Degree of Difficulty: White vs Red

[Beer2Wine]

Being new to the winemaking world I was curious...

Is there any general consensus on whether certain styles are easier to do well than others? For example... is it easier to do a good Sauv Blanc than say a great Syrah.... or vice versa?

I know from my experience with brewing that darker beers are usually easier to do well because the dark malts can cover some imperfections. Is there anything like that with wine?

Or maybe something known as the best style/varietal for first-timers... ?

 

[SarahRides]

Unlike with beer making, wine making is pretty much the same process whether you make a white or red wine. I've only make a few of each, so I don't have very vast experience with grape wines (I've actually made more fruit wines), but if making it from a kit, I don't believe that there is necessarily one type that is more difficult than the other.

Because of the color, the whites will probably be more obvious if it were cloudy, but you should really try to make sure it is as clear as possible before bottling. If not, it may clear a little more in the bottle creating sediment in the bottle, or may not even clear at all. I'm still pretty new at this compared to others on the forum, so they may have more to say based on their own experience, but this is what I've observed. Hope it helps!

 

[Tom]

Being new to the winemaking world I was curious...

Is there any general consensus on whether certain styles are easier to do well than others? For example... is it easier to do a good Sauv Blanc than say a great Syrah.... or vice versa?

I know from my experience with brewing that darker beers are usually easier to do well because the dark malts can cover some imperfections. Is there anything like that with wine?

Or maybe something known as the best style/varietal for first-timers... ?

For your 1st wine I suggest a menium priced kit.

All kits are fermented the same so one is not harder than another.

Now the better kits should be aged longer before drinking compared to the cheap kits.

 

[Runningwolf]

Along with what Tom said, good white kits you'll be drinking in six months or so and the reds can take 1-2 years before they reach full potential. Make one of each and yu'll have something to drink while the other is aging.

 

[Beer2Wine]

Ok thanks! Yeah, Tom... I was thinking about starting out with a good kit for sure. Which leads me to one other question then.

Outside of carboys, hoses, siphons, buckets, bottling wands, and all that noise which I already have from brewing. What other equipment is necessary that I stock up on before I start a wine kit?

 

[Tom]

You will need wine chemicals and yeast. Get a TA kit if not doing kits.

 

[Luc]

Depends on how you are making wine.

When making a kit it is just mixing up some ingredients and let it ferment. Nothing to it. Just follow the directions of the manuufacturer.

When really making wine your working with fresh fruit and there are tremendous differences. Reds are mostly pulp-fermented and whites are not. A whole different kind of art.

Luc

 

[FishNiX]

A lot of people here recommend starting with a kit, but I actually think it's better to start with fruit wines in 1g batches. You will quickly graduate into larger batches as you get addicted to the hobby like the rest of us, but smaller batches will be less costly and fruit is readily available from the grocery store.