I will be making my first grape wine this fall. I live in the
Willamette Valley in Oregon, so I have access to many varieties of
grapes. I have made a couple of fruit wines and one kit (Sauvignon
Blanc). Is it preferrable to start with a white or red the first time
out, or does it matter? Any suggestions?

Thanks

"willy lowman" wrote in message
...
I will be making my first grape wine this fall. I live in the
Willamette Valley in Oregon, so I have access to many varieties of
grapes. I have made a couple of fruit wines and one kit (Sauvignon
Blanc). Is it preferrable to start with a white or red the first time
out, or does it matter? Any suggestions?

Thanks

Lucky you - living in the Willamette Valley

If you have access to some white that has already been crushed, pressed and
chilled and settled, I would go with this. Whites can be a pain in the a..
if you have to do all of this yourself - and you may not have the equipment
or access to a place to chill and settle the juice before fermentaion. If
you start with the white juice as described above, you can be drinking some
good wine in a matter of 6 to 8 months or there abouts.

If you do not have the equipment to process the whites yourself, I would go
with the reds as it is (in my opinion) easier because you do not have to
immediately crush, press, chill and settle the juice. You just crush the
grapes, ferment on the skin and in about 10 days to two weeks press off the
wine from the skins. You will, however, have to wait a while longer before
you can enjoy the wine - probably at least a year to a year and a half.
These are just my opinions, others may disagree.

"willy lowman" wrote in message
...
I will be making my first grape wine this fall. I live in the
Willamette Valley in Oregon, so I have access to many varieties of
grapes. I have made a couple of fruit wines and one kit (Sauvignon
Blanc). Is it preferrable to start with a white or red the first time
out, or does it matter? Any suggestions?

Thanks

Lucky you - living in the Willamette Valley

If you have access to some white that has already been crushed, pressed and
chilled and settled, I would go with this. Whites can be a pain in the a..
if you have to do all of this yourself - and you may not have the equipment
or access to a place to chill and settle the juice before fermentaion. If
you start with the white juice as described above, you can be drinking some
good wine in a matter of 6 to 8 months or there abouts.

If you do not have the equipment to process the whites yourself, I would go
with the reds as it is (in my opinion) easier because you do not have to
immediately crush, press, chill and settle the juice. You just crush the
grapes, ferment on the skin and in about 10 days to two weeks press off the
wine from the skins. You will, however, have to wait a while longer before
you can enjoy the wine - probably at least a year to a year and a half.
These are just my opinions, others may disagree.

"willy lowman" wrote in message
...
I will be making my first grape wine this fall. I live in the
Willamette Valley in Oregon, so I have access to many varieties of
grapes. I have made a couple of fruit wines and one kit (Sauvignon
Blanc). Is it preferrable to start with a white or red the first time
out, or does it matter? Any suggestions?

Thanks

Willy,
White wines are more difficult to make than red wines. I strongly suggest
you do a couple of red fermentations before you try making a white wine.
More info here http://home.att.net/~lumeisenman/chapt1.html
Good luck,
Lum
Del Mar, California, USA

As commented on above, whites can be a pain to make if you do it all your
self. Reds are much easier. Also, you can make some really nice whites
from kits which are so much easier; but reds are far better made from fresh
grapes. Go with red.

Ray

"willy lowman" wrote in message
...
I will be making my first grape wine this fall. I live in the
Willamette Valley in Oregon, so I have access to many varieties of
grapes. I have made a couple of fruit wines and one kit (Sauvignon
Blanc). Is it preferrable to start with a white or red the first time
out, or does it matter? Any suggestions?

Thanks

As commented on above, whites can be a pain to make if you do it all your
self. Reds are much easier. Also, you can make some really nice whites
from kits which are so much easier; but reds are far better made from fresh
grapes. Go with red.

Ray

"willy lowman" wrote in message
...
I will be making my first grape wine this fall. I live in the
Willamette Valley in Oregon, so I have access to many varieties of
grapes. I have made a couple of fruit wines and one kit (Sauvignon
Blanc). Is it preferrable to start with a white or red the first time
out, or does it matter? Any suggestions?

Thanks