This past April, experienced judges evaluated a total of 986 wine kit entries as part of the overall 2017 WineMaker International Amateur Wine Competition. This large collection of kit entries was sent into the competition from across North America. The 986 wine kit entries were entered into over 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 about the entrant’s name or even 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 2017 medalists can be found at www.winemakermag.com/competition/past-winners.
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. Eleven 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 2017 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 2017 competition from among the 986 kit entries.
This kit list represents the top 100 scoring kit entries with the highest average scores from 2017 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!
1. RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Specialty Riesling Ice Wine
2. Winexpert Selection Speciale Cabernet Franc Ice Wine
3. RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Mist Peach Apricot Chardonnay
4. Winexpert Island Mist Coconut Yuzu Pinot Grigio
5. Vintner’s Harvest Apricot
6. RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Rocking Raspberry Rosé
7. RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Acai Raspberry Rapture
8. RJS Craft Winemaking Cellar Classic Winery Series Super Tuscan
9. RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Specialty Raspberry Mocha Dessert Wine
10. Winexpert Selection Limited Edition Italian Barbera
11. RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Specialty Black Forest Dessert Wine
12. Winexpert Vintner’s Reserve Riesling
13. RJS Craft Winemaking Coffee Toasted Caramel Dessert Wine
14. RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Cranapple Chardonnay
15. Mosti Mondiale Meglioli Negroamaro
16. Winexpert Red Velvet Dessert Wine
17. Winexpert Island Mist Pomegranate Zinfandel
18. Winexpert Selection Limited Edition Super Tuscan
19. RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series German Riesling Gewürztraminer
20. RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Peach Perfection
21. RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Chilean Pinot Noir Rosé
22. Vintner’s Cellar Supreme Port
23. Winexpert Selection Piesporter
24. Vintner’s Harvest Cherry
25. Mosti Mondiale Fresco Juice Italian Amorosso
26. RJS Craft Winemaking Grand Cru Muscat
27. RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Specialty Vanilla Fig Port
28. Vineco Legacy Piesporter
29. RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Specialty Chocolate Raspberry Port
30. Winexpert Selection Speciale Riesling Ice Wine
31. Winexpert Island Mist Strawberry Watermelon Shiraz
32. RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Specialty Orange Chocolate Port
33. Vintner’s Best Blackberry
34. RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select German Gewürztraminer
35. RJS Craft Winemaking Cellar Classic Winery Series Rosso Grande
36. Winexpert Vintner’s Reserve Merlot
37. RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Italian Zinfandel
38. RJS Craft Winemaking Grand Cru International Rosé
39. Vineco Cellar Craft Specialty Porto Contino
40. Vintner’s Best Raspberry
41. Winexpert Selection Limited Edition Mosaic Red
42. RJS Craft Winemaking Chocolate Cherry Port
43. RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Winemaker’s Trio White
44. Winexpert Selection Limited Edition Australian Gewürztraminer Verdelho Muscat
45. Vineco Cellar Craft Showcase Amarone
46. Vineco Atmosphere Chardonnay
47. RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Citrus Sunshine
48. Vineco Cellar Craft Sterling Grenache Syrah Mourvedre
49. Mosti Mondiale Renaissance Old Vine Merlot
50. RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select RQ Australian Cabernet Sauvignon
51. Winexpert Vintner’s Reserve Spanish Diablo Rojo
52. RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select RQ Australian Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec
53. Winexpert Speciale Peppermint Mocha Dessert Wine
54. Vineco Niagara Mist Raspberry Dragonfruit
55. Master Vintner Winemaker’s Reserve Chardonnay
56. RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
57. Winexpert Island Mist Cranberry Malbec
58. Vintner’s Best Peach
59. Winexpert World Collection Vineyard California Muscato
60. RJS Craft Winemaking Cellar Classic Winery Series Spanish Grenache Syrah
61. RJS Craft Winemaking Cellar Classic Winery Series Amarone
62. Vineco Niagara Mist Pineapple Coconut
63. RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select RQ Spanish Tempranillo Grenache Cabernet Sauvignon
64. Vineco Cellar Craft South African Shiraz
65. Winexpert Chocolate Orange Port
66. RJS Craft Winemaking Coffee Port
67. Fontana Blackberry
68. Vineco Cellar Craft Showcase Carmenere
69. Winexpert Selection Limited Edition Pacific Quartet
70. Winexpert Mosel Valley Riesling
71. Winexpert Island Mist Kiwi Pear Sauvignon Blanc
72. RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Italian Valpola Ripassa
73. RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Valpolicella
74. Vineco Cellar Craft Showcase Chateau Du Pays
75. Winexpert Eclipse Stags Leap Merlot
76. Winexpert Raspberry White Zinfandel
77. RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
78. RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Italian Rosso Grande Eccellente
79. RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Amarone
80. RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Shiraz
81. RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Chardonnay
82. Winexpert Island Mist White Cranberry Pinot Gris
83. Winexpert Eclipse Washington Yakima Valley Pinot Gris
84. Vineco Cellar Craft Showcase Shiraz
85. Winexpert Eclipse Bravado
86. Vineco Cellar Craft Specialty Riesling Ice Wine
87. RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select RQ La Batalla
88. Winexpert Eclipse Barolo
89. Winexpert Vintner’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
90. Winexpert Selection Limited Edition Portuguese Aragones Cabernet Sauvignon
91. Winexpert Eclipse California Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel
92. Winexpert Selection Limited Edition Gewürztraminer
93. Winexpert Speciale Apera Sherry Style
94. Master Vintner Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Grigio
95. Vineco Cellar Craft Showcase Merlot
96. Vineco Atmosphere Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec Carmenere
97. Winexpert Selection Speciale Chocolate Caramel Dessert Wine
98. RJS Craft Winemaking Spanish Monestrell Petit Verdot
99. Winexpert Selection International Australian Shiraz Viognier
100. Winexpert Selection Blackberry Dessert Wine
Top 100 Wine Kits By Varietal
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select RQ
Australian Cabernet Sauvignon (50)
Winexpert Vintner’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (89)
MERLOT
Winexpert Vintner’s Reserve Merlot (36)
Mosti Mondiale Renaissance
Old Vine Merlot (49)
Winexpert Eclipse Stags Leap Merlot (75)
Vineco Cellar Craft Showcase Merlot (95)
SYRAH/SHIRAZ
Vineco Cellar Craft South African Shiraz (64)
RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Shiraz (80)
Vineco Cellar Craft Showcase Shiraz (84)
Winexpert Selection International
Australian Shiraz Viognier (99)
ZINFANDEL
RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Italian Zinfandel (37)
Winexpert Eclipse California Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel (91)
OTHER RED VINIFERA VARIETALS
Winexpert Selection Limited Edition Italian Barbera (10)
Mosti Mondiale Meglioli Negroamaro (15)
Vineco Cellar Craft Showcase Carmenere (68)
AMARONE-STYLE RED BLENDS
Mosti Mondiale Fresco Juice Italian Amorosso (25)
Vineco Cellar Craft Showcase Amarone (45)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cellar Classic Winery Series Amarone (61)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Amarone (79)
SUPER TUSCAN-STYLE RED BLENDS
RJS Craft Winemaking Cellar Classic Winery Series Super Tuscan (8)
Winexpert Selection Limited Edition Super Tuscan (18)
Winexpert Eclipse Bravado (85)
OTHER RED VINIFERA BLENDS
RJS Craft Winemaking Cellar Classic Winery Series Rosso Grande (35)
Winexpert Selection Limited Edition Mosaic Red (41)
Vineco Cellar Craft Sterling Grenache Syrah Mourvedre (48)
Winexpert Vintner’s Reserve Spanish Diablo Rojo (51)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select RQ Australian Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec (52)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cellar Classic Winery Series Spanish Grenache Syrah (60)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select RQ Spanish Tempranillo Grenache Cabernet Sauvignon (63)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Italian Valpola Ripassa (72)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Valpolicella (73)
Vineco Cellar Craft Showcase Chateau Du Pays (74)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot (77)
RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Italian Rosso Grande Eccellente (78)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select RQ La Batalla (87)
