Canada-Ontario

Make your own Wine Q

So our venue requires that we provide our own alcohol, and I was wondering if any of you have done any of the Make Your Own Wine type things.

Today's daily deal with Groupon offers a Make Your Own Wine package for $59 (normally $199) http://www.groupon.com/r/uu3694751.

Is this worth it?

This would save us SO much money, but I'm hesitant to purchase two groupons (one for me, one for fiance - 30 reds and 30 whites for $118??!!), because we don't know what the final result will be.

So, does anyone have any experience with the Make Your Own Wine places?  Do you normally like the wine that you make?  The actual list of the wines that are included in this groupon are here: http://www.winebutler.ca/product-list/cheekiest/

I don't like wine at all, so I don't know if these would be good, and my fiance is of no help with this either right now.

Thoughts?  I have until midnight tomorrow (Thursday) to purchase, and I've been contemplating this one all day...

Re: Make your own Wine Q

  • LittlinLittlin member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Ummm...making your own wine is a risky thing...and I have not had good experiences tasting anyone else's "homemade" wine.  Personally, I would not serve this type of wine at a wedding unless I was a professional wine maker!
  • unplainjaneunplainjane member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    i'm a big wine drinker and personally would not go this route for your wedding. i think it's too big of a risk if you've never done it before and it'll end up costing you more money if you aren't happy with the results. the only time i've had good homemade wine is by someone who's been doing it for years.

    for an inexpensive wine choice check out fuzion wine from argentina. they have a white and red blend and it's quite good and around $7-8 a bottle. as well there are good wines from portugal that are around that price.

    if you even want to go cheaper then that that are (dare i say) some boxed wines that i've tried that have been shockingly better the i expected. i tried some at that wine shop that's in loblaws. give them a visit and ask about their boxed wines.
  • naomikbnaomikb member
    Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011

    I've made my own wine once (and my parents and FI's parents do it all the time) but we aren't really picky wine-drinkers.  They tried a few different kinds for a few years and found one red and one white that they liked and now they just keep making those 2 kinds.  But for a while it was hit and miss, and there were some crappy batches.

    Do you have any friends who might go in on it with you?  You could do 4 batches between you and then split them up, then you have more variety for your wedding and more likelihood of decent wine.

    It also boils down to - how much do you care?  Is it a formal party where people expect good wine?  Are your friends/family really into wine? 

    And how many bottles do you actually need?  60 bottles is a lot.  If you only need 20 bottles, it's better to buy 20 x $12 good bottles at the LCBO than to buy 60 questionable bottles .

    You could also check out a Niagara winery to see if they can give you a volume discount if you buy a big order from them...

  • edited December 2011
    We made some wine last year from a different place and it's been great. We just ordered another 90 bottles (using the Groupon you mentioned above) and are really looking forward to the results. As friends of ours recommended when we were first doing the wine making "Don't go the cheapest route", but from looking at the Wine Butlers website, the wines they're offering are the second to the top (and the same price as the wines we'd previously made elsewhere).

    We have friends who make their own cheaper wine and you can taste it, but if you spend a bit more on the wine it can be really quite nice.
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  • MadisonpennyMadisonpenny member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    The only way I would make my own wine for my wedding is if i had enough time to make 2 sepeate batches.. hpefully this way if one batch doesnt turn out you always have the 2nd batch.  Also if your not going this route and your buying a large number of bottles you can always contact the vineyards and see if you can get a deal when ordering instead of buuying through the LCBO.
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  • edited December 2011

    This is late to be chimming in - I am doing this for my wedding to save some $. We did not pick the cheapest make your own wine and my parents do it all the time and know what wines they like and don’t like.

  • edited December 2011
    I would definitely vote against.
    We tried it for home consumption and still have a closet full of the crap.  I made sangria with it last weekend, which was good, but I don't know if the hangover was from the quantity I consumed, or the poor wine.
    We went with one of the more expensive and longer to wait ones which was popular at the place.  Big miss, it's been almost a year sitting in the closet.
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