Winemaking - FAQ
- What is the difference in making wine from a kit versus making wine from fresh grapes?
- What is the basic process to making wine?
- What is the single biggest reason home-made wine doesn't turn out right?
- What are finings?
- What happens during fermentation?
- Why is acid balance important?
- What is sulphite?
- When is wine ready to drink?
- How do I determine the alcohol content?
- What should I look for in bottles and corks?
- Is it necessary to filter wine?
- My wine smells like vinegar?
- I get headaches from my wine, ahhh. Why?
- Why should I use glass bottles?
- Why does my wine have a yeasty taste?
- What is cold stabilisation?
- What is the difference between oak chips and oak extract?
Wine Making FAQ - Answers
Q1. What is the difference in making wine from
a kit versus making wine from fresh grapes?
Kits use grape concentrate which make them very easy to use, and they are
by far the best way for a beginner to learn winemaking. So easy in fact that
if you follow the directions, they're almost fool-proof. A concentrate kit will
generally be ready to drink sooner, and there's no choosing, crushing and pressing
of grapes. As well, for many people, space is an issue, and making wine from
a concentrate requires very little. However, it is important to buy a quality
kit, and to ensure that the grape concentrate you use is fresh.
Making wine from fresh grapes is a more complex process but can be more rewarding.
For the most part, the main differences can be found in preparing the must (that's
what the juice or crushed fruit that you are going to ferment is called). With
concentrate, the sugar and acid levels are for the most part adjusted for you.
However, when you're making wine from fresh fruit, you must adjust the sugar
and acid levels yourself. Because wines from grapes tend to be more complex
in taste, a lot of home winemakers start with concentrates and eventually graduate
to fresh grapes in order to improve the quality of their wine.
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Q2. What is the basic process to making wine?
The process for making wine is much easier than most people think. When
yeast converts sugar in fruit to carbon dioxide and alcohol, the CO2 escapes
into the air and what's left is wine. The winemaker's job is to create perfect
conditions for the yeast to do its job and let nature take its course.
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Q3. What is the single biggest reason home-made
wine doesn't turn out right?
The single biggest reason that home-made wine goes bad is the lack of cleanliness!
All equipment, anything that comes in contact with your must or young wine,
has to be sanitised (including your hands).
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Q4. What are finings?
Finings, usually bentonite, gelatin or isinglas, are natural agents that
are added to wine to accelerate the settling or clearing process. The wine is
then racked, that is, siphoned from one container to another, leaving the sediment
and fining agent behind.
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Q5. What happens during fermentation?
This is one of the miracles in the wine making process. Yeast, which causes
fermentation, is a single cell organism that converts the sugar in the fruit
to alcohol and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide escapes into the air and what
is left is wine.
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Q6. Why is acid balance important?
Fruit, including grapes, contain different types of acids. Too much acid
renders a wine undrinkable. On the other hand, if wine does not have enough
acidity, the result is a flat or insipid tasting wine. Check the acid levels
and adjust if necessary.
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Q7. What is sulphite?
Sulphite is a natural bacteria inhibitor. A small amount of sulphite in
your wine will not only discourage bacteria that could ruin it, but it also
helps prevent oxidation. However, a small minority of people can be allergic
to sulphite and they should be careful about its use.
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Q8. When is wine ready to drink?
To a lot of people, it's ready when they want to drink it. However there
is no cut and dry answer. Some simply develop faster than others, and whites
peak faster than reds. It could be anywhere from a few months for light wines
to a few years for heavier, robust reds. The key is to develop your ability
to evaluate wines and then taste and judge for yourself, now there's a truely
pleasureable pastime!
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Q9. How do I determine the alcohol content?
Take your starting specific gravity, subtract your finished specific gravity
and divide by 7.36. E.g.1080 - 995 = 85/7.36 = 11.55 % alcohol by volume.
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Q10. What should I look for in bottles and corks?
Any wine bottle can be used and re-used so long as it is perfectly clean
and sterilized before wine goes in. If you're saving bottles, rinse them immediately
after use. If there are any visible black spots or bacteria, discard the bottle.
As for corks, there are different lengths. The short ones are used for short
term wines, while long corks are better for long term wines. You can also find
wine bottles that accept a screw-top. Although not popular among traditionalists,
screw tops actually provide a good seal, but they are not nearly as romantic.
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Q11. Is it necessary to filter wine?
No, it's not necessary to filter, but filtering does give your wine a more
polished finish.
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Q12. My wine smells like vinegar?
Either use if for cooking or just throw it. Most likely your equipment wasn't
clean enough, your storage containers not topped up enough or air got at it
some other way. It's a learning process, move on but don't get discouraged,
better luck next time.
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Q13. I get headaches from my wine, ahhh. Why?
Your wine likely has high tannin levels and therefore high histamine levels.
It is fairly common in red wines. You may want to try white wine. It is also
possible you may be allergic to one or more components of the wine.
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Q14. Why should I use glass bottles?
Glass is easier to sterilize, re-use, and recycle. Glass doesn't breathe
like plastic which can impart off-odors. Glass is also more attractive and lets
you visually judge the wine's clarity.
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Q15. Why does my wine have a yeasty taste?
Most likely, your wine has been left too long on the lees (the dead yeast
after the ferment has stopped). Prompt racking can prevent this.
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Q16. What is cold stabilization?
Cold stabilization is the process of removing some of the acid in your wine
through precipitation, thus creating a softer finish. First, test your wine
for acid content with a process called acid titration. To cold stabilize, place
your wine in near freezing temperatures for about two weeks. If you live in
a northern climate, come winter, your garage makes an ideal spot. The acid will
drop to the bottom of the container in the form of crystals. You then rack the
wine off of the crystals.
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Q17. What is the difference between oak chips
and oak extract?
An oak extract is a 60% alcohol solution that has been steeped with oak
chips and taken on the oak flavour. It is very convenient to use, however, often
people prefer chips impart a more natural flavour in wine.