Winexpert Eclipse Barolo (88)
Winexpert Selection Limited Edition Portuguese Aragones Cabernet Sauvignon (90)
Vineco Atmosphere Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec Carmenere (96)
RJS Craft Winemaking Spanish
Monestrell Petit Verdot (98)
CHARDONNAY
Vineco Atmosphere Chardonnay (46)
Master Vintner Winemaker’s Reserve Chardonnay (55)
RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Chardonnay (81)
SAUVIGNON BLANC
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (56)
PINOT GRIGIO/GRIS
Winexpert Eclipse Washington Yakima Valley Pinot Gris (83)
Master Vintner Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Grigio (94)
GEWÜRZTRAMINER
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select German Gewürztraminer (34)
Winexpert Selection Limited Edition Gewürztraminer (92)
RIESLING
Winexpert Vintner’s Reserve Riesling (12)
Winexpert Selection Piesporter (23)
Vineco Legacy Piesporter (28)
Winexpert Mosel Valley Riesling (70)
OTHER WHITE VINIFERA VARIETALS
RJS Craft Winemaking Grand Cru Muscat (26)
Winexpert World Collection Vineyard California Muscato (59)
WHITE VINIFERA BLENDS
RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series German Riesling Gewürztraminer (19)
RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Winemaker’s Trio White (43)
Winexpert Selection Limited Edition Australian Gewürztraminer Verdelho Muscat (44)
Winexpert Selection Limited Edition Pacific Quartet (69)
ROSÉ/BLUSH
RJS Craft Winemaking En Primeur Winery Series Chilean Pinot Noir Rosé (21)
RJS Craft Winemaking Grand Cru International Rosé (38)
LATE HARVEST & ICE WINE STYLE
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Specialty Riesling Ice Wine (1)
Winexpert Selection Speciale Cabernet Franc Ice Wine (2)
Winexpert Selection Speciale Riesling Ice Wine (30)
Vineco Cellar Craft Specialty Riesling Ice Wine (86)
PORT & SHERRY STYLE
Vintner’s Cellar Supreme Port (22)
Vineco Cellar Craft Specialty Porto Contino (39)
Winexpert Speciale Apera Sherry Style (93)
DESSERT STYLE
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Specialty Raspberry Mocha Dessert Wine (9)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Specialty Black Forest Dessert Wine (11)
RJS Craft Winemaking Coffee Toasted Caramel Dessert Wine (13)
Winexpert Speciale Red Velvet Dessert Wine (16)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Specialty Vanilla Fig Port (27)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Specialty Chocolate Raspberry Port (29)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Specialty Orange Chocolate Port (32)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Specialty Chocolate Cherry Port (42)
Winexpert Speciale Peppermint Mocha Dessert Wine (53)
Winexpert Speciale Chocolate Orange Port (65)
RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Specialty Coffee Port (66)
Winexpert Selection Speciale Chocolate Caramel Dessert Wine (97)
GRAPE & NON-GRAPE BLENDS
RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Mist Peach Apricot Chardonnay (3)
Winexpert Island Mist Coconut Yuzu Pinot Grigio (4)
RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Rocking Raspberry Rose’ (6)
RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Cranapple Chardonnay (14)
Winexpert Island Mist Pomegranate Zinfandel (17)
Winexpert Island Mist Strawberry Watermelon Shiraz (31)
Winexpert Island Mist Cranberry Malbec (57)
Winexpert Island Mist Kiwi Pear Sauvignon Blanc (71)
Winexpert Raspberry White Zinfandel (76)
Winexpert Island Mist White Cranberry Pinot Gris (82)
NON-GRAPE COUNTRY FRUITS
Vintner’s Harvest Apricot (5)
RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Acai Raspberry Rapture (7)
RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Peach Perfection (20)
Vintner’s Harvest Cherry (24)
Vintner’s Best Blackberry (33)
Vintner’s Best Raspberry (40)
RJS Craft Winemaking Orchard Breezin’ Citrus Sunshine (47)
Vineco Niagara Mist Raspberry Dragonfruit (54)
Vintner’s Best Peach (58)
Vineco Niagara Mist Pineapple Coconut (62)
Fontana Blackberry (67)
Winexpert Selection Blackberry Dessert Wine (100)
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.
Kits wines are designed so that the average person can produce a nice, drinkable wine. However, for the home winemaker interested in making the highest quality wine possible, there are several avenues to getting the best performance from your starting materials and making a truly great wine. As with any style of winemaking — whether from grapes, juices or kits — solid fundamentals are required. Beyond that, however, knowing some of the…
