==== ==== Discover the winemaking secrets they really don't want you to know at http://tinyurl.com/Make-Great-Wine ==== ====
So, you really enjoy a glass of fine wine and you're thinking perhaps you could learn how to make wine at home. Where do you start? Before we get into the steps of how to make wine at home, let's assume that you know how to grow quality grapes or have access to good quality wine grapes. Most wines are made from grapes of the Vitis vinifera. This particular species includes the better-known grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. It is vital that you start the wine making process with high quality grapes, as this is the foundation of your wine. You cannot make good wine from bad grapes! Learning how to make wine at home is easy (there's not much mystery to it). You just need to follow a simple process and have the right equipment to do the jobs. When learning how to make wine at home, make sure you find out about the processes involved in these six basic steps: Harvesting This is usually done in the fall. The grapes must be harvested when sugar levels, tannin development and acidity are at their optimum. This is usually at the veraison stage when the grapes change color and start to soften. Some red grapes can be picked later at the dehydration stage when the berries start to soften and wrinkle. Crushing The traditional way of doing this is to step on the grapes with bare feet. The stems are then removed later. You can adjust the acidity of the wine at this stage. The purpose is split the grapes to expose the juices before yeast is added. The exposed grape skins give color to the wine. Fermentation Special wine making yeast is used in this step. For this to work properly, any native wild yeast and bacteria must be killed off first. This is accomplished by adding a small quantity of sulfite - just enough to kill or at least inhibit the destructive organisms. Pressing When fermentation is complete, the liquid is strained off and the remaining skins and seeds squeezed to get all the wine out. You can use a nylon mesh bag or a food grade bucket or a wine press. Clarification
This is the removal of unwanted suspended solid particles from the wine using filtration or fining (a process where bentonite clay or egg white is added to remove suspended solids). Maturation and aging Changes to a wine after fermentation and before it is bottled is called maturation. Changes after bottling is called aging. The final taste and bouquet of a wine is due to the complex reactions that happen in the bottle during aging. To learn how to make wine at home, it is very important that you take the time to understand the process of fermentation and how to manage and control it. The following are the processes within the fermentation stage that you should be aware of: - Type of juice (or grapes) and yeast - Sugar content - Acid level - Fermentation containers (e.g. oak barrels) - Exposure to air - Process for clearing wine - Temperature / humidity - Aging - Storage The objective of fermentation is to keep finesse and the quality of aroma. This is achievable only when the temperature range is properly controlled during the process, usually between 60 degrees F to 68 degrees F. This covers the basics of wine making. However, the information here is only the tip of the iceberg. It is not possible to cover all the fine points of wine making in this short article. Viticulture and wine making is an enjoyable and rewarding hobby. Armed with the right information, it is not such a difficult task. You just need to follow a formula for how to make wine at home and before long, you will be enjoying your first bottle of homemade wine from grapes grown in your own backyard!
Frank de Luca is a grape growing expert. For more great tips on how to make wine at home and quality wine making information visit http://www.grapewinemaking.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_De_Luca
==== ==== Discover the winemaking secrets they really don't want you to know at http://tinyurl.com/Make-Great-Wine ==== ====