine making kits
The rest of this article will focus on the 3 types of wine making kits labeled in the the diagram:
- All-In-One Wine Making kits
- Fruit Wine Making Kits
- Wine Recipe Kits
Note that I’ve never seen a wine making kit that includes just Equipment and Juice. It’s possible it exists but any “kit” with juice most likely will include the ingredients too.
All-in-One Wine Making Kits
These all in one wine making kits are great for your first attempt at homemade wine. They are sometimes called Starter Kits. They will include (almost) everything you need including juice, equipment, and ingredients. There are actually 2 types of all-in-one wine making kits.
1. Wine In A Box
These are truly all-in-one. You will not even need bottles because you will be making the wine in the box. They are very easy to use and great if you just want to try wine making for entertainment. However, they lack the steps that make wine making more of an art and it takes a lot of the fun out of it.
2. Traditional Wine Kit
These traditional all-in-one kits are perfect if you are serious about trying winemaking for the first time. They include the more traditional equipment and ingredients to make wine.
They even include the juice. Simply follow the instructions and you will have your very own homemade wine in a short time.
However, even these traditional all-in-one wine making kits don’t include the bottles. So be sure to save your empties!
Fruit Wine Making Kits
Fruit wine making kits will include most of the equipment and ingredients you will need to make homemade wine from just about any kind of fruit juice. You just need to supply the fruit juice and bottles.
These wine making kits are great for beginner winemakers who want to explore fruit wines. You can of course make grape wine but these kits really lend themselves to making almost any kind of fermentable fruit wine. You will need to follow a recipe which is included in some kits. If not, find one you like on youtube.
Fruit wine making kits are perfect if you want to use your own fresh juice. You can buy concentrated juice if you want to avoid the mess. One benefit of fruit wine making kits is that fruit wine matures faster than grape wine so you can start enjoying your wine sooner.
Wine Making Recipe Kits
Wine recipe kits include the juice and ingredients you will need to make a very specific kind of wine. The best brands have a wide variety of wines to choose from.
Wine recipe kits are perfect for serious beginner wine makers. A good wine recipe kit will contain quality juice and ingredients to make homemade wine that rivals many store-bought wines. You can use a wine recipe kit with a fruit wine making kit instead of using your own fruit juice.
The best part of these wine recipe kits is that they often use top quality grapes from around the world so you can experiment with hard-to-get varieties right at home. However, wine making recipe kits lack any fermenting and racking equipment so you will need to purchase the equipment if this is your first batch. That’s why these kits are great for the novice winemaker ready to step up to a high quality varietal.
Pros & Cons of Wine Making Kits for Beginners
Wine making kits for beginners offer many benefits from convenience to step-by-step instructions. However, there are some drawbacks to using a wine making kit as a beginner. Here’s some of the PROs and CON’s of using a wine making kit for beginners.
PROs of Wine Making Kits
Instructions
These kits offer first-time winemakers an easy introduction to the hobby of wine making by providing step-by-step instructions to make your first batch of homemade wine. The best kits include visuals or videos to help you identify the components and how to use them.
Practice
Wine kits for beginners also give novice wine makers a way to practice without much risk. Many wine making kits for beginners are designed for small, one gallon batches at a time so you don’t waste too much if something goes wrong.
Convenience
Many wine making kits designed for beginners come with nearly everything you need including the concentrated juice and basic equipment in a single package. There is usually no need to buy individual components. Just be sure the kit you plan to buy has everything you will need before you get started.
Varieties
Wine making kits also offer beginners a chance to make wines from different grape-growing regions around the world. This way you can experiment to see which is your favorite. In fact, you can even find unique varieties that aren’t available in the store.
Off Season Brewing
With a wine making kit, you don’t have to wait for the fruit to be in season. You can make virtually any kind of wine you want without regard to harvest season.
No Crushing or Juicing
Wine making kits and wine kit recipes eliminate the mess and need of de-stemming, crushing, and pressing grapes or fruit. Of course, once you are an experienced wine making kit vintner, you may in fact want to try this step as well.
CONs of Wine Making Kits
Incomplete Kits
Not all kits have everything you need for your first batch of homemade wine. Refer to the list below and compare it to the contents of the wine making kit you are thinking of buying. Add the missing ingredients or equipment to your shopping cart before you start making wine. It’s also a good idea to read customer reviews to see if fellow novice vintners recommend any additional or better equipment to make the experience better.
