I need a great wine recipe but don't know what to look for.

I'm a wine newb I guess you could say. I've made more beers than I can count, but I'm just now concidering the jump to wine for a little extra variety.

I'm wanting to get a wine started for family members who don't like beer, but I have no idea what to look for since I neither drink wines or know the first think about creating a recipe for wine.

Any chance I can get something done and bottled by Christmas to give as presents? If they need to age in the bottle, I can let them know, so that's fine.

Otherwise, if it's a really good wine and needs aging in secondary, I can always do it this year and give it away next year.

So, I suppose I'm looking for some really good wine recipes. Not fruity wine. I'm looking for something more like a Merlot or another dark red wine. It doesn't really have to be grapes I suppose, as long as it tastes great and not like dessert.

I'm also looking for something fairly inexpensive and not a kit if that's possible.

Any suggestions?

I dont think you will be able to make a wine and have bottled by this Christmas. However, I just purchased and made a Merlot from Williams http://www.williamsbrewing.com/CALIFORNIA_MERLOT_KIT_P1295C165.cfm. This is my first kit wine. I have made several fruit wines. I have heard great things about this kit. I have it in my glass carboy. I am trying to bulk age it for up to a year.

there is no way to be positive any wine started today can be bottled by Christmas. you do have a chance of making bottle bombs as presents(not good) At minimum good chance there will be sediment in bottles. You started to late really. We say with wine, rule one is patience, rushing= trouble

Patience is key with beer too. I understand all of this. Bottle bombs are nothing new to me either. I'm not going to rush something and ruin it, I was just wondering if there are any good recipes out there for quick wines.

So...it seems I'll have to start aging a few wines for next year. Any suggestions on good recipes? No kits please. I don't like the idea of spending 100+ on a wine.

If you want to make a grape wine like commercial wines, the choices are to buy the grapes, or a kit.

If you want to make a "country" wine, with fruit other than grapes, those can be made much more cheaply than some kits.

I robbed my mothers freezer for her jelly strawberries at first of month(25#) now this wine should cost about 3 dollars to make. When Mom gets home from her cruise she might be a little pissed.

The kit from Williams was $60 to make 5 gallons. Even if you buy the Merlot grapes and crush them yourself, you will probably spend more than $60. I would also prefer to make a nice Merlot from scratch, but it was more cost effective to use this kit. I have made some good blackberry/welches wine that was good in 3 months. It tasted somewhat like a Merlot.