How to Make Wine

Whether you enjoy a glass of wine with your Sunday dinner or only drink it on occasion, knowing how to make your own wine can come in handy. There are many ways to make wine, and some are faster than others. Here are two methods of wine making.

A Quick Winemaking Method
The Longer Way to Make Wine
Other Options

A Quick Winemaking Method

The easiest way to make wine is from grape juice. Here is what you will need:

3 cans of concentrated grape juice (buy online or at a specialty shop for high quality)
1 package of rapid rise yeast
1/2 cup sugar
bottled or filtered water (fill a grape juice can six times)
plastic wrap (or balloon)
a pin
a rubber band (not needed if using a balloon)
1 gallon (3.8 l) jug

Step one Clean and sanitize the jug.

Step two Add grape juice.

Step three Add the water (at room temperature)

Step four Add sugar, seal the jug and shake well.

Step five Add yeast.

Step six Puncture a few holes into the balloon, or plastic wrap. Cover the jug with the balloon or plastic wrap. (Use a rubber band to secure the plastic wrap down.)

Step seven Store the jug in a mild and dark location for at least 14 days.

The Longer Way to Make Wine

You will need high quality grapes. Gather them and remove all stems. You will need 5-15 pounds of grapes to make 2-5 gallons (~7.5-19 l) of wine. The proportion is up to you.

Break the skins and gently crush the grapes to release the juice. The less you crush, the more "fruit" you will smell. Be sure not to crush the seeds, as this can affect the taste.

For about three weeks, you will need to ferment the grapes. Add yeast to the juice to stimulate the fermentation process. Store the juice at around 65°F/18°C (white wine) or around 80°F/26°C (red wine) in a covered yet slight ventilated container.

Once you are satisfied with the amount of fermentation, press the grapes to release more of the juices. Allow a few more weeks for the fermentation to continue. The more time allowed, the more potent wine.

When you feel that the juices are ready, you can strain and bottle your wine. It is a good idea to add sulfates to ensure that the fermentation process is discontinued.

Other Options

Almost any type of fruit can be used to make wine. Treat the fruit in that same fashion that you would grapes, removing stems and avoid crushing any seeds.

Blackberry wine is a popular choice, but there are still more options:

Apricots
Blackberries
Blueberries
Elderberries
Gooseberries
Peaches
Pears
Persimmons
Pineapple
Plums
Raspberries
Strawberries
Watermelon

As with grapes, you will need 5-15 pounds (~2.3-6.8 kg) of fruit to make 2-5 gallons (~7.5-19 l) of wine. Experiment with different fruits for different flavors. Have fun, and invite friends over for a taste test.

Be sure that you winemaking habits fall within the legal limit for your area. Wine making is legal in the United States.

Please drink responsibly!