Step one: where do I start?

I can't quite remember why I decided to pursue wine making. I guess it must have been one of my trips to Livermore Valley, or better yet, my trip to Sonoma that inspired me. Regardless, I ventured to my local retailer today in Campbell, CA: Fermentation Solutions (not much of a website, but the store is great).

There was only one person working the store today. It happened to be the store owner's son. He seemed very knowledgeable, so I decided to follow his guidance. I figured he was a good source, since his dad is a brewer and wine maker. He had to at least know the basics.

He suggested I start off with a basic wine making kit and a box of grape concentrate. At first, I thought that would be a bit too amateur-ish: the kit was mostly plastic and I pictured the grape concentrate having a "Welch's" label. I didn't want to look too douche-ey, so I was a bit hesitant.

However the grape concentrate was from the Malbec varietal grown in Argentina. The brand was "WinExpert" and the clerk assured me that it was reputable. I said "what the hell," and threw down my debit card.

In hindsight, the equipment kit is not only where most people start, but it contains the equipment that most people prefer (plastic is quite common for amateurs). Not only did I research the equipment today, but I also looked up the brand "WinExpert." It turns out that their wine kits have won tasting medals (my kit won a gold award at the 2008 Winemaker mag international amateur competition). I guess I didn't need to be so hesitant about purchasing this stuff.

I have since brought it home and thrown it in the guest room. I want Cassie (my ol' GF) to help me out so that it will be a team effort. We'll have fun and have 30 bottles of wine (~23L) when we're done. Wish us luck.