Kits from Wilkinsons

[piagio2000]

A branch of Wilkinsons has just moved into our town centre. They have several very cheap wine kits. For instance a six bottle "definitive med bodied red" for £5.73 or even a "Caraf 21" 30 bottle kit for just £17.69.
Are they any good? I have four gallon of bramble and elderberry from last year which I don't think will be ready till Christmas at the earliest, and will make a load more for next year. So I am looking for something semi decent to drink in the short term ( apart from the dozens of bottles of supermarket juice rose's I have made and the world famous "wine number 1"). So would these kits be a good option?

I'm also intrigued by the Youngs "country definitive elderberry". It says it is ready in three weeks! Considering elderberry's take a year plus to mature, I'm wondering how it can be ready to drink so quickly.

So any thoughts on these kits would be appreciated.

[David]

I'm also intrigued by the Youngs "country definitive elderberry". It says it is ready in three weeks! Considering elderberry's take a year plus to mature, I'm wondering how it can be ready to drink so quickly.

I made that same observation on another thread some time ago:

I think the clue is that it says on the can "ready to drink in 3 to 4 weeks" and just how elderberry can mature in that timescale is acomplete mystery to me.

But without comment so far .......

[billybuntus]

I'm also intrigued by the Youngs "country definitive elderberry". It says it is ready in three weeks! Considering elderberry's take a year plus to mature, I'm wondering how it can be ready to drink so quickly.

So any thoughts on these kits would be appreciated.

I don't think it would be ready in 3 weeks but I do have a few bottles around 9 months old and its very nice.

[Rich]

There is a difference in 'ready to drink' and 'acceptable to drink'.

For some people the acceptable stage is at varying points.

If you have a look at the elderberry wine kit, I believe it only has elderberry flavour in it, not real elders. (I could be wrong, it happens a lot)

The carafe 21 kit isn't too bad for the price. It isn't a red wine though, dark rosé at a push more like.

[piagio2000]

Checked it today...definately real elderberry in it.
Though I do take your point about people's perception of when it would be ready or not

[Petrovitch]

Youngs Definitive Elderberry was one of the first kits I made, came out like a thin rose with some berry flavour in the background. As Rich says the Carafe 21 isn't much better, cheap red wine kits just aren't any good! Best used as the base for something much bigger and tastier. And red wines, either kit or fruit, will take a long time to reach their best - it's the nature of the beast.

In the short term whites are really your best option as they tend to mature quicker. Or try some turbo cider Or Ribena wine, which is drinkable surprisingly quickly...

[Cellar_Rat]

Or Ribena wine, which is drinkable surprisingly quickly...

I have made gallons and gallons of this in the past - very drinkable, very easy, very quick!


I have also used Ribena to fortify 5 gallon kits - very good too!

Might I suggest the cellar 21 and two bottles of Ribena as a starting point?

[koomber]

The Young's definative elderberry was one of the first I made. I thought it was quite pleasant. Then again, I've also made a Munton's Elderberry and it tasted horrible. Also I made a Young's Plum which whilst drinkable, wouldn't qualify as nice.

[piagio2000]

I've tried ribena wine a couple of times and each time it's taken months to ferment and never fully fermented out.
Gave up on it.

[Cellar_Rat]

I now I have mentioned his before , but hey ho, i still have an apple and elderflower which is still going from this time last year!