This past April, experienced judges evaluated a total of 287 wine kit entries as part of the 2024 WineMaker International Amateur Wine Competition that had a grand total of 1,609 entries. This large collection of kit entries was sent into the competition from across North America. The 287 wine kit entries were entered into more than 30 different categories and represented a broad selection of varietals and blends from all major kit manufacturers. Over the course of three days, wine judging panels examined all entries, both kit and non-kit, using the University of California-Davis 20-point wine scale giving their scores on appearance, aroma, taste, aftertaste, and overall impression. All judging was done blind, meaning those evaluating each entry were given a pre-poured glass of wine with absolutely no identification attached except a tracking number. The judges had no idea whether the entry was made from a kit or fresh fruit. All the judges knew about each entry was the category entered. Entries were awarded gold, silver, bronze, and Best of Show medals based on the average score given by the judging panel. A full rundown of the 2024 medalists can be found at: www.winemakermag.com/competition/24compresults.
We’ve found many WineMaker readers looking to purchase a wine kit would refer back to each year’s competition results as a third-party list of specific wine kits that scored well in the blind judging and thus are capable of producing an award-winning wine. 17 years ago we decided to go one step further and put the spotlight on the top 100 scoring kits from the competition. What follows is the 2024 ranking based on the average scores given by judges of the top performing kit entries this year. By extending all the judging scores out to the furthest decimal point we were able to compile this ranked list of those kit entries that had the highest average scores in the 2024 competition.
This kit list represents the top 100 scoring kit entries with the highest average scores from 2024 that have shown the potential in a blind judging format to make excellent wines. We organized these top kits not only in numerical order, but also broken out into general wine style categories for easy reference. Cheers!
Ranking the Top 100 Wine of 2024
1 RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Specialty Raspberry Mocha Dessert Wine
2 RJS Craft Winemaking Spanish Tempranillo Merlot
3 Vintner’s Best Strawberry
4 RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Specialty Black Forest Dessert Wine
5 RJS Craft Winemaking Cru International Okanagan Meritage with Skins
6 Winexpert Island Mist Apricot Peach Chardonnay
7 Finer Wine Kits Forte Series Sangiovese
8 Winexpert Limited Edition Double Pinot Noir
9 Winexpert Après Chocolate Mocha Dessert Wine
10 RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Peach Perfection
11 RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Specialty Crème Brûlée Dessert Wine
12 Finer Wine Kits Tavola Series Zinfandel
13 RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Specialty Gingerbread Cookie Dessert Wine
14 Finer Wine Kits Forte Series Cabernet Sauvignon
15 RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Tropical Lime
16 Winexpert Twisted Mist White Peach Lemonade
17 Winexpert Après Cabernet Franc Ice Wine
18 VineCo Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
19 Winexpert Reserve Italian Luna Rossa
20 Winexpert Après Riesling Ice Wine
21 Vintner’s Best Cherry
22 Winexpert Private Reserve Stag’s Leap District California Merlot
23 Winexpert Après Chocolate Orange Dessert Wine
24 RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Acai Raspberry
25 RJS Craft Winemaking Cru International Zinfandel
26 VineCo Signature Series Toscana
27 Winexpert Private Reserve Adelaide Hills Australian Sauvignon Blanc
28 Vintner’s Harvest Blackberry
29 VineCo California Connoisseur California Red
30 Vintner’s Best Concord
31 Mosti Mondiale Renaissance Old Vine Merlot
32 RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series South Africa Sauvignon Blanc
33 VineCo Original Series California Liebfraumilch Style
34 RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Specialty Coffee Dessert Wine
35 Fontana Italian Sangiovese
36 Vintner’s Best Apple
37 RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Raspberry Rosé
38 RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Chilean Merlot
39 VineCo Niagara Mist Blackberry
40 RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Mango Dragon Fruit Lemonade
41 Winexpert Limited Edition Northern Rhône France Viognier Roussanne Marsanne
42 VineCo Estate Series Italian Montepulciano
43 Master Vintner Winemaker’s Reserve Riesling
44 RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Cranberry Craze
45 RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Specialty Toasted Caramel Dessert Wine
46 Winexpert Classic Limited Edition California Pink Moscato
