So we have finally decided on a birthday present for my brother inlaw. He plans on getting into winemaking once he gets his grapes started. I know that will be a few years from now, but I think he should get some experience with the fermentation process. I am experienced in beer making but, I understand that winemaking is a bit more finiky (Or at least the people that like wine are.) so it’s likely that his first batches will be awfull. All the more reason to get him started now before he wastes his own precious grapes.
Now the question. We are willing to spend a good amount of money (around $300). I have plenty of brew supply stores in the area. What equipment will he need to get started? Will he use a glass carbouy as a fermentor like I do? I don;t think the brew supply store I frequent sells grapes, where can I get (or tell him to get so they are fresh when he decides to brew) them?
Wine makers help?
My parents were given a wine making kit once. It consisted of instructions, yeast, caps for gallon jugs with a balloon, so it couldn’t have been too expensive.
I er, borrowed it, and a high school friend of mine and I bought some apple juice and made five gallons in his basement. I went by six months later and the son of a bitch had drunk it all. 
Your best bet would be to ask your local brewing/winemaking supply shop for help. Tell them what volume your brother-in-law plans on making, and they should be able to tell you what equipment he’ll need to buy/own. Some of the larger equipment that he’ll only need for crush might be available for rent, they are at our local supply shop.
Initially he won’t use a glass carbouy to ferment. He’ll need a large food grade bucket of some sort with a lid (and an airlock), pickle barrels are popular.
If you live in a winegrowing area, tell him to check craigslist for grapes during the harvest season. There were plenty for sale in this area last harvest season, and it’s how my husband and I plan on obtaining fruit to make our first batch from fresh grapes this year. Or he may just want to start with a kit and must his first time around (which is what we are doing right now, so far so good.)
A couple of nice presents for him would also be a subscription to WineMaker Magazine or a copy of Knowing and Making Wine by Emile Peynaud, considered a ‘must have’ for the home winemaker.
thank you. When is harvest season?
It mainly depends on your location. It will also depend slightly on what grape varietals you’re looking for. If you’re in the Northern hemisphere - August/September/October, in the Southern - February/March/April.
I bought him the standard winemaking kit that my brew supply store sells (glass carbouy, airlock, a minimal amount of tubing, a small amount of iodophore, hydrometer, and thermometer.), a kit with grape juice & yeast ($$$ this ain’t like brewing beer $$$), and 30 bottles. I think the amount of iodophore they gave me is not enough so I have split a big bottle I bought for myself.
I think that will get him off to a good start.
With the aid of a good book and some care he should be producing drinkable wine more or less from the word go. Cleanliness is next to Godliness in winemaking more than in anything else - sterilise the hell out of absolutely everything and keep all microbes out of the wine. Note that you can get excellent results with many fruits other than grapes, though nearly all of them need some help to balance sugars and nutrients. It may work out cheaper than grape juice, and even if not, it may be much more interesting to try.