During that time when we were looking for an affordable kit for making wine, our budget was under USD50. This criteria alone made our search difficult as most of the wine making kits are expensive and priced above USD100. Despite this, we keep on looking.  Finally, we settled on one that was made by Vino Italiano. After using it for a couple of months, I must say this is really a great wine making kit for beginners like us.

Why we liked it

• The step by step instruction are very easy to follow. However, we initially thought that this had all the equipment that we need. Mistake! It only contains the ingredients as well as the corks and label for the wine bottles. You still need to buy wine making equipment such as air locks, hydrometer, fermenter etc. Fortunately, these can be easily purchased from amazon as well.

• The taste is acceptable for the price. Don’t expect high grade wine but the quality is similar to what you will drink table wine at a typical French restaurant. We followed the advice of others and added only 5 galleons of water, rather than the six as advised by the instructions on the package.

• The labels look really professional and nicely designed. I have no problems showing my home made wine to our guests. They were all rather surprised when we revealed that the wine was made with a home wine making kit : )

Why it can improved on

• Nothing much really to complaint about. As a wine making kit for beginners, this product does its job nicely. Maybe they could have bundled more tools in the package to make it easier for people who have no time to shop for the other wine equipment that is needed.

Best place to buy this wine making kit for beginners

After combing through the Internet and using Google’s price comparison engines, we find that Amazon offers the best prices for buying wine making kits.  For those staying in the states, Amazon also offered free shipping which helps us to save some  money.

States where the product cannot be shipped

Do note that this product cannot be shipped from Amazon to Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico due to the state laws governing the sale of alcohol in these states.

CLICK HERE TO READ CUSTOMER REVIEWS

So what can you use it for? Just think of all those times when you’ve opened a bottle of good wine and the next day it already had a strange taste. This is due to the oxidation. Wine is obtained through fermentation – a process which can often last years. During this process, no air must come in contact with the drink. However, after you open a bottle, even if you put the cork back on, there will still be some air left in there, damaging the flavor.

What the Vacu Vin Stainless Steel Wine Saver Gift Set does for you is that it pumps out the air, creating vacuum in the bottle, resealing with a special cork. This way the wine is kept fresh and just like new for over 7 days in a row.

The set comes with a steel vacuum pump, 2 reusable rubber stoppers and 2 crystal like pourers. You will simply hear a click when the device has finished the process. It’s really simple and it will immensely improve the flavor of the opened bottle of wine.

The Vacu Vin Stainless Steel Wine Saver Gift Set is dishwasher safe and it costs less than $23! If you want to keep your wine fresh or just want to make someone close really happy just purchase this unexpensive and amazing tool.

CLICK HERE TO BUY FROM AMAZON

The design of the glass is very chic – white and black zebra stripes run down the cup.. The glitter is never missing an add to the overall style. Depending on what model you are buying, there will either be a 21, a 30 or a 40 printed on the side.

For each anniversary model of the  Mud Pie Zebra Stripe Wine Glass there is a different message printed on its bottom. For example, the 21 glass reads the following message: “Goodbye bouncer, hello bartender!”. The 30 anniversary glass reads “It took thirty years to look this good”. As you can see all the messages are really funny and will definitely cheer up the celebration.

The oversized  Mud Pie Zebra Stripe Wine Glass can hold an impressive quantity of more than 16oz of drinks. This glass makes both a great gift no matter what the age of the celebrated person is and it’s also a great way to spice up the party. This unique product will surely be the center of attention. Also, you can easily customize the stemware, transforming it into a unique gift. At only $22, it’s hard to say no and skip such a fabulous present (even more, the glass comes wrapped in a beautiful box with bow and and gift tag included).

(See related posts on how to make apple wine and how to make wine at home)

You will need some campden tablets for winemaking, 2 fermentation locks, some grape crushers, pectic enzyme, a hydrometer and testing jar, some siphon hoses, glass barrels, a plastic bucket and of course wine yeast.

The first easy step is to crush 4lbs of blackberry into the plastic buckets. This is a very easy process and you can either use a professional crusher or use something you can find in your household. Add a gallon of water over the mixture and also crush the campden tablets in. Add the pectic enzyme over and this first step is completed.

