Sulphite free Grape wine - new and seeking tips/links

I've just bought a grape crusher and am hoping to start dabbling in red grape wine fermenting.

I'm also aiming to keep it sulphite free (yes I realise I probably can't cellar it).

There doesn't seem to be a beginners how-to on winemaking in this sub-forum. Sorry if I missed it.

I'm just looking for some basic pointers - I have been all grain brewing for around a year and brewing partials, extracts and kits prior to that for maybe 3 years so I'm not a complete beginner to the concepts of fermentation (still got loads to learn though). My understanding is that I will need a fermenter that's about twice the volume of the actual must. I also understand I may need a pH meter and some various acids (which a professional winemaker is happy to send to me once I get my first lot of grapes sorted).

Is it a fairly similar process to beer fermentation? What differences? I do have an old book someone gave me but it is from 1970 or so and I'm sure there's some more up to date info out there.

Cheers all.

It is not possible to make sulfite free wine. The yeast makes sulfite when fermenting. If you have headaches from drinking commercial wine, it is the Malolactic fermentation commercial wineries use that is causing the problem. Malolactic fermentation create histamines in the wine. So the wine gives you a sinus headache.

Your liver create sulfites and there are sulfites in the air you breath so you are not allergic to sulfites. Sulfites are not the bad thing. You only need to use a few grams per 6 gallons to make the wine last for many years. If you don't, it will last a few months at most.

Forrest

I know that sulphites exist in the grapes so technically 'sulphite free' is impossible. However I do know that it is possible not to add sulphites as I have relatives who make delicious preservative free wine and at least 3 commercial wineries in Australia also make it.

I notice a major difference between the effects of preservative free wine and wine containing preservatives. Perhaps I should have said preservative free/antioxidant free rather than sulphite free.

If we put aside the sulphite issue for a moment, what other fermentation processes that differ from beer should I be looking at?

Cheers