One of the wines I made at home.

Good Morning!

I had an email from a pal the other day asking about starting to make his own wine. He was asking how to get started and sifting through all the info out on the internet and thought I should share where I get my information.

I have made 100’s of batches of wine at home and I always relied on trail and error and after the errors happened I would look up info a couple different places.

1. I would meet up with my other home winemaking buddies and bring a sample of the wine and after a taste most would have ideas of what had happened. I normally could tell what was happening as the fermentation process was occuring but from time to time I was stumped. Many of these guys make 100’s of cases of wine per year and most made fruit wine instead of grape wine and so they had issues I really did not have to consider. But they were so generous with information and we all shared wines and equipment and we shared a bond of our love of wine and the passion making it.

2. The book by Jon Iverson, Home Winemaking Step by Step was a great first read and reference book over the years. This is a great start up book when it comes to equipment and processes and Iverson does a great job discussing what to spend money on and what to skip and things around the house you can use instead of spending a boatload of cash on equipment you really do not need.

3. Get the WineMaker magazine…huge resource for everything and recipes. I liked the very down to earth writing…I like technical writing because it is very specific and gives exact instructions. Super easy to follow.

4. Buy the book The Wine Maker’s Answer Book by Alison Crowe. She was a writer for WineMaker magazine and I think any issue I have ever had she has had a clear and concise answer. She also will tell you if your batch of wine can be saved or should be poured down the drain.

If you are considering making wine, go buy the beginner winemaking kit at WineArt. If you fall in love with making wine you can easily upgrade the beginner equipment, but the starter kit will walk you through the entire process and give you a nice starter wine to try on your friends and family.

Or you know you can write to me and I can help you get started. It is fun and the final result will thrill you and your palette!

Much LOVE and wine,

Tammi