Tag: Making

Wine Making Kit – Make Your Own Wine

Posted on

If you are the creative type and have always wanted to invent new and exciting flavors of wine, then you may want to consider using a wine making kit to bottle your own wine. If you are a beginner, you want to make sure the wine making kit you purchase has all the ingredients or materials needed to create a successful wine. Here are some suggestions or tips on items to look for when deciding on which wine making kit to purchase.

Essential Wine Kit Items

Since you are a beginner, you want to ensure your wine making kit has a fermenting bottle or container-usually 6 gallons-air hoses, stoppers and locks. You will also need an instructional manual that is detailed and easy to understand the recipes. Your ingredients will vary depending on the type of wine you want to make, so be sure you understand what the ingredients are and what they do before you begin.

Where to Buy Your Wine Kit

Purchase your wine making kit from a reputable dealer either online or wine specialty shop. The merchant you select should be available to you in case you have any problems or need assistance during the process. Many wine dealers who sell beginner kits will be just enthusiastic about the process as you, so don’t feel like you’re putting them out by asking for assistance.

Wine Ingredient Kits Can Save Time

If you’re looking to cut the processing time down while you’re still a beginner, you may want to consider purchasing some grape concentrate when you purchase your kit. The grape concentrate frees you from researching grapes and the flavors they achieve, and it will cut the processing time down significantly. Once you are used to the process itself, it may be easier for you to choose different grapes for your wine and start from the very beginning.

Wine Making Recipe For Homemade Wines

Posted on

The equation to a successful home made wine is fifty percent strictly following the instructions and fifty percent involving a good wine making recipe. If you do not have one, and even if you follow the instructions down to the letter, chances are you end up with home made vinegar rather than wine. Among the most basic recipes around involve only five ingredients which are grapes, granulated sugar, Campden tablets, pectic enzyme and wine yeast.  

Grapes  

Have at least eight to ten gallons of grapes. Buy those really sweet varieties and seedless types for an easier process. Crush the grapes in batches to produce a consistent grape must. Place the must in really clean buckets or similar containers leaving at least a fourth of the container empty.  

Squeeze some of the must with cheesecloth to produce a cup of juice. With a hydrometer, the juice should have a specific gravity reading of less than 1.090. Properly covered, set aside the juice.  

Campden tablets  

With a cup of warm water, completely dissolve five Campden tablets. Stir the solution into the must with a wooden spoon. The tablets will be used to kill any present bacteria and prevent the must from getting contaminated in the future. Leave the bucket covered with cloth and wait for at least twelve hours before mixing in the next ingredient.  

Pectic enzyme  

Add four teaspoons of pectic enzyme to the must. Cover again and set aside for another twelve hours.

Wine yeast  

While waiting for the twelve hour period from adding the pectic enzyme, mix at least five milligrams of wine yeast to the juice earlier set aside. After the second twelve hours, mix in the yeast juice with the must. Stir the whole mixture two to three times a day keeping it covered in between. As with any wine making recipe, the fermentation process is the most crucial.  

Granulated sugar  

When the fermentation process is done, add sugar to taste and to reach a specific gravity reading of 1.090 after removing the non-wine particles and substances present.  

This wine making recipe allows you to switch the grapes to any fruit you wish to make your wine with and experiment with the amount of sugar to come up with the sweetness your wine would have.  

Find More Merlot Wine Articles

The Making of Champagne

Posted on

There are only three types of grapes that can be used in the production of champagne. These three varieties are: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Pinot Noir is the wine growers nightmare, but the drinkers paradise. Pinot Noir is extremely sensitive to rot and disease. A very difficult grape to cultivate and all contact with the grapes skin must be avoided to ensure a white champagne. Pinot Noir grapes of the highest class can only be found growing in Burgundy and the region of Champagne. It is used to give backbone and structure to champagne.

Pinot Meunier is the grape that the majority of champagne houses use and dominates the regions of Aisne and Seine- et- Marne. The Pinot Meunier grape is a very hardy grape and is the only variety that ripens in very cold years. It is also less sensitive to spring frost and gives a 10- 15% higher yield per vine than the Pinot Noir. Producers praise Pinot Meunier for its fruity qualities and wines from this grape mature quickly. Pure blanc de noirs from Pinot Meunier are unusual and are rarely good for no more than ten years.

