C.J.J. Berry is a legend to winemaking hobbiests worldwide as the man who had a winemaking recipe for just about any ingredient. For literally tens of thousands of home winemakers, this is the only reference book they ever had or needed.

When it first appeared, the layout of “First Steps in Winemaking” was quite unique. After an admirable discussion of the basic principles of home winemaking, Berry then presented his recipes on the basis of the month in which the principal ingredients are readily available at market or are typically harvested in the British home garden. There are three things wrong with this format.

Firstly, citing harvest months for various ingredients geographically limits the accuracy of the format. Harvest times for any crop will vary greatly around the world, but they can differ from Britain’s calendar by six months for gardeners in, say, Australia. Berry’s treatment works fine in the British Isles and many other places, but certainly this is not universally so. In his later books, Berry abandoned the calendar-month format of “First Steps….”

Secondly, at least in developed countries, there is no longer a need to be tied to calendar-month availability of ingredients. Advances in cargo transport and refrigeration over the past 50 years have made dependency on local crops a thing of the past. Almost any ingredient can be found in the modern supermarket or produce center at any time.

Thirdly, Berry’s presentation of recipes by month results in dependence on the index in order to find recipes for a particular ingredient. This is perhaps the greatest shortcoming of the book’s layout. An alphabetical listing of recipes, as he used in subsequent books, would have been more convenient.

In defense of the author, however, I must point out that Berry never anticipated his book would have worldwide appeal. Nor, it would seem, that it would remain popular for so long. Certainly he would not have quoted prices for ingredients and supplies had he suspected as much.

Are these shortcomings fatal? Not in the least! This is still the classic reference to the subject and ought to be in every winemaker’s library. Indeed, if you could only buy one book on the subject, only Terry Garey’s “The Joy of Home Winemaking” could challenge “First Steps….” to a coin toss.

Buy it. Read it. Make wine. You’ll love yourself for it.
Rating: 5 / 5

The book is essentially divided into two sections. The first covers the basic principles of wine making: the science behind it, the key ingredients, and the necessary tools and techniques. The second half is a pretty substantial list of recipes, concentrating heavily on country wines.

Sadly, the coverage of the principles and techniques was too brief, particularly with regard to timing. I am still at a bit of a loss as to how long one should allow the aerobic ferment to take place, how long for the anaerobic format and so on. I think I’ll be getting another book that focuses more on technique before I make my first attempt.
Rating: 3 / 5

This book has many, many recipes that can inspire even the most seasoned winemaker, yet it is simple enough for the beginner. A must-have, in my opinion.
Rating: 5 / 5

This is the third copy of this book I have purchased. I gave the first one away. Ordered another for a friend and hope I can hold on to this copy for a while. I find this the best and easiest to follow and have made multible wines with these receipes. I highly recommend the book – especially the Mead.
Rating: 5 / 5

I’ve been making wine at home successfully for several years now from recipes but have never had a How To book. Berry’s guide is so useful and helpful even though one might skip over some of the more elemental bits. Even if you think you know what you’re doing, it’s good to have the whole process covered fully step by step. Also, his charming English manner makes for fun reading. Reading this book will make you feel like you’ve been taught by a tweedy old major in his shed in the English countryside. Also lots of recipes for things I’d never even considered fermenting according to a yearly month by month calendar which should appeal to people interested in a seasonal, locavore type lifestyle. Start here!
Rating: 4 / 5