Expired Ingredients
Some consumers complain they receive their wine making kits with expired yeast or other ingredients. However, this usually isn’t a big problem as most yeast is still viable long after the stated expiration date. If this happens, you can request a fresh packet from the kit manufacturer.
Lack of Recipes
Not all wine making kits will provide wine making recipes. Your best option may be to purchase a wine recipe and wine making kit with equipment only.
Cost
Your first batch of homemade wine from a wine making kit will likely be your most expensive one. You will need to purchase all the materials not included in the kit. However, once you have the equipment, you will not need to buy them again.
Specific Ingredients
Eventually, you may want to experiment with different ingredients or use higher quality ingredients not included in your favorite kit. However, for your first wine making experience, it’s best to stick with the ingredients in the kit.
Best Wine Making Kits For Beginners
Are you ready to get started with wine making at home but don’t know which wine kit is best? Here are my picks for the best wine making kits for beginners. I’ve chosen two kits for each of the 3 categories of wine making kits.
I’ve also included a helpful table for each category showing price, how much wine the kit will yield, and what equipment you will need in addition to the wine making kit.
Brand | Price | Yield | Varieties | Missing Items |
All-In-One Wine Making Kits (Equipment + Juice + Ingredients) | ||||
DIY My Wine Co®, Premium All-In-One Wine Making Kit | $29.99 | 1 Gallon (5 bottles) | • Nothing! | |
Master Vintner® Weekday Wine Making Starter Kit | $139.99 | 6 Gallons (30 bottles) | • Bottles | |
Fruit Wine Making Kits (Equipment + Ingredients) | ||||
$189.99 | 6 Gallons (30 bottles) | • Not Applicable | • Wine recipe kit • Bottles | |
North Mountain Supply 3 Gallon Wine From Fruit Complete 32pc Kit | $149.99 | 4 to 5 Three-gallon batches | • Not Applicable | • Fruit or wine recipe kit • Sugar • Bottles |
Wine Making Recipe Kits (Juice + Ingredients) | ||||
Master Vintner Winemaker’s Reserve | $99.99 | 6 Gallons (30 bottles) | • Merlot • Pinot Grigio • Sauvignon Blanc • Many more | • All fermenting and bottling equipment (carboys, stirrer, corks, corker, tubing for racking and bottling, etc.) |
Fontana Wine Making Kit (Runner Up) | $57.50 – $65.00 | 6 Gallons (30 bottles) | • Merlot • Pinot Grigio • Sauvignon Blanc • Many more | • All fermenting and bottling equipment (carboys, stirrer, corks, corker, tubing for racking and bottling, etc.) • Flavor additives (e.g., oak chips, tannins, etc.) |
Best All-In-One Wine Making Kits (Equipment + Juice + Ingredients)
All-in-one wine making kits are best for your very first wine making experience. It’s like having training wheels when learning to ride a bike. You can’t go too wrong.
DIY My Wine
Best for beginners who don’t want to mess with equipment
If you really just want to dip your toes into the wine making process then you might like these All-in-One wine kits from DIY My Wine. You will not need any extra equipment including bottles because it’s a boxed wine.
The process is simple and fast. It only takes about 3 weeks to make your first batch.
One reviewer said: “So simple anyone can do it truly. Absolutely great for beginners.”
It makes one gallon or about 5 wine bottles so it’s easy to try different varieties. It’s available in Cabernet and Pinot Grigio. However, at around $30 it makes for an expensive boxed wine.
Master Vintner Weekday Wine Maker Starter Kit
Best for beginners who want a true wine making experience
If you want a true wine making experience, then you should step up to the Master Vintner Wine Maker Starter Kit. Each all-in-one starter kit Includes a wine recipe kit with all the ingredients you will need. The instructions are simple and easy to follow.
Each kit yields 6 Gallons or about 30 wine bottles (750 ml each). These Master Vintner starter kits have all the equipment you will need except the bottles. They are available in Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Here’s what one reviewer thought about the kit: “Bought this kit for my son who I’ve introduced to home brewing, he followed the instructions which were really easy to follow to the letter and he produced his first Chardonnay wine, he said he couldn’t believe how good it tasted he’s now started on his second wine kit I bought him”
Best Fruit Wine Making Kits
These fruit wine making kits are best for the beginner wine maker who wants to try making wine from a variety of fresh fruit juices (including grape juice). Additionally, they are great for home winemakers who want to use a unique wine from a wine making recipe kit but don’t already have the equipment.
