Key takeaways
- Budget: a three-gallon equipment kit plus a basic juice kit. You get the process down with small volumes and low commitment.
- Mid-range: a six-gallon equipment package such as the Winemakers Depot or Master Vintner sets with a mid-tier juice kit. This is where most serious hobbyists settle.
- Premium: a six-gallon equipment package plus a Private Reserve or Showcase kit with skins and oak, then extras such as a better corker, a wine thief and a floor corker upgrade.
The best advanced wine making kit for most hobbyists moving past a one-gallon starter is a full six-gallon equipment set built around a glass carboy, such as the Master Vintner or Winemakers Depot packages, paired with a premium ingredient kit like a WineExpert Private Reserve (formerly Eclipse) or a Cellar Craft Showcase when you want grape skins, oak and long aging. Buyers who already own gear should skip equipment bundles and spend on ingredients, while small-space cooks who just want to experiment are better served by a three-gallon setup. This guide sorts the main options by the kind of winemaker you are, what the makers say each package contains, and where the trade-offs sit.
Our top picks
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What “advanced” actually means in a wine kit
Most roundups aimed at newcomers focus on one-gallon fruit-wine jars. An advanced setup is different in three ways. First, the batch is larger: six gallons is the common standard, which the makers and reviewers describe as roughly thirty bottles. Second, the equipment can measure and control the process: a triple-scale hydrometer with a test jar, a thermometer, a degassing whip and an auto-siphon. Third, the wine itself comes from a premium juice or grape-pack kit rather than a basic concentrate.
It helps to separate two product types. An equipment kit gives you the fermenter, carboy, airlocks, siphon, hydrometer and a corker, but no wine ingredients. An ingredient kit gives you juice or must, yeast, oak, clarifiers and sometimes grape skins, but no gear. Advanced winemakers usually need both, and the sections below treat them separately so you can mix and match.
At a glance: kits and what the makers list
| Kit | Type | Batch size | Stated contents | Main limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master Vintner Wine Making Starter Kit | Equipment | 6 gallons | Bucket of about 7.9 gallons, 6-gallon glass carboy, two airlocks, auto-siphon, racking cane, triple-scale hydrometer with test jar, thermometers, Wine Whip degasser, hand corker, number 8 corks | No ingredients or bottles; reviewers note the basic corker takes arm strength |
| Winemakers Depot Premium Equipment Kit | Equipment | 6 gallons | 8-gallon fermenting bucket, 6-gallon glass carboy, twin-lever corker, hydrometer, bottle filler, 30 corks, auto-siphon, sanitizer packets | Reviewers note there is no degassing whip, test jar or brushes |
| Winemakers Depot 3-Gallon Kit | Equipment | 3 gallons | 3-gallon glass carboy with a 6.5-gallon fermenter | Tool list is thinner, so confirm hydrometer, siphon and corker are included before ordering |
| WineExpert Private Reserve (Eclipse) grape-skin kits | Ingredients | 6 gallons | Premium juice, grape skins, oak depending on the varietal; retailers list a six to eight week timeline | Needs your own gear; forum users report long bottle aging |
| Cellar Craft Showcase | Ingredients | Often a smaller 16-litre pack | Premium juice kit praised by forum users for certain varietals | Smaller volume; timing details vary by wine |
| Wild Grapes Cabernet Sauvignon | Ingredients | Up to 6 gallons | Ingredients only, oak additions included | No equipment or corks |
Specifications in this table come from maker and retailer descriptions as relayed by review sites such as MyHomeWine and California Winery Advisor. Contents shift between production runs, so read the box list on the product page you choose.
Six-gallon equipment kits
Master Vintner starter kit
MyHomeWine names this its editor’s choice among advanced six-gallon kits. The package pairs a bucket primary fermenter of about eight gallons with a six-gallon glass carboy for secondary fermentation and aging, so you can rack the wine off the heavy lees and let it clear. It includes a triple-scale hydrometer and test jar, thermometers, a Wine Whip for degassing, an auto-siphon with racking cane, and a hand corker with corks. Other reviewers describe it as the most complete setup in its size class.
The trade-offs reported are practical. A press-fit bucket lid can pop loose if pressure builds during active fermentation, and the hand corker is basic and demands real arm strength. Both are easy to live with or upgrade, but they matter if you plan to bottle several batches a year.
Winemakers Depot premium equipment kit
The Winemakers Depot package leans toward bottling convenience: a twin-lever corker, a bottle filler, thirty corks and sanitizer packets arrive alongside an eight-gallon bucket, a six-gallon glass carboy, a hydrometer and an auto-siphon. MyHomeWine calls it the best value of the group. The gaps it points out are no degassing whip, no test jar and no brushes, which means you stir by hand to release carbon dioxide and should budget for cleaning brushes.
Winemakers Depot also sells a kit described as aimed at experienced home winemakers, with an eight-gallon fermenter, a triple-scale hydrometer and upgraded siphon hosing. The company site was not reachable during research, so treat that description as secondhand and read the current contents list directly.
Three-gallon option
A three-gallon setup produces about fifteen bottles and fits a closet or a small kitchen. It suits someone who wants to test a style, a yeast strain or an oak regimen without committing to thirty bottles of an unproven recipe. Reviewers caution that the maker does not publish a full tool list for this package, so confirm the siphon, hydrometer and corker before you buy.
