Making Wine From Fresh Juices

Making wine from our fresh imported juices is not only fun but easy. These juices have been used to produce many award winning wines at amateur winemaking contests. Have fun and don't be afraid to experiment. Who knows you may make the wine of a life time. We are here to guide you along the way.

You will need:
25 litre or larger fermenter, 20 litre or 23 litre carboy, 1 litre bottle, air locks and rubber stoppers to fit carboys & bottle. Pectic enzyme, Potassium metabisulphite, Potassium Sorbate, Lalvin EC-1118 yeast, yeast nutrient, sparkalloid and bentonite.

1) Sanitize all equipment using chlorine solution at 1 tablespoon of bleach or 1 teaspoon of pink chlorine cleaner per 4 litres of warm water. Let stand for 10 minutes.

2) Rinse well with warm tap water.

3) Pour the juice into primary, leaving seeds and skins behind. Stir vigorously for 5 minutes to aerate. Try to really churn it up. Add 2 teaspoons of bentonite to 2 cups of hot water and shake in a stoppered bottle to dissolve. You can also use a blender to mix the bentonite.

4) Add 2 teaspoons of pectic enzyme and 2 teaspoons of yeast nutrient.

5) Take the temperature of the juice. Take and record the specific gravity. If you wish to make any adjustments to the acid or sugar, do it now. If the temperature is 20º _ 25º C., sprinkle the yeast on the top. DO NOT STIR. Let stand for 15 minutes, then stir to disperse yeast.

6) Seal the lid and attach an airlock (half filled with clean water).

7) Ferment at 20º - 25º Celsius. NOTE: You may want to ferment white wines at lower temperatures 16º - 20º C. This will produce more aromatic, flavourful wines but more time will be needed to ferment.

8) After 10 days transfer to a carboy, and stir in 1/4 teaspoon of potassium metabisulphite. If you have any wine left over put into the 1 litre bottle. Attach airlocks to both the carboy and 1 L bottle. Make sure the bottles are sanitized and topped up to within 2" of the top. If you do not have enough wine to fill your carboy you may want to top up with a similar wine or boiled water.

Day 21.
Add 2 1/2 teaspoons of Potassium Sorbate and stir well. Remove 3 cups of wine from your carboy, put the wine into a saucepan and add 5 teaspoons of sparkalloid. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Let boil for 5 minutes stirring on and off. Immediately pour the hot liquid into the fermenter. Make sure you use a funnel so as not to break the carboy with the hot liquid. Stir to disperse. Let stand until day 35.

Day 35.
Rack your wine off the sediment. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of Potassium Metabisulphite. Place the carboy in a cool area if possible (4º- 8º C. is ideal) , for at least 2 weeks to stabilize the wine and precipitate out bitartrate crystals. If you do not have a cold enough place to do this do not worry, it will not affect the quality of your wine but you may get some harmless crystals in the bottom of your bottles if you refrigerate them.

Once cold stabilization is complete you should rack your wine off the sediment. If you have any wine left over from the last top-up you can use it to top up now, if not, use boiled water. If your wine is still not clear you can add gelatine finings if you wish and return to a cool place for 10 days. Make sure bottles are topped up and sanitized.

You can use oak powder or chips after fining, but your wine will have to sit another 2 weeks. You can also filter after oaking to give your wine a professional appearance.

If you want to sweeten your wine add wine conditioner. This contains a stabilizer to prevent renewed fermentation.

Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of potassium metabisulphite before bottling. Age whites for 6 - 12 months (but you can try a bottle sooner if you wish), Reds usually take a little longer, especially for full bodied wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, which can take 2 years or more to be at their best.