| This is a basic overview of a recipe is for the | | | | straining bag, squeezing the bag to extract all the |
| production of grape wines. The easy tips included | | | | juice. |
| will be sure to help you enjoy the wine making | | | | Take an S.G. (specific gravity) reading of the juice |
| process as you implement your grape wine recipe. | | | | and adjust with sugar syrup to 1.080. Pour into a |
| Slight adjustments to the ingredients used can | | | | demijohn and add an active yeast starter. Plug |
| yield an eclectic collection of tastes and flavors. I | | | | the jar with cotton wool and when the |
| would recommend trying a basic fruit wine, such | | | | fermentation is active replace with an airlock. |
| as grapes. | | | | Leave in a warm place and when the |
| If you have never made a home made wine | | | | fermentation is finished, in about 10-14 days, rack |
| before, don't worry, these tips are designed to | | | | the clearing wine from the lees into a clean jar |
| ensure your success, so that you don't end up | | | | and remove to a cool place. After 2 days rack |
| wasting all your efforts. | | | | again. This time adding 2 Campden tablets or 2 |
| Below I have included a simple overview to the | | | | teaspoons strong sulphite solution. |
| recipe and how it works to remove some of the | | | | Now you let them age and mature in for 12 |
| "mystery" that surrounds it, and to help you get | | | | months before bottling. |
| started. I think you will enjoy it. | | | | Finding Good Grapes |
| What Ingredients To Use | | | | When growing grapes you need good summer |
| For this recipe you will need some basic | | | | weather to enable the vine to produce grapes |
| ingredients such as 2 teaspoons pectic enzyme, | | | | with a high sugar level, and a low acid content. A |
| sugar, 15 pounds of white grapes, white wine | | | | wine made from grapes that haven't had the |
| yeast, and Campden tablets (or strong sulphite | | | | chance to completely ripen will be of poor quality. |
| solution). | | | | It will usually have a low alcohol level with high |
| An Overview Of The Process | | | | acidity. |
| The first thing you will need to do is to pick the | | | | If the grapes can be left on the vine a far |
| grapes, remove them from the stalks and place | | | | superior wine should be achieved. This is because |
| them in a plastic bucket. If the grapes are fully | | | | the maximum sugar level in the grapes can be |
| ripe they can be crushed easily by hand or with a | | | | achieved, which in turn, produces a higher quality |
| sterilized wooden block. | | | | wine. |
| Next, add the pectic enzyme, and one crushed | | | | Although there are a number of fruits that be |
| Campden tablet or 1 teaspoon strong sulphite | | | | used to make wine, grapes are the standard |
| solution. Stir well, cover with an upturned plate, | | | | choice, and will yield the best results for your |
| then cover the bucket and leave for 24 hours. | | | | grape wine recipe. |
| Press the grapes or strain through a strong nylon | | | | |