Premium ingredient kits for experienced hands
WineExpert Private Reserve (formerly Eclipse)
This is WineExpert’s top line. Retailers describe the kits as using juice from vineyards around the world, with many red varietals shipping with grape skins and some with oak. Examples include Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel and Barossa Valley Shiraz, both sold as six-gallon batches. Retailers list a six to eight week production timeline, but forum posters on WineMakingTalk say premium kits reward patience, with one member holding an Eclipse wine for eighteen months before bottling. Plan on cellar space and a long wait.
Cellar Craft Showcase
Forum discussion on WineMakingTalk gives Showcase strong marks. One moderator who made both Pinot Gris kits said the Showcase was clearly better despite being a 16-litre pack, and other members name Showcase Amarone and Walla Walla Cabernet-Merlot as consistently decent. These are opinions from hobbyist forums, not lab results, so treat them as directional. The maker’s own site should be your source for exact volumes and instructions.
Wild Grapes Cabernet Sauvignon
This ingredients-only kit makes up to six gallons, and reviewers praise its flavor for the volume. Oak additions ship in the box, but it contains no equipment or corks, so it pairs well with either equipment kit above.
Budget tiers
- Budget: a three-gallon equipment kit plus a basic juice kit. You get the process down with small volumes and low commitment.
- Mid-range: a six-gallon equipment package such as the Winemakers Depot or Master Vintner sets with a mid-tier juice kit. This is where most serious hobbyists settle.
- Premium: a six-gallon equipment package plus a Private Reserve or Showcase kit with skins and oak, then extras such as a better corker, a wine thief and a floor corker upgrade.
Fit, size and care notes
- Space: a six-gallon glass carboy is heavy when full, roughly fifty pounds of liquid plus glass, and slippery when wet. Use a carboy handle or carrier and keep it on a stable, low surface.
- Glass safety: never rinse a glass carboy with a sharp temperature change, and inspect for chips before filling.
- Temperature: fermentation and aging both prefer steady, moderate temperatures. A closet away from heat sources works better than a garage with swings.
- Sanitation: sanitize everything that touches wine. The Winemakers Depot set includes sanitizer packets; with other kits you may need to add your own.
- Corks and bottles: kits rarely include thirty empty bottles. Plan to collect or purchase them, and match cork size to your corker.
- Degassing: a degassing whip on a drill speeds the release of carbon dioxide before clearing and bottling. Kits without one need hand stirring or a separate purchase.
Pick X if…
| If you… | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Want the most complete six-gallon set in one box | Master Vintner starter kit | Includes degasser, test jar and thermometers per the listing |
| Care most about bottling gear and corks | Winemakers Depot premium kit | Twin-lever corker, bottle filler and thirty corks included |
| Have little space or want to experiment | Three-gallon Winemakers Depot kit | About fifteen bottles per batch |
| Want grape skins and oak in a red | WineExpert Private Reserve | Skins and oak depending on varietal |
| Prefer smaller premium juice packs | Cellar Craft Showcase | Forum users rate certain varietals highly |
| Already own equipment | Wild Grapes or another ingredient kit | Spend only on what you need |
Alternatives worth considering
- Buy gear piece by piece. Local homebrew shops often sell a fermenter, carboy and floor corker separately. This costs more in total but lets you choose a better corker from the start.
- Fresh-grape or juice-bucket programs. Many shops sell seasonal juice in buckets for the autumn crush. It requires more skill with acid and sulfite adjustments, and a book or local club helps.
- One-gallon fruit kits. Roundups name the Home Brew Ohio and Master Vintner one-gallon kits as beginner picks. They are a fine rehearsal, but they are not the advanced route.
Weak spots to know about
Many online roundups are affiliate-driven, and some pages carry old dates despite 2026 titles. Winemakers Depot’s own site could not be loaded during research, so its contents come from reviewers. Forum comments about Showcase and Eclipse are subjective. Always compare the box list on the product page you buy from.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a glass carboy for good wine?
Glass is favored for aging because it does not let in air and does not hold odors. Plastic fermenting buckets are fine for the primary stage, which is why the six-gallon kits pair a bucket with a carboy. If you age wine for many months, glass is the safer choice.
How many bottles does a six-gallon kit make?
Makers and reviewers describe a six-gallon batch as about thirty bottles of 750 ml. Expect a little less after racking losses and sampling. A three-gallon batch yields roughly fifteen.
How long until a premium kit is drinkable?
Retailers list around six to eight weeks for WineExpert Private Reserve kits, but forum members report that reds improve with months of bottle aging. Follow the instructions in the box and taste as it develops rather than rushing.
Is a hydrometer really necessary?
For advanced work, yes. A triple-scale hydrometer lets you read specific gravity, estimate alcohol and confirm that fermentation is finished before bottling. Skipping it risks bottling wine that is still fermenting, which can push corks out or burst bottles.
Can I use one kit for both red and white wine?
Yes, with thorough cleaning and sanitizing. Plastic can hold odors and stains from heavily colored reds, so some winemakers dedicate a bucket to reds and another to whites.
What upgrade matters most after the first batch?
Reviewers repeatedly flag the corker. A floor or twin-lever corker makes bottling faster and more consistent than a hand model. A degassing whip is the second most common addition.
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