Master Vintner® Wine Making Equipment Starter Kit
Best for beginners who want to use a wine recipe kit
The Master Vintner Wine Making Equipment Starter Kit is perfect for the beginner wine maker who wants to use their own wine recipe kit to make their first batch of homemade wine.
It’s compatible with most wine making kits and will yield about 6 gallons. It comes with everything you need except the wine juice and the bottles. It’s clear primary fermenter (the Big Mouth Bubbler as they call it) allows you to see how your wine is progressing. It even comes with a helpful DVD to get you started.
This kit is nice because all the parts work well together. For example, the ported lid is sized to fit the tools in the kit so you can easily test, transfer, and taste your wine during primary fermentation without removing the lid.
One reviewer wrote: “It’s absolutely perfect for making with wine-kits (complete with juice, additives, and instructions for the process). I couldn’t be more pleased with the results. The kit has absolutely everything you need”
Note: when making 6 gallon kits that include wine skins, a larger fermentor must be used.
North Mountain Supply 3 Gallon Wine From Fruit Complete 32pc Kit
Best for beginners who want to make a small batch of fruit wine
With this fruit wine making kit you can use whatever fruit is available to you whether it’s grocery store fruit or fresh-picked fruits. It includes a recipe book with over 100 recipes and step-by-step instructions.
The North Mountain Supply Fruit Wine Making Kit comes with virtually all of the equipment you will need to make up to 5 three-gallon batches or about 75 bottles of homemade wine. Although one reviewer mentioned you might want to buy a degasser tool in addition to the kit.
However, one important thing to note is that this kit only makes 3 gallon batches. Most wine recipe kits call for larger batches so if you plan to use a wine recipe kit you will need to split the batches.
Here’s what one satisfied user says: “I absolutely love this kit. It takes all of the guesswork out of making wine. If you’re a newbie or a pro, this is the kit for you!”
Best Wine Making Recipe Kits
These wine recipe kits are great for any beginner who wants to create their own variety that may not be available in an all-in-one wine kit. However, you will need to purchase all the fermenting and bottling equipment if this is your first batch.
Master Vintner Winemaker's Reserve
Best for beginner winemakers who want a premium wine recipe kit
Master Vintner Winemaker’s Reserve is their entry level and most popular wine recipe kit. You can choose from a large variety of wine recipes. Each wine recipe kit includes 10L Grape Juice, Fining Agents, Yeast and may include Oak or other flavorings depending on the wine style. It will make 6 gallons or around 30 bottles of your favorite varietal.
However, no fermenting or bottling equipment is included. You will need to purchase all the other equipment separately. Consider pairing this with their Master Vintner Wine Making Equipment Starter Kit with Plastic Big Mouth Bubbler and Glass Carboy. This will give you all the Juice Ingredients and Equipment you need (except bottles).
One reviewer exclaimed: “Love this wine kit. Came out great and will get better with some aging. Our favorite wine kit so far! Easy directions and great wine!”
Note that some reviewers suggested making 5 gallons instead of 6 to get a bolder flavor to the aged wine.
Fontana Wine Making Kit
Best for beginner winemakers who want a quality wine recipe kit at a value
Fontana wine recipe kits are very popular because they are high quality wine recipe kits at a lower price. That’s because they don’t include all the flavor add ons you might find with other wine making recipe kits. This allows you to customize flavors to your taste. While you may find the price a little more palatable than the Master Vintner varieties, it will cost you more to add flavorings and it doesn’t include a recipe book.
It will take about 4-6 weeks before it’s ready to rack depending on the variety. No fermenting or bottling equipment is included. You will need to purchase all the other equipment separately. Consider pairing this with the Master Vintner Wine Making Equipment Starter Kit with Plastic Big Mouth Bubbler and Glass Carboy. This will give you all the Juice Ingredients and Equipment you need (except bottles).
Note that some reviewers suggested making 5 gallons instead of 6 to get a bolder flavor to the aged wine. Others suggested a second fermenting step and letting it age for 6 months before it reaches peak body.
One reviewer said: “I’ve been buying this wine-making kit for a few years now. The wine quality is excellent compared to others I’ve tried.”
Conclusion
Choosing the best wine making kits for beginners can be very confusing. It’s important to choose the right kit that best suits your needs and the type of wines you will make. By understanding the three parts of wine making, you can choose which wine making kit has the right equipment, ingredients, and juice for you to make better wine.