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Home winemaking kits – any ideas?

Can anyone make useful suggestions to Whitey van Vuren, who writes as follows:
I have just received a book from my daughter in Ireland knowing that some 35 years ago I made some wine at home (Bellville, at that time) as a hobby. The title: First Steps in Winemaking by C.J.J. Berry. At that time I ordered a winemaking kit and all the ingredients required from a firm in Johannesburg. I am now staying in Pretoria and was wondering whether there are any stockists of such kits for people like me who want to make wine just as a hobby at home.
 
John Lugg replies:
I have also tried to find stockist of wine making kits, and the only company I can find is National Food Products in Emmarentia. A White Pharmacy in Cape Town carry stock of all the yeasts and chemicals. The kits containing grape juice etc are exceptionally expensive, because it's all imported from England. I even went to England to find them for myself, only to be VERY disappointed with the quality of the finished product. What frustrated me was that I live in wine making country (Cape Town), yet something so simple wasn't available locally. I have now resorted to making 'the real thing' the proper way.

Oh - if you are looking for demi johns, the best (and only) place is from Makro. They sell really cheap wine in them. Distell import the bottles, and refuse to sell only the bottles. All the best.

... and looking for the grapes too

Further from John Lugg:
I am looking for someone who is prepared to sell +/- 100 kg Touriga Nacional grapes to a 'garagiste' (obviously when in season). Any contacts for Shiraz grapes as well?
(If you will have grapes to sell him in three or four months, you can email John by clicking here.)
 

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