Technique is as important to the overall end quality of your wine as initial quality of product and proper storage. Over the last few weeks, we have had a number of customers come into the stores with problems that could have been eliminated by simply asking questions of our staff.
Helpful Wine Making Tips:
- Top Fermentation: A vigorous and complete stirring at start-up of your wine will decrease the problem of top fermentation. This issue presents as low initial specific gravity and fermentation layers that can reduce the quality of your wine by as much as 25%.
- Cork Taint and Poor Quality: When your wine has an “off” odour, this is usually caused by inferior quality corks. It can also be caused by improper preparation techniques. The Home Vintner only offers the best corks available and guarantees all our wines 100% when using our corks.
- Incomplete Fermentation: Following stages by days (as per direction) can result in stabilizing too soon. Calgary’s wild barometric pressure swings can slow the fermentation stage considerably. Always use your hydrometer as your guide. Read more here….
- Removing CO2: Gas not fully removed from wine can leave an edge or off character in the wine. Kit directions advocate whipping the gas out of your wine with a drill attachment, which unfortunately can oxidize it and flatten the aromatics. We have Vacupump systems or rental degassers to help solve this problem, as well as free CO2 tester jars available in store. Read more on degassing here….
- Oxidization during storage: Use of screw cap bottles with #9 corks can put your wine at risk for oxidization. Inconsistent neck sizes are not always compatible.
The Home Vintner has been supplying and assisting our loyal and local customers for over 25 years.
