Wednesdays with The Wine Mom – Make it Yourself!

The Wine Mom  Wednesday, September 23, 2009

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Did you know that you don’t have to own a winery, be a trained wine maker or spend millions to make your own wine? This is a great activity if you are looking for some new wine ideas for the fall. I have never made wine myself, but have spoken to friends, family and met others that were willing to share their learnings from the wine making process.

It would seem that wine making is almost contagious. Those that I have spoken to about it have said that they started because they have friends that make their own wine.

In this economy, many of us are worried about budgeting extra expenses. However, Suzanne Anderson of Charlotte, North Carolina shared some ways to make this an affordable hobby. She said that for regular wine drinkers, making wine is quite economical. The quality of the end product is just as good as what you can buy in stores. The wines end up being about two to three dollars per bottle, and she also saves money by having friends save wine bottles for her.

Rick Ellis of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania added: “One batch makes 6 gallons or 30 bottles. Some wines that are available at the wine store for nearly $50 per bottle will cost about $7 per bottle to make. We have tried them and they are that good. We are making a wine called Luna Rosa, a full-bodied, red medium oak. This wine won a Gold Medal Award in 2008 and it will cost $110 for 30 bottles. Bottling is fun as well as choosing labels, corking and sealing. Luna Rosa sells for about $15 per bottle in stores.”

If you are worried about what types of wines are available, then worry no more. You can make every wine variety that is available in the market today. Michelle Bakewell of Knoxville, Tennessee has made Pinot Noir, Montepulciano (red wine from east central Italy), Valpolicella (an Italian blend) and an Australian Chardonnay. Michelle said that she enjoys the nuances of her Chardonnay more so than store-bought Chardonnays. She and her husband have recently finished making an Alsatian Riesling and Pinot Blanc as well.

Suzanne also shared some great tips on how to get started. “You can get a starter kit at most wine stores or on various websites. I shopped at a store that was great at helping me get started and making wine suggestions. They also allowed me to bottle my wine at their store for just the cost of the corks, rather than having to buy my own bottling equipment. When I moved to Charlotte just over a year ago, I had to find a new store. However, I did have to get my own bottling equipment.”

Suzanne says an ideal starter kit should include:
• Primary Fermenter (6-gallon plastic bucket)
• Secondary Fermenter (6-gallon glass or plastic carboy)
• Bung (or stopper)
• Airlock
• Hydrometer
• Wine thief (not necessary but HIGHLY recommended)
• Large plastic or wooden stir spoon
• Bottle Brush
• No-Rinse Sanitizer
• Racking Tube
• Auto Siphon (not necessary but HIGHLY recommended)

Temperatures should be constant and between 65-75 degrees during the fermentation process. Irregular temps can cause a prolonged fermentation process or a bad batch of wine.

Home winemakers seem to make wine anywhere from the kitchen to their basement (depending upon size and storage). If you have a basement, they are better at holding the 65-75 degree temperature range. You can also find deals on refrigeration equipment (often used) online, as Michelle did. She does not have a basement and this helped give her steady temperatures for fermentation.

If you want to make wine without kits, you can do that as well. Michelle acknowledged, “We picked twenty pounds of blackberries last summer to make 30 bottles of blackberry wine. That wine still needs a few months – about 2-4 more, before being aged a total of 16 months!” Her advice for berry wines: “add more sugar than the recipe calls for. It is SUPER dry!”

If making wine at home is something that interests you, make sure you do some research. There are many retailers (both stores and online) designed to help you take on this task. There are also numerous recipes available as well. Good luck and enjoy the end result!