Grape Expectations

By Lisa McLaughlin

For wine connoisseurs, the phrase homemade wine conjures up images of the dense, sweet plonk made in some grandfather's basement. Like bathtub gin, amateur vino is long on tradition and alcohol but generally short on finesse and taste. But taking their cues from the microbrew-beer hobbyists of the 1990s, an increasing number of oenophiles are making their own vintages that are not only refined but often also award winning.

After the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, the Federal Government changed the rules to permit every household with two adults in residence to make 200 gallons of wine or beer a year. While that sanctioned the work of immigrant winemakers--often Italians and Greeks trying to maintain a liquid connection to the land and traditions they left behind--the amateur vintners usually relied on rustic equipment and grapes they grew in their backyards. Today's garagistes (French for the home enthusiasts who make vintages where they used to park their cars) have gone upscale, using modern equipment, better grapes and juices and prepackaged kits to make their Cabernets, Sauvignon Blancs and do-it-yourself champagnes.

Creating your own winery doesn't require a great deal of expertise or expense. A starter kit that makes five gallons costs about $100, or $4 a finished bottle. The kits come with basic equipment, yeasts, and juice or concentrate from fruit grown in the same places--in California, France, Italy and other wine regions--that professional wineries use. Just follow the directions, and in four to six weeks you can be uncorking wine from your own chateau or apartment. To move beyond kits to get the whole grape-stomping experience, you have to spend at least an additional $400 to buy the basics: grape crusher, strainer, press and barrel.

If you prefer winemaking in a more communal atmosphere, you can sign up for one of the increasingly popular community wineries, such as San Francisco's Crushpad, or franchised clubs like Vintner's Cellar, Wine Not International and Carafe Winemakers. o