Thanks Sid. I figure if wine can be made from potatoes, winter squash isn't too far a stretch.

I'll bet they have turned to bird food by now. Linda C

I found you can get by with just pouring the jugs carefully if you're only doing one gallon batches, but really a siphon is best. They call it a "wine racking cane". I got some wine yeast on e-bay, they were selling equipment too like that, so you could get one delivered if you wanted one. Also, the juice is just the frozen kind at the grocery store. Welch's white grape peach is just as good as the Aldi's, it just costs more. For some reason, the white grape mixes seem to make a better finished wine than the regular purple grape juices. The purple ones have a stronger, jelly-like taste that doesn't work as well as a wine. I've heard that the unfrozen kind of juice has preservatives in it and doesn't ferment well. But I didn't try any to find out. So far all I've got finished is the white grape peach, but I think the red raspberry/white grape is almost finished. Maybe one more week. There is a free wine label website that my hubby found www.freelabelmaker.com that has quite a few nice labels on there. I just started a new batch with 1 and 1/2 cups pineapple (fresh) and a can of orange juice concentrate(12 oz) and 2.5 cups of sugar. Someone told me that orange wine is good, and I had the stuff to do it with, so why not?

I have written a book on making organic wine at home. It's a free download ebook. Really, free with no strings attached. You are welcome to download it at the link below. In a word: sterilize. Sterilize every little thing that comes in contact with the wine, hands, every spoon, cup, measuring spoon, strainer and container - everything - and keep it sterile until you are finished with it. More than sterilization is rinsing it off. Whatever you use to sterilize, be it bleach, sulphite, whatever, has to be thoroughly rinsed from everything. Sterilize. Sterilize. Sterilize. Rinse. Rinse. Rinse. The rest is easy. For 5 gallons, collect about 3/4 of that in materials. Put it all in a big pot or two, cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn off fire and put on sterile lid. Let sit two days. Strain into primary fermenter. Add water to make 5 gallons. Add sugar until hydrometer reading is about 12-13% (a little at a time, testing as you go), add pectic enzyme according to package (usually about 2-3 teasp for 5 gal), add acid blend at 1 teas per gallon, stir well and sprinkle the yeast on top. Cover lightly for a week. Rack into secondary fermenter and add air lock. Rack about every three months, at least 2-3 times, until there is no more activity, no bubbles from air lock. Test again with hydrometer until reading is below 1.000 (0.9). Bottle. This makes a dry wine. Here is a link that might be useful: Wine Book