Customer Reviews

Vino Italiano 4 Week Wine Kit, Cabernet Sauvignon, 15.5-Pound Box

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Having never made wine before, we decided to give it a try, mainly because of the price of this kit. Once we purchased the wine-making equipment (fermenter, carboy, siphons, air locks, hydrometer, etc) from a home-brew supply company, we were ready to make this wine. We used Midwest Homebrewing and Winemaking Supply ([...]) for the equipment package. They have a starter kit that is reasonably priced. I would also recommend purchasing a wine thief (to take samples with) and a container to hold your samples in when testing them, in addition to an auto siphon and maybe some oak chips for this kit. All in all, we spent about $60 on the equipment we needed to use this wine kit.

Having read reviews about this wine-kit company's wines being "watery" I decided to make 5 gallons instead of 6. Later, I read that this can be VERY tricky with kits because they are specifically tailored for that particular volume of wine. Maybe I got lucky, but our batch came out pretty good. I also added some extra tannin, a little citric acid and I soaked some oak chips in it during the final phase. I was careful to keep everything sterile (with the sterilizer that came with my equipment package- never use bleach or other household chemicals on wine equipment) and I also paid attention to the fermentation temperature, having read that two of the most important things in home winemaking are sterilization and temperature.

I just bottled 23 bottles of this wine a couple of days ago and we drank the 1/2 bottle that was left over. It tastes like an inexpensive table wine you'd get in a restaurant in Italy or France. Nothing special, so far. However, I've read that even a few months of aging in the bottle can do wonders for these kit wines so I'm eager to see how it tastes later this year. As of bottling it was clear (no haze) and had a nice, light raspberry color to it. It was semi-dry with lots of fruit undertones; decent legs and an okay nose. There was a faint hint of oak, probably from the chips, which soaked in the carboy for about 5 days before bottling.

All-in-all, I've paid more for wine that wasn't as good. I've already started my second batch (a Vinter's Reserve kit purchased locally) and today I started a small batch made from organic grape juice purchased at the grocery store (we'll see what happens there).

Warning, wine making can become addictive- it's one part science, one part art. I'd recommend this kit to a beginner who doesn't want to invest the $100 in a higher-end kit. Good luck!

If the wines are a little watery just make 5 gallon instead of 6, you will be plesantly suprised in the difference. Because, corks, labels, shipping is all free it's still around $2.00 per bottle. I always keep extra yeast in the refrigerator so if the date is expired I just grab 1 of them. I am rather impressed with the Vino Italiano brand.

I liked the wine overall, so does my gf so that helps too. I thought it was a bit bubbly but maybe I didnt stir out the bubbles enough. Decent body and is definatly worth the money you pay for it and the lables are very good. Not something you could make up easily by yourself.

Awesome ! Made the 6 gallons , giving it a lighter body . Good alcohol content , nice flavor . A great summer wine . I'll try another one of their kits , very happy with it . Added oak chips too . Might suggest only making 5 gallons for more body .

I was very satisfied with this kit. I have made about 5 batches since the first try. Its very important to remember that young wine is not super tasty. Within 6 months of bottling the product is excellent and so far just keeps getting more tasty as it stabilizes. Im a fan, no need to pay a higher price for really good results.

It's good wine. Everything worked out okay. I'm not impressed. But I'm not depressed. I bought the Shiraz, also. Little watery - lack of flavor, but it's cheap so I'll go with it. I'd advise anyone to buy this if they like cheap wine that's fun to make.

I have been making wine for a few years, and this is the best all in one box I have ever tried. Everything is included and very simple to mix together. Even first time wine makers will find it very easy. And most important!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It tastes better than most store bought wines.

I have used several Vino Italiano wine kits, and they seem to be very similiar as far as quality is concerned. They are all a bit on the watery side if you make the full six gallons, but with the kits coming with corks, closures, and labels, you really are getting more than your money's worth. I prefer to use magnum bottles for my wines, as it makes for less work and less equipment. Using them allows me to save 15 corks and bottle closures per kit, which means I never have to buy them for my non-wine kit wines. This is just another reason that I find myself coming back to Vino Italiano. These kits are a real value, although you certainly aren't going to fool any one by telling them that this is a high dollar wine.

Made vino Italiano before and it's a little on the H2O side. Learning from a friend I came with an alternative. Made 5 gal. and added some frozen grape skins from a
prior grape pressed. Usually I freeze a bunch and too my surprise it was great.

I added a lot of oak flavoring to this kit and added tannin as well. I also only added water to 18 gallons instead of 23. The wine turned out ok but still lacked flavor and was way too mild for a cabernet. It tasted more like a Shiraz. It did improve with age and was all gone within 6 months. Some of my friends really liked it. Personally, I liked 2 buck chuck better than this.