After you’ve stirred everything very well let it sit for 24 hours, add 2lbs of sugar and add a tablespoon of yeast. Transfer everything in separate jars and place the fermentation locks over. At this step it’s also a good idea to add some warm water.

You can also rehydrate with one more packet of yeast and transfer the juice to glass jugs, filling them up to two thirds of their capacity. Let everything sit for about 10 minutes before processing. It’s important to eliminate the sediments as they lay on the bottom of the recipients.

Wait for 5 to 7 days until the sediments settle and siphon off to clear the wine. Rack and add one more campden tablet. It’s important to rack at least 3 or 4 times to ensure you will get a nice clearing. You should repeat the process until the wine stops bubbling.

You will now have to leave the wine to clear for about 4 months and you can then bottle it. If you can wait for a few years you will obtain an incredible flavor.

The first product which impressed us was the Haier HVZ040ABH5S 40 Bottle Wine Cooler. Its door is made of high quality glass, having a trimmed metal edge with blue gray tint. The handle is conceived for heavy duty usage. This is why it was was made of full length brushed metal. The wine cooler comes with an adjustable electronic flexi zone, with dual functionality, allowing you to automatically set for white or red wine. The aspect of this great gadget is very stylish and it is also one of the most spacious and cheapest coolers available.

The second pick we’ve made is the classy HAIER AMERICA – Wine cooler 8 bottles Blk/Slvr (HVUE08ABS). This small cooler can hold up to 8 bottles and it doesn’t require lots of space. You can easily support it on your kitchen’s table or just place it next to your ouch in your living room. The nice and simple design allows you to easily suit it in any establishment. It weighs only 24 pounds and the price is also quite low, starting somewhere around $85.

Our final favorite Haier wine cooler is Haier 16 Bottle Single Zone Wine Cooler. This great Haier product avoid any kind of vibration and is ultra quiet. Made using a beautiful wooden frame, it can hold up to 16 large bottles of both red and white wine. Although it’s quite heavy at 75 pounds, it’s also one of the easiest to use and most efficient wine coolers from Haier. At only $199.99 this is a no brainer buy.

Whether you search online or in an actual store, you will see there are lots of options available in a wide range of prices. We took the time to analyze both the most important aspects of a wine cooler and their prices, so we can present you the top picks.

If you have a limited budget we recommend you the Emerson FR11SL Wine Cooler and Warmer. This great device is able both to chill and to warm up the wine and does it without the annoying noise of other electronics. It can hold only one bottle, but it allows a diameter of up to 3.5”. The range of temperatures is very wide and it can go from 32 to 122 F. The incorporated CPU keeps the temperature constant in order to achieve the best results. At only $18.53, this electric wine cooler is one of the cheapest available, still one of the most versatile.

The Oster Inspire Cordless Electric Rechargeable Wine Bottle Opener with Wine Chiller is also one of the multi-functional coolers. Not only is it electric, but it’s also electric. You don’t have to worry about keeping it plugged or having it in your kitchen. You can carry it around, you can even take it with you in a car trip. Nothing says cool better than cordless. The device can also serve as a bottle opener. And if this wasn’t enough, if you buy it from Amazon you will receive a special bonus for even more functionality – a wine pourer and stopper. You can now open up to 30 bottles at the touch of a button. This stainless steel multi-purpose electric wine cooler comes at a price of only $32.99.

(See related post on how to make apple wine at home)

The first step is to peel and juice 2 lemons and 2 oranges. Make sure  you use every bit of them, however do not include the seeds. Cu everything in thin, fine strips. Take 1lb of fresh herbs and chop them, making sure you only take the usable parts.

Mix a gallon of water with the herbs and the fruits. Also add 3lbs of sugar and dried fruit over. Once the mixture is well stirred, boil everything for at least 20 minutes. Once it cools down to 110 F, add wine yeast. You won’t need much. A packet will usually produce 30 gallons of wine.

