Wine from home-grown grapes

[OverWyreGrower]

Can anyone point me in the direction of a website/kit-sellers so we can make wine from the oodles of grapes we have that are just about ripening?

We can't eat 50+ bunches, so thought we'd make wine, but we've no idea how!!

Thanks!

[Birdie Wife]

Hi there OWG,
There are lots of useful websites on the web for equipment supplies, try Art of Brewing for a good start, and look through the other threads in here for lots of useful advice.

For an excellent 'how to do it' guide, CJJ Berry's book on Home winemaking is hard to beat. I believe it's out of print but you should be able to pick up a copy off ebay/second hand book shops, it's worth hunting down.

For wine from grapes, it's best to use grapes that are ripe enough for eating. There is a lot of equipment that you COULD get to make life easier for yourself, but you don't have to get everything at once! Start small and work your way up if you get into the hobby big time. For starters, a gallon of grapes will make a gallon of wine. You'll need a demijohn for every gallon. If you have a large quantity of grapes, you'll have to find some container that will take that amount with the minimum of air left in the container, and one that will let out the carbon dioxide while not letting in air - this is what an airlock does on a demijohn.

Okay, assuming you've got your demijohn(s), you also need to purchase an airlock per demijohn, a bucket, straining bag, wine yeast, campden tablets and pectic enzyme. These are the essentials! I'll let you read through a wine makers handbook for the rest.

Best of luck!

[dexterdoglancashire]

I bought one vine from a new homebase in Leyland the other day as a reward for going to the dentist! Its got 4 very nice bunches of grapes on it - but hardly enough to make wine with! There was me, eager to get a big washing up bowl and stamp around with my bare feet! Seriously, has anyone any tips on the best place to plant it? dexterdog

[Don Vincenzo]

South facing against a wall
Don

[dexterdoglancashire]

Thanks Don - I just need to work out which way is South! ha ha! dexterdog

[User Removed]

Ohh i think i will have to invest in a few grape vines now

[SueA]

Hi O.W.G., I just found this website from an item in the Times magazine about a strawberry wine recipe, it has supplies & recipes etc. & looks O.K. Was thinking of making some wine myself but it sounds a bit complicated & needs some investment to get started & I'm worried I'd end up with exploding demijons & fermented wine everywhere!
www.hopshopuk.com

[dexterdoglancashire]

Methinks my grapes are more than ready......for eating is the question? or because they are labelled as wine grapes does anyone have any advice as to what they will taste like? sorry - would go and check what type (muscat springs to mind) but its p*****g it down (again!) outside so will stay inside, nice and warm next to PC! ha ha! dexterdog

[Bramble Lover]

Would be interested in this grape growing lark as at the moment I have 12 gallons of bramble wine fermenting and think I need to balance this out with some white wine

Do grapes grow ok outside? ........do they need much looking after?......what are the best types etc etc