Any At-Home Wine Makers Here?
 

I know there are a number of home brewers here and was wondering if anyone here made their own wine? My wife and I would like to try making a few batches. I have some friends on both sides of the aisle, starting from juice (and do so behind closed doors because if their Italian uncles found out they'd become laughing stocks and suddenly their wine would taste like crap) vs. starting from grapes. For our first batch I think we'll begin with juice and if it goes well maybe we'll try squeezing the grapes ourselves.

Any recommendations? Tips for success? Things to avoid? I'd imagine cleanliness and sterilization are important as it is in home brewing.

Last batch I made was way back in '98 or so. We made just over 110 gallons and split it. Mostly done by machine. Dumped grapes on the vine into a crusher that separated most of the vine out and crushed the grapes. This mixture went into 2 55 gallons drums that were food grade and cleaned thoroughly. These sat overnight with just a towel on as a cover. The next day we dumped this stuff into a "ca-chink, ca-chink" (very large wine press). We squeezed the hell out of it and watched it filter through a clean window screen and then through a cheese cloth and right into a glass carboy. We capped them with the air lock and waited for the magic bubbles.

When the bubbles stop let it sit until the next full moon and then rack off the top into your bottles.

Thanks, vw! Ours will be on a much smaller scale but I suppose the principles are the same. It sounds easy enough. Waiting would seem to be the key component!

Thought I'd share a funny story.
 

When my parents were fairly young my Dad worked at a grocery store as produce manager. He got the bright idea one time to make wine from the old grapes. My Dad has always been known for the fact that his abundance of exuberance for a new project is inversely proportional to his actual knowledge in the field.
Long story short, he dumped a butt-load of grapes into the bathtub and stomped them for a while, then bailed the "liquid" into vessels to age. Mom didn't remember how it turned out but she sure was peeved at the condition of the tub and the accelerated corrosion on the drain.
I need to ask him about this. Maybe I'll get a different version of the story:D.

A character trait I'm intimately familiar with. My own. :o:D

I am wine not a wine connoisseur and thus rather wine ignorant, but I like what I like with wine. I would like to try to make wine, but I would also like to try making Imperial Stouts.

Stoney Ridge Winery ( stoneyridgewinery.com ) is near me. There wines are not 'high-brow', but I do like much of what they make and if I purchase wine I like supporting my local winery. Stoney Ridge Winery makes a rhubarb wine that I like. I don't know what makes a good rhubarb wine, but this is the best that they have made. If you are in the area (VERY northwest Ohio) and I have not purchased all of it I very highly recommend it. Also if you are in the area about ten miles from the winery is the Maywood Restaurant ( themaywoodrestaurant.com ). If you are passing through this area try and hit both of these places. To me they are oasis's in a rather rural area.
(sorry for the hijacking:D)

I need a bigger closet.......oh not that kinda whine....No, but i sure like drinking it. i love desert wines....and Reislings, those sweet ones.

I just have a whiskey still in my backyard, back there in the woods, next to my fire pit

One of these days I will try a little home distilling. I've always wanted to make some potato vodka. I've got a bunch of Maine potato connections.

Cold River is a nice Maine potato vodka. They beat me to the punch. :mad:;)

http://www.coldrivervodka.com/home.php?p=skip