47 Winexpert Private Reserve Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel
48 RJS Craft Winemaking Grand Cru Pinot Noir
49 Winexpert Classic Italian Sangiovese
50 RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select California Pinot Noir
51 RJS Craft Winemaking Cru International South Africa Chenin Blanc
52 Finer Wine Kits Frutta Series Dark Blackberry
53 Master Vintner Winemaker’s Reserve Tempranillo
54 Winexpert Private Reserve Sonoma Dry Creek Chardonnay
55 Winexpert Island Mist Green Apple Riesling
56 Winexpert Classic Australia Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre
57 Winexpert Island Mist Coconut Yuzu
58 Winexpert Island Mist Fiesta Lime
59 RJS Craft Winemaking RQ Monastrell
60 Mosti Mondiale Fresco Chile Merlot
61 Cellar Craft Showcase Washington State Merlot
62 Winexpert Island Mist Blueberry Lavender
63 Winexpert Private Reserve Veneto Italy Amarone
64 Master Vintner Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir
65 Winexpert Twisted Mist Blue Hawaiian Pineapple Orange Blue Curaçao Coconut
66 VineCo Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon
67 VineCo Estate Series Australian Cabernet Sauvignon
68 Winexpert Limited Release Après Vanilla Bourbon Dessert Wine
69 VineCo Signature Series Oregon Pinot Noir
70 Winexpert Limited Edition Italy Aglianico Barbera
71 RJS Craft Winemaking RQ Spanish Petit Verdot
72 RJS Craft Winemaking Grand Cru White Zinfandel
73 RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Italian Super Tuscan
74 Winexpert Island Mist Blood Orange Sangria
75 RJS Craft Winemaking Cru International German Riesling
76 Winexpert Twisted Mist Cosmopolitan Cranberry Lime
77 Vintner’s Best Pineapple
78 Winexpert Reserve Argentina Malbec
79 Winexpert Private Reserve Barossa Australia Shiraz
80 Winexpert Reserve Chile Pinot Noir
81 VineCo Original Series Spain Tempranillo
82 Winexpert Eclipse Italian Forza
83 Master Vintner Winemaker’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
84 Winexpert Private Reserve French Bordeaux Style Blend
85 Vintner’s Best Peach
86 VineCo Estate Series Australia Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz
87 VineCo Passport Series Barbera
88 Master Vintner Sommelier Select Sauvignon Blanc
89 RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Australian Chardonnay
90 ABC Crafted Series California Cabernet Sauvignon
91 RJS Craft Winemaking Cru International Chilean Malbec
92 Winexpert Reserve Australian Traminer Riesling
93 VineCo Original Series Chilean Sauvignon Blanc
94 VineCo Niagara Mist Raspberry Dragon Fruit
95 Winexpert Eclipse Lodi Zinfandel
96 Winexpert Classic Chile Merlot
97 VineCo Estate Series Chilean Carménère
98 VineCo Original Series Chilean Matador
99 RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Chilean Chardonnay
100 VineCo Passport Series Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Montepulciano
Top 100 Wine Kits by Varietal/Wine Style
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Finer Wine Kits Forte Series Cabernet Sauvignon (14)
VineCo Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon (66)
VineCo Estate Series Australian Cabernet Sauvignon (67)
Master Vintner Winemaker’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (83)
ABC Crafted Series California Cabernet Sauvignon (90)
MALBEC
Winexpert Reserve Argentina Malbec (78)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru International Chilean Malbec (91)
MERLOT
Winexpert Private Reserve Stag’s Leap District California Merlot (22)
Mosti Mondiale Renaissance Old Vine Merlot (31)
RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Chilean Merlot (38)
Mosti Mondiale Fresco Chile Merlot (60)
Cellar Craft Showcase Washington State Merlot (61)
Winexpert Classic Chile Merlot (96)
PINOT NOIR
Winexpert Limited Edition Double Pinot Noir (8)
RJS Craft Winemaking Grand Cru Pinot Noir (48)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select California Pinot Noir (50)
Master Vintner Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir (64)
VineCo Signature Series Oregon Pinot Noir (69)
Winexpert Reserve Chile Pinot Noir (80)
SANGIOVESE
Finer Wine Kits Forte Series Sangiovese (7)
Fontana Italian Sangiovese (35)
Winexpert Classic Italian Sangiovese (49)
TEMPRANILLO
Master Vintner Winemaker’s Reserve Tempranillo (53)
VineCo Original Series Spain Tempranillo (81)
ZINFANDEL
Finer Wine Kits Tavola Series Zinfandel (12)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru International Zinfandel (25)
Winexpert Private Reserve Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel (47)
Winexpert Eclipse Lodi Zinfandel (95)
OTHER RED VARIETALS
Vintner’s Best Concord (30)
VineCo Estate Series Italian Montepulciano (42)
RJS Craft Winemaking RQ Monastrell (59)
RJS Craft Winemaking RQ Spanish Petit Verdot (71)
Winexpert Private Reserve Barossa Australia Shiraz (79)
VineCo Passport Series Barbera (87)
