Wine Making Kit Guide: Choosing and Making Kit Wine

Quick answer: choose your wine kit by batch size first, then wine style and range. A 6-bottle kit is a low-commitment way to try a style; a 23-litre or 30-bottle kit offers better volume for regular winemaking but needs full-size equipment. Always follow the instructions supplied with your exact kit—the order and timing of additions can differ.

Choose the right wine kit

1. Pick the batch size

Small-batch kits are useful when storage is limited, you want to test a new style, or you do not need 30 bottles at once. Match the fermenter and finished bottles to the kit’s stated yield.

Full-size kits commonly make about 23 litres or 30 x 750ml bottles. They suit regular winemakers and give you more wine for the same cleaning and setup session, but require a suitably sized primary fermenter and, where instructed, a secondary vessel.

2. Pick the wine style

• Light, crisp whites: look at styles such as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and dry white blends.
• Rounder whites: Chardonnay and similar styles may suit you if you prefer more body.
• Softer reds: Merlot and approachable red blends are useful starting points.
• Fuller reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Malbec styles generally point towards a bolder result.
• Rosé and fruit wine: useful if you prefer a fresh, fruit-led drink or want something outside traditional red and white styles.

These are style directions, not promises that every kit will taste the same. Read the individual product description and use the supplied instructions for the intended result.

3. Compare the kit range

The wine kit range includes small SG Wines options, everyday ranges such as On The House and Cantina, and Winexpert Classic and Reserve choices. Compare the stated yield, wine style, included additions and current availability rather than selecting on the range name alone.

If two kits make the same number of bottles at different prices, the difference may reflect the format, volume and composition of the concentrate or juice, included additions and the intended wine style. The product page and kit box are the best guide to what is actually included.

Do you need a starter equipment kit?

Choose the 23-litre Wine Starter Kit if you are starting from scratch. It includes a 30L primary fermenter, 23L carboy with bung and airlock, easy syphon, wine hydrometer, mixing spoon, detergent and no-rinse sanitiser.

You still need a wine ingredient kit, bottles and suitable closures. If you already own fermenting equipment, check that it is large enough, food-safe, clean and free from persistent beer, cider or cleaning aromas.

Wine-making equipment checklist

• A fermenter with enough headspace for the kit’s full volume.
• A lid and airlock, if the kit instructions call for them.
• A hydrometer and trial jar for gravity readings.
• A long spoon or paddle that can be cleaned and sanitised.
• A syphon and tubing for transferring without splashing.
• A secondary vessel if your kit instructions require one.
• No-rinse sanitiser and suitable cleaner.
• Enough wine bottles plus the correct corks or closures and, where needed, a corker.

Unsure about gravity readings? Our hydrometer vs refractometer guide explains why a hydrometer is normally the most straightforward tool for kit wine.

The kit-wine process

1. Read the full instructions first. Identify every sachet and addition before opening anything.
2. Clean and sanitise. Pay particular attention to taps, syphons, spoons and anything that touches the wine.
3. Prepare the must. Add the concentrate, water and any first-stage ingredients exactly as directed.
4. Record the starting gravity. This gives you a reference for fermentation progress and the eventual result.
5. Add the yeast and ferment. Keep the batch within the temperature range stated for the kit.
6. Check progress with gravity readings. Airlock activity can slow or stop for reasons other than completed fermentation.
7. Transfer, stabilise, degas and clear as directed. The order varies between kits, so do not apply a generic calendar to every range.
8. Bottle only when ready. Confirm the wine is stable and clear to the level required by the instructions, then package with minimal splashing.

Why exact timings vary

Some kits are designed for a quicker turnaround; others benefit from longer clearing or maturation. Room temperature, yeast performance and the exact kit formulation all affect progress. Treat any day number as a checkpoint from the manufacturer—not a substitute for the supplied instructions and stable gravity readings.

Common kit-wine mistakes

• Starting before checking that every sachet and piece of equipment is present.
• Using a fermenter with too little headspace.
• Relying on airlock bubbles instead of hydrometer readings.
• Adding finings, stabiliser or other sachets in the wrong order.
• Splashing the wine during later transfers and bottling.
• Bottling cloudy or unstable wine because a generic number of days has passed.
• Reusing scratched or aroma-tainted plastic equipment.

Bottles, corks and storage

Use sound wine bottles intended for the closure you have chosen. Standard cork-finish bottles need suitable corks and a corker; screw-cap bottles are not automatically reusable with new closures. Store finished still wine as directed for the kit and closure, away from heat and strong light.

Can you change the sweetness or strength?

Do not change the water volume, sugar additions or stabilising steps unless the kit or a tested recipe gives a clear method. Altering one part changes the balance, alcohol level and fermentation behaviour. If the finished style is important, choose a kit designed for that result.

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Ready to choose? Browse all wine kits, compare wine starter kits, or ask us which batch size and style best fits your equipment.