Move the liquid in a fermentation lock and place it in a dark, dry place. Check every now and then to see how the yeast is doing. At first everything should be cloudy, but as the wine evolves, the liquid will become more and more clear.

Now it’s time to do a repetitive task. Whenever you see the wine got clear, siphon it making sure you leave the yeast on the bottom of the bottle. Then place it in a new bottle. Keep repeating the process until the wine is clear. It’s very important not to stir the yeast or you will have to start over.

Once you’ve attained the desired clarity, put a cork on and wait at least a couple of months. You can check whether it’s ready or not by using a straw to take out samples.

You can finally enjoy your homemade wine! It was much cheaper than the wine available in commerce and, even more, you’ve made it yourself!

So here they are.

One of the three top picks is the Nambe Morphik Stainless Steel Wine Rack, 10-3/4-Inch by 11-Inch by 10-3/4-Inch. Designed by Karim Rashid, this is one wine rack which will surely catch the eyes of your guests. Modeled like a smooth, rounded X, this master piece can hold up to 5 bottles. The wine rack is crafted from signature Nambe 18/10 stainless steel, which means it will truly last a lifetime. This is not just the bets looking item we found, but also the highest quality one.

Another great option is the Blomus Stainless-Steel Chimo Round Wood Rack. Its contemporary wood holder matches the modern Chimo fireplace, and in fact any fireplace. So if you have one in your living room, look no further. While the actual piece holding the wine bottle is made of high quality stainless steel, the simple wood holder provides an exquisite air. The cutout handles allow easy carrying, unlike most wine racks. This matte-finished stainless steel wine rack is made in Germany.

Our third pick is the Stainless Steel 3-Tier Wine Rack. Each tier can hold three bottles, reaching a total of nine. This cheap stainless steel wine rack can add style both to your kitchen or living room, due to its simple yet beautiful design. It’s a definite must have as it comes really cheap at only $20.99.

The first choice was the Wine Rack Wood -10 Bottles Hardwood Stand. With a nice 4-3-2-1 design, this wine rack can hold up to 10 bottles. Stacking several of those can create a really incredible look. This is a 100% Hand made solid hardwood wine bottle stand. It fits all Bordeaux, Burgundy, and most Champagne style wine bottles. No details were overlooked – shelves have hand beveled edges for each bottle openings. It also comes really cheap at $29.95.

A Simple, elegant rack for storing wine is the Lipper International Bamboo Stackable Wine Rack. Constructed of ecologically responsible bamboo for natural look and feel, these stackable wine racks can hold up to 5 bottles each. The feature which impressed us the most is the fact that it Combines in multiples for horizontal, vertical, or wall-mount display.

Our final choice, yet one of the most unique, is the Kingston Modular “X” Cube 24-Bottle Stackable Wine Rack in Espresso. This is a solid wood and composite construction. It can hold up to 24 bottles and its unique shape allows it to be used both by itself, or if you own more you can use them as stackable wine racks. At only $49.99, this is one of the cheapest models we have found. Yet, its low price doesn’t take from the style and incredible design.

So below are the 3 top modern wine racks we want to share with you.

Our first pick is the Black Flow 22-1/4 by 3-1/2 by 2-3/8-Inch Wall Mounted Wine Rack. Brushed with 2mm of stainless steel, this modern wine rack grabbed our attention though its simplicity. It’s like the rack performs a magic trick. The bottles seem to flow as their necks sit on a wave-like piece of steel, mounted on the wall. The Black Flow will surely stand out in your living room. It can hold 6 bottles and it is easy to mount directly on the wall.

The second modern wine rack we liked was the 36″ Table-Style Modern Decorative Spiral Wine Rack. This is more than a rack, as it actually serves as a table to poor the wine. Its greatest feature is the shape of the bottle holders – some incredible, stylish spirals. A bit pricey, but definitely worth having.

Another nice choice is the Pinot Wine Glass Shelf. Even though it’s not a wine rack in the real sense of the word, we couldn’t skip it due to its awesome design. While the wine bottles sit nicely on the top of the shelf, the glasses float bottoms up, hanging from the other side. Some might call it a shelf, still we believe it’s a truly modern wine rack.