Classic California Riesling Wine Kit

WINE KIT DETAILS

Experience the joy of home winemaking with the Classic California Riesling Wine Kit (formerly the Classic Washington Riesling)by Winexpert. This wine kit allows you to create a light-bodied, easy-drinking white wine that's perfect for any occasion. Originating from Germany, Riesling is a popular varietal known for its tropical fruit flavors and floral notes. The northwest varieties, like the one in your Winexpert Wine Kit, are especially recognized for their higher acidity.

As you embark on your winemaking journey, you'll find that your homemade Riesling pairs beautifully with seafood and chicken dishes. It's a great choice for a refreshing summer wine, adding a touch of elegance to your dinner parties or casual get-togethers.

With the Classic California Riesling Wine Kit, you're not just buying a winemaking kit, you're stepping into a world of winemaking tradition right from the comfort of your home. So, why wait? Start your home winemaking adventure today with the Classic California Riesling Wine Kit by Winexpert.

Your kit may appear changed but only on the outside. It has been refined by Winexpert to be better in a smaller package. Your kit has been reduced from 10L to 8L and continues to make a 6 Gallon batch (23 L) yielding approximately 28-30 standard 750 ml bottles.

• Sweetness: Off Dry
• Body: Light Medium
• Tasting Notes: Tropical Fruit 
• Oak Intensity: None
• Kit Size: 8L
• ABV: 12%

OTHER PRODUCTS YOU MIGHT NEED 

Equipment Kits

If your Classic Washington Riesling Wine Kit is your first, equipment kits are a very easy and cost effective way to obtain what you need to get started. Wine kits provide ingredients and instructions but do not provide equipment. The Vintner's Best Deluxe Wine Equipment Kit pictured here has everything you need to make a six gallon batch of wine. This kit is the top of the line and there are other equipment kits you can choose from for your kit. 

Equipment Kit includes
- 7.9 Gallon Fermenting Bucket 
- Lid with Grommet
- 6 Gallon Glass Carboy
- Bottle Filler
- Double Level Corker
- Triple Scale Hydrometer
- Easy Clean Cleanser
- Auto Siphon w/ siphon hose
- Carboy Bung w/ Airlock
- Corks 30 count
- Plastic Mix Stir that attaches to drill

Fermenters

A 7.9 Gallon Fermenter with a grommeted lid is the right vessel to use for your Washington Riesling Wine Kit because you need extra headspace to account for active fermentation. It is good to replace buckets from time because plastic harbors bacteria. Here's a link to our fermenter equipment.

Hoses

Many people reuse their hoses for far too long. Replacing your hoses often is highly recommended with winemaking. Even if you have good sanitation practices, hoses are particularly difficult to keep clean. You do not want to risk a bacterial contamination in your Washington Riesling Wine Kit over something that costs very little to replace.

Siphons

Auto-siphons are a great luxury item to have in your winemaking equipment. Once you have one you will never go without one again. Don't forget to use a heavy duty sanitizer to clean it since you don't want to replace it often as hoses. A good sanitizer for that job is Five Star San. Like hoses, Siphons are also difficult to keep clean so it is advisable to replace them. 

Corkers

Corking can be a big job especially if you make a lot of wine. Also bigger corkers give you the option to use longer and denser corks which are beneficial if you want to age your Washington Riesling longer. The Italian Floor Corker pictured here is easy to use and makes corking fun.

Airlocks

Airlocks are another inexpensive product that should be periodically replaced. Though it might be easy to assume bacteria is not a concern with airlocks because they do not actually touch your wine, this is not the case. A small increase in temperature could cause your wine to swell and back up into the airlock. It happens often. You don't want to risk losing your Washington Riesling over a potentially unsanitary and cheap piece of plastic.

Carboys 

Your Washington Riesling Kit is designed to fit a 6 gallon carboy pictured here. Though glass carboys are one of the safest sanitary options for secondary fermentation and bulk aging your wine, they are fragile and break from time to time. If you use glass carboys, a carboy handle or carrier is very advisable. They should not be moved when full without carrying equipment.

Stoppers and Bungs 

Your Washington Riesling will need to sit in a carboy during secondary fermentation and like airlocks, bungs and stoppers should also be periodically replaced, especially if you make a lot of wine. Stoppers are available drilled for use with airlocks or solid for bulk aging after your wine has fully gassed out. The size 6.5 stopper pictured is made for a 6 or 5 gallon carboy. If you have many different sized vessels, universal bungs might be a more economical option.

Hydrometers

Hydrometers can last a lifetime, if they don't break. If you have suffered the disappointment of breaking your favorite hydrometer you can view them here. 

Corks

Winemakers always need more corks. Be sure to read the corker requirements of different corks before you make your selection because some cork sizes do not work with all corkers. If you want to age your Washington Riesling denser corks are preferable.

 Mix Stir

You may be using the back of your stirring spoon to Degas your wine but a mix stir is the best way to remove unwanted gasses. 

 DID YOU KNOW

You can age an off dry Riesling for up to 20 years!