Winemaking Process
Choose a style of wine you like. Unsure? We can assist you with finding a wine that is suited to your taste. Take it home and get it started. When you have finished the process in the instructions and completely degassed and cleared the wine it is time for you to bottle. Remember that altitude and barometric pressure can have an impact on degassing.
Bottle your wine and dress it up with our labels and shrinks.
Let your wine age.
Uncork a bottle, put up your feet, and indulge.
THE AROMA OF WINE
Simply the best, Winexpert. The judges agree! Winexpert consistently has gold medal winning results year after year. Other kits do not compare to our nose.
From Wikipedia - It is through the aromas of wine that wine is actually tasted. The human tongue is limited to the primary tastes perceived by taste receptors on the tongue-acidity, bitterness, saltiness, sweetness and umami. The wide array of fruit, earthy, floral, herbal, mineral and woodsy flavor perceived in wine are derived from aroma notes interpreted by the olfactory bulb.[1] In wine tasting, wine is often smelled before being drunk in order to identify some components of the wine that may be present. Different terms are used to describe what is being smelled. The most basic term is aroma which generally refers to a "pleasant" smell as opposed to odor which refers to an unpleasant smell or possible wine fault. The term aroma maybe further distinguished from bouquet which generally refers to the smells that arise from the chemical reactions of fermentation and aging of the wine. read more...
I DON'T HAVE TIME TO MAKE WINE
I hear it almost every day, "I just don't have time to make more wine". So here we go with how long it actually takes to make a wine kit from start to finish. Total initial time comes in at 25 minutes - nothing to do now for a week. Now about he wine - Domaine Des Brumes - Brouilly, the largest Cru in Beaujolais, is a wine noted for its aromas of blueberries, cherries, raspberries, strawberries currants and floral notes. Our brouilly is called Domaine des Brumes, a refreshing, easy drinking red revealing a slender texture, smooth tannins and a medium finish. The Gamay grape is light and fruity in the same palette as a Beaujolais wine. read more...
NEW PROJECT FOR NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2011 - posted daily by Ron
Australian Petit Verdot - 'Super Cabernet' - dark and full bodied, with concentrated flavours of spice, blackberry and blackcurrent and notes of cedar. Our new Selection International with grape skins are a return of limited releases from the past. With intense fruit-forward character, this wine drinks well immediately and it will fully round out in only three months, delivering intense fruit and richness. This wine is right at the top of my list for favourites. I am going to show you step by step the fermentation process. To add another dimension I will be using Bordeaux 4267 liquid yeast. I know the end result is going to be just fabulous. On the left is the hop sock full of the grape skins. click here to view Australian Petit Verdot
STEP BY STEP THROUGH THE WINEMAKING PROCESS
Ron makes an Estate German Mosel Valley Gewurztraminer with Chablis liquid yeast, each day pictures and progress is posted here...
4 WINEMAKING TIPS FROM ALBERTA'S WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR
With our high altitude here are a few tips to assist you when making great wine. I have outlined a few additional ideas for each winemaking step.
1. Primary fermentation - when you add your juice to the primary along with your water and bentonite it is important to stir well. We suggest 5 minutes 3 or 4 times over an hour. If the juices don't dissolve with the water you may get layered fermentation resulting in a wine that tastes more like weak juice. If your specific gravity is not between the recommended reading in the instructions then you need to stir some more. If your primary is not graded or is a food grade 1 then upgrade to our food grade 5. click here to read about cancer causing chemicals which may be released from plastic during fermentation.
click here to read the entire winemaking article...
HOW TO DETERMINE THE ALCOHOL LEVEL
Take your starting specific gravity, subtract your finished specific gravity and divide by 7.36. For example: Initial S.G. 1.080; Final S.G. .996; drop in gravity .084. Next, the figure obtained in this way is divided by 7.36. The result obtained is the % of alcohol by volume in the wine, i.e. 84 / 7.36 = 11.4% alcohol.
LIQUID YEAST IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR OUR WINEMAKERS
Wyeast Laboratories revolutionized the home industry in 1986 when it introduced Vintner's Choice 100% Pure Liquid Yeast and Malo-lactic Cultures. Now professionals and hobbyists worldwide count on the reliability, freshness, purity and extensive strain selection provided by Wyeast to produce fermented beverages of unequaled quality and diversity. Special orders are welcome; let us know which Yeast you need. Read more...
MAKING YOUR OWN WINE IS SIMPLE AND SATISFYING - FROM ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE
The history of wine making spans thousands of years. From the times of ancient Romans and Greeks the making of wine is closely intertwined with the evolution of our society as it is today. If you enjoy a chilled white wine on a hot summer day or a full-bodied red beside a roaring fire on a chilly winter night, you will find everything you need to become a successful home vintner right here in Rocky Mountain House. ... read more
AGING YOUR WINE
Many wine makers have a lot of misconceptions about aging their wine by assuming that ALL wines improve with age.
Not all wine kits are created equal. Most kit manufacturers don't invest money in creating wine kits that have the structure and complexity to age properly. Our Winexpert brand does! Hence the 500 Provincial & National awards for our Home Vintner wines. All kit manufacturers enter wines into these competitions - Winexpert always dominates.
WINE STORAGE TIPS
Here are some wine storage tips to ensure top quality wine:
Do:
Store your wine upright for the first 3 to 5 days.
After that, store your wine on its side in order to keep the cork moist.
Store your wine in a cool, dark place.
Your wine should be stored where the temperature is CONSISTENT… Bright light, movement, and temperature fluctuations can negatively affect the quality of your wine.
Do Not:
Do not constantly turn your wine. Red wines will sometimes dust (leave residue on the inside of the bottle). This is normal. Simply decant your wine.
Do not store your wine directly on a cement floor. Put a thick piece of wood under your wine storage boxes.
Do not store your wine on heated floors.
FOOD & WINE PAIRING
What you are looking for is harmony and balance in your pairing. Wine on its own tastes different than when it is paired with food. If it is complementary, wine can impart its flavours to a dish, thereby giving the food an added layer, or food can lend its flavours to the wine. If they clash, or if one overpowers the other, the experience will under whelm and disappoint and can sometimes lead to flavours that are not present in either, like an unpleasant metallic taste which can result from high tannin content and oily fish. With the right pairing, wine and food can combine to give your palate great pleasure!