Chardonnay is probably the worlds finest grape. Today Chardonnay is a fashionable grape which is harvested more and more in France. The greatest increase has taken place in Champagne. The grape allows itself to be formed to perfection in various climates and soils. The Chadonnay vine does however waste energy in producing leaves instead of using it to ripen the grapes. This however is combated by hard pruning and planting the vines very close together. On the whole the grape is very easy to cultivate with just one problem being its sensitivity to frost.

There are seven steps in the process of making Champagne:

1- The vineyard:The vine farmers work goes on all year round. He must prune, fertilize and spray the crop protecting against viruses, parasites and spring frosts. The average age of a vine is 15 years, with a vine reaching its peak at 30 years.

2- The harvest:In any wine region the harvest is the highlight of any given year. The harvest festival is a colorful occasion. The harvesting usually begins in the middle of September.

3- The pressing:The press house is located as near as possible to the vineyard as its essential that the grapes are whole and in their best condition when they reach the press house. In 1992 the legally set volumes for each pressing were set at 2550 litres from 4000 kilos of grapes.

4- Fermentation:When the grape juice has been taken to the fermenting vats it immediately begins to ferment, due to the yeasts originally in the grapes skin. Selected yeast cultures are also added.

5- Blending:When the wine has finished fermenting during the winter it is racked twice, separating the wine from the yeast sediment that builds up. In march blending begins with the cellar master- chef de caves- blending the wines with each other to produce the best possible champagne.

6- Second fermentation:When the blending has been completed in giant tanks more sugar and yeast is added and then the wine is bottled and sealed temporarily.

7- Disgorging:After the second fermentation has completed the bottlenecks are frozen at – 28c half freezing the sediment, which is shot out of the bottle by a machine with a sharp mechanical movement. The lost wine is then replaced with new wine and some sugar. The bottle is then fitted with the cork and the bottle of champagne has been made.

Related Pinot Noir Wine Articles

Wine Making

Posted on

The science of wine making is called enology. Most home wine makers are not scientists and may not be familiar with the term, but they are wine lovers that appreciate the great taste of wines. If you make wine yourself the satisfaction is especially rewarding. Making your own wine has a number of benefits. First, it is less expensive than buying wine commercially. You have control over the recipe and the ingredients that go into the wine you produce. Second, making your own wine is enjoyable, especially when you share it with friends and family.

Making wine is extraordinarily simple. Wine is made when yeast is added to grape juice or most any other kind of juice. The basic ingredients are juice, yeast, sugar and water. The yeast consumes the sugar in the juice mixture and produces carbon dioxide gas and alcohol. The carbon dioxide gas bubbles out of the juice and what is left is wine. It’s just that simple.

The question is often asked “is drinking wine healthy?” Beyond the fact that wine contains alcohol, which taking in moderation, is not considered adverse to good health. The presence of other compounds in wine, particularly red wines, promotes good health for most wine consumers. The compound poly-phenolic flavonoids, which are antioxidants, are of particular benefit in promoting good health. Chiefly found in red grape skins, the concentrations tend to be high in red wines because the skins are included in the fermentation process.

Alcohol’s health benefits favor the cardiovascular system, and dramatically reduces the risks of atherosclerotic heart attacks, ischemic strokes and limb amputations due to compromised blood supply. In addition, the antioxidants in wine modulate the blood clotting that climaxes heart attacks and strokes. They also help by inhibiting the oxidation of LDL, the bad cholesterol, to its dangerous form. Research data supports moderate consumption of wine with a longer and healthier life than that of abstainers.

However, wine is not for everyone. Certain medical conditions are worsened by the consumption of wine, so it’s vital you seek the advice of your personal physician if you are in less than good health.

How to Make Wine
The easy way is to purchase a home wine making kit that usually consists of a three to five gallon container (fermentor), hydrometer, stopper and fermentation lock, syphonhose, sterilizer and reference book. The ingredients (grape juice, sugar, and yeast) are usually sold separately. There are many different types of kits to choose from or you can obtain the items separately from local resources. Typically a four or five gallon water container serves very well as a fermentor.

