Wine making is an art form that will change the way you look at the world and the people in it. You and your talents will be fully integrated into each bottle of wine you make. Making homemade wine is a fun hobby, not to mention great tasting wines can be made for just pennies on the dollar. Many people assume wine making is a difficult process, however it’s easier than most people think. Wine making is an age old tradition that people all over the world continue today. Making homemade wine can be summarized into six steps:
Step 1 – Sourcing Grapes: Wine making is simple and you can even make wine from frozen grape juice concentrate available at your grocery store. If you are more discerning, there are companies that sell juice for different grape varietals such as merlot, cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir to name a few.
Step 2 – Primary Fermentation: After pouring your grape juice into a glass wine making container, add campden tablets, cover with a towel and let it sit overnight. The campden tablets create sulfur gas that kills bacteria and eliminates wild yeast in the juice. Then add your yeast to the juice allowing it to ferment for five to seven days. Fermentation should start within 24 to 48 hours. Your mixture should start foaming, this is evidence active fermentation is happening and is converting sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas.
Step 3 – Secondary Fermentation: After 5 to 7 days, siphon the wine into a secondary fermentation container, but be careful to leave sediments behind. Seal the container with an airlock in order to prevent oxidation of your wine. Let the wine ferment an additional 5 to 7 weeks until the wine is clear. Fermentation will be initially active evidenced by the constant bubbling in the airlock. Refrain from opening the container too early risking contaminating your wine. Patience is very much a virtue here.
Step 4 – Racking the Wine: In the fermentation process, sediments (aka lees) are manufactured and settle to the bottom of the container. The sediment consists mainly of dead yeast cells and need to be removed so not to spoil your wine. The process for removing the lees is called “racking”. Be careful not to over rack your wine because it can either slow down or stop fermentation altogether. Also, unwelcome elements such as oxygen and bacteria may be introduced to your wine and can ruin it.
Step 5 – Bottling the Wine: Rack your wine one last time to remove remaining lees from the wine before you bottle it. You can add campden tablets to eliminate any remaining yeast and bacteria from your wine. Now you are ready to bottle your wine. Most do-it-yourself winemaker’s will package their wine in traditional wine bottles and sealing it with corks. Keep in mind you have other options.
Step 6 – Drinking Your Wine: Saving the best step for last, now we’re ready to taste the fruits of your labor. Professional wine maker’s keep a detailed journal noting what they did on each batch and the distinguishing characteristics that resulted to replicate or improve the next batch.
Making homemade wine is a fun and rewarding hobby. Making your own wine is a craft that improves with time. It just takes a bit of patience on your part and a bit of trial and error to develop the flavor and blend you like. There is absolutely nothing like the thrill of opening a bottle of your own wine knowing you crafted something that equals or is better than the quality of higher priced wines in the store.
Bob Lystra is a wine lover who’s been making his own wine at home for years. He has found a practical guide to make your own wine easily from home. Visit Bob’s website at www.winefromhome.com to discover where he learned how to make homemade wine.
