Im helping a friend start a winery! w00t! but we dont really know where to start. We've been brewing beer for a few years now but are just now getting into the wines. We would like to start "small" making a few hundred gallons a batch. We would be using grapes from various vinyards in the area here in WA.

I need some links to Industrial Winery suppliers- for large Fermenters, grape crushers, barrels etc.

Also any in depth wine making process links.

[B]PLEASE POST IF YOU CAN HELP![/B]

I'll help out in the taste dept.

ever go on tours of the local wineries, most have regular tour hours and will explain the process and show you the parts.  just remember, that there are tons of ways to make each kind of wine...chilled, not chilled, barrels, stainless....

good luck.  im tryin to start home brewing as well as gonna try to make mead, and i love wine, even took a wine and spirits class.

Ya, ive done all the tours. They [i]barley[/i] scratch the surface tho.

btt

check with the univerisities in  your area. they may have agricultural extension offices with resources and contacts specific to winery operations. you may even be able to take some courses. also get in touch with the wa dept of agriculture, there are probably regulations and procedures you will have to follow to before you can operate as a commercial winery. they may even have a "packet" that covers all of the details. knowing the specifics of your area is going to be important.

beyond that, you'll need to start thinking about production and  looking at the types of wine you want to make and where to get the grapes. (certain varieties will grow better in different areas...cost...popularity...blah blah blah) and since wa has a fair amount of vineyards, you may also consider buying raw juice for your initial production and forgo all of the grape processing.

uc davis has an outstanding reputationin the winemaking field. check out their website and see what you come up with. i seem to remember there also being a good amount of info available for wa growers as well.

[url]http://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/[/url]

and feel free to email or im if you have any questions. i can help you with the basics and probabaly have some textbooks and such around that you may find useful.

[url=www.stpats.com]St. Patrick's of Texas Brewer's Supply[/url]

WONDERFULL! thats the info I needed! thanks Racebaiter and Cam_Pin!

I don't make wine but there are a lot of whiners here.