VineCo Estate Series Chilean Carménère (97)
RED BLENDS
RJS Craft Winemaking Spanish Tempranillo Merlot (2)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru International Okanagan Meritage with Skins (5)
VineCo Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot (18)
Winexpert Reserve Italian Luna Rossa (19)
VineCo Signature Series Toscana (26)
VineCo California Connoisseur California Red (29)
Winexpert Classic Australia Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre (56)
Winexpert Private Reserve Veneto Italy Amarone (63)
Winexpert Limited Edition Italy Aglianico Barbera (70)
RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Italian Super Tuscan (73)
Winexpert Eclipse Italian Forza (82)
Winexpert Private Reserve French Bordeaux Style Blend (84)
VineCo Estate Series Australia Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz (86)
VineCo Original Series Chilean Matador (98)
VineCo Passport Series Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Montepulciano (100)
CHARDONNAY
Winexpert Private Reserve Sonoma Dry Creek Chardonnay (54)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Australian Chardonnay (89)
RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Chilean Chardonnay (99)
RIESLING
Master Vintner Winemaker’s Reserve Riesling (43)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru International German Riesling (75)
SAUVIGNON BLANC
Winexpert Private Reserve Adelaide Hills Australian Sauvignon Blanc (27)
RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series South Africa Sauvignon Blanc (32)
Master Vintner Sommelier Select Sauvignon Blanc (88)
VineCo Original Series Chilean Sauvignon Blanc (93)
OTHER WHITE VARIETALS
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru International South Africa Chenin Blanc (51)
WHITE BLENDS
VineCo Original Series California Liebfraumilch Style (33)
Winexpert Limited Edition Northern Rhône France Viognier Roussanne Marsanne (41)
Winexpert Reserve Australian Traminer Riesling (92)
BLUSH/ROSÉ
Winexpert Classic Limited Edition California Pink Moscato (46)
RJS Craft Winemaking Grand Cru White Zinfandel (72)
LATE HARVEST & ICE WINE STYLE
Winexpert Après Cabernet Franc Ice Wine (17)
Winexpert Après Riesling Ice Wine (20)
DESSERT STYLE
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Specialty Raspberry Mocha Dessert Wine (1)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Specialty Black Forest Dessert Wine (4)
Winexpert Après Chocolate Mocha Dessert Wine (9)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Specialty Crème Brûlée Dessert Wine (11)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Specialty Gingerbread Cookie Dessert Wine (13)
Winexpert Après Chocolate Orange Dessert Wine (23)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Specialty Coffee Dessert Wine (34)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Specialty Toasted Caramel Dessert Wine (45)
Winexpert Limited Release Après Vanilla Bourbon Dessert Wine (68)
GRAPE & NON-GRAPE BLENDS
Winexpert Island Mist Apricot Peach Chardonnay (6)
RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Raspberry Rosé (37)
Winexpert Island Mist Green Apple Riesling (55)
Winexpert Island Mist Blood Orange Sangria (74)
NON-GRAPE COUNTRY WINES
Vintner’s Best Strawberry (3)
RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Peach Perfection (10)
RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Tropical Lime (15)
Winexpert Twisted Mist White Peach Lemonade (16)
Vintner’s Best Cherry (21)
RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Acai Raspberry (24)
Vintner’s Harvest Blackberry (28)
Vintner’s Best Apple (36)
VineCo Niagara Mist Blackberry (39)
RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Mango Dragon Fruit Lemonade (40)
RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Cranberry Craze (44)
Finer Wine Kits Frutta Series Dark Blackberry (52)
Winexpert Island Mist Coconut Yuzu (57)
Winexpert Island Mist Fiesta Lime (58)
Winexpert Island Mist Blueberry Lavender (62)
Winexpert Twisted Mist Blue Hawaiian Pineapple Orange Blue Curaçao Coconut (65)
Winexpert Twisted Mist Cosmopolitan Cranberry Lime (76)
Vintner’s Best Pineapple (77)
Vintner’s Best Peach (85)
VineCo Niagara Mist Raspberry Dragon Fruit (94)
Back in the April-May 2002 issue of WineMaker I wrote an article about picking the right wine kit. The McGuffin of the article was the idea that there was a right kit for every winemaker, based on what time-frame they were looking to drink it in: obviously, if you’re pressed for time, most super-premium wine kits are going to take so long to age that they won’t show well when young.…
Following the directions that come with your wine kit will result in very good wine, but sometimes experimenting is part of the fun. Three award-winning winemakers share how they go about making adjustments to dessert wine kits — a category of wine that works well with fortification and other tweaks.