Any fruit juice may be used to make wine. The basic fruit must be mashed or liquefied to release the active ingredients in the fruit. This can be done with a small fruit press or even a kitchen blender. My basic recipe is as follows:

• 4 gallons of red grape juice
• Approximately 4 pounds of sugar. The amount of sugar is determined by the specific gravity of the mixture. I usually shoot for a specific gravity reading of 0.9960 of the mixture before fermentation. Determining the specific gravity at start will determine the alcohol content at finish. The amount of sugar also determines if the finished wine will be dry or sweat. Carefully read your hydrometer as each hydrometer is different. You should consult the booklet that comes with the hydrometer for correct use.
• Approximately one gallon of water to dissolve the sugar
• One half teaspoon of baker’s instant yeast dissolved (activated) in water.
• Stir the mixture and install the fermentation lock. I use a cork with a quarter inch plastic hose that ends in a small bottle of water. This trap is necessary to prevent the atmosphere from contaminating the mixture.
• Place the fermentation container in an environment that is between 70 and 80 degree. Fermentation (bubbling) will start almost immediately.
• Fermentation will end (bubbling stops) in about 21 days at which time drain the contents less the sediment into another container using a siphon hose. This is called racking.
• Let set for three to six months and bottle

This is a basic recipe that can be altered by experience and personal preference.
Happy wine making.

White Wine Making

Posted on

White Wines vs. Red Wines: Do you know All the Differences?

You don’t need me to tell you that the difference between red wines and white wines is the color. But I’m sure that I can mention a few facts about wines that you didn’t know. For example, did you know that many white wines are produced with red grapes?

The Tannic Element

White wines are characterized for having low levels of tannin, while red wines contain it in high quantities. I know what you’re thinking…It is safe to deduct, then, that this tannic element is entirely responsible for a wine’s color, correct? Correct! Tannins place a significant role in wine color, since they carry the pigments that give it a dark, reddish hue. They are extracted from grape stems, seeds and skins where they are found in high concentrations.

Color Hues

When white wines are made, these skins, stems and seeds (lees) are isolated from the must, or pressed grapes. Winemakers do this to prevent the reddish color and qualities that tannins impart in the wine, thus obtaining an amber-colored drink, instead of a ruby-colored one. Tannin concentrations depend not only on how much of the lees are left in the fermentation vessel, but also for how long they remain in contact with the must. Because of this, you will find many different red wines with different hues of red. The darker the red is, the longer it has been in contact with the grape juice and must.

Wine Qualities According to Color

Aside from color, tannins give wines a heavy, round, complex quality. This makes red wines warmer and spicier in nature, full-bodied and with a prevalent sedimentation. On the other hand, white wines tend to be crisp and light, and generally they summon wine enthusiasts that are looking for a fruity, refreshing drink.

Fermentation Practices: Whites vs. Reds

Red wines also differ from whites in terms of their fermentation and ageing. White wines, for one, are generally fermented at cool temperatures and for a long time. Red wines, on the other hand, require warmer temperatures, and a speedier fermentation process. Winemakers use this temperature variation in white wine making in order to stall fermentation – which aids in the development of tannins. To compensate for the slow fermentation progress, vintners extend the process to achieve a ‘tannic complexity, but without high tannin contents.

The Effect of Oak in White Wine Ageing

In addition to fermentation, the use of oak enhances tannin extraction into the wine. With this in mind, you’ll find that darker red wines are most frequently aged in oak – and that white wines are rarely exposed to this wood. One example of a white wine that is aged in oak is the Chardonnay. Proof of higher tannin content, Chardonnays are generally drier, slightly round-bodied and darker than other white wines. In replacement to oak barrel ageing, white wines are most commonly treated in stainless steel vats. The use of metal not only prevents tannin extraction, but it aids in temperature control and is more affordable than conventional oak barrels. Also related to tannin concentrations is the length of ageing. Ageing offers best results in wines that offer high tannic levels, as tannins fully develop and grant the aged wine with a complex quality, full body and robust flavor. Because of this, and since white wines have little tannins, these are recommended to be aged for 12 months or less.

Find More Zinfandel Wine Articles

Featured wine

popular posts