THE HOTTEST SELLING

WINE MAKING JUICES OF 2004

With our ever-growing selection of 113 different packaged wine making juices, spanning
over seven different brands, we know it can be difficult to figure out just which one to pick for
your next wine making project. So, we thought we would help you out a bit, and clue you in
to which wine making juices were hot sellers in the year of 2004.

Now, this doesn't mean that everyone's tastes are the same, but none the less, this info will
give you the heads-up as to what you might like and what many others are liking.

The numbers have just been finalized and here are the hottest sellers of each of the seven
brands we offer.

_____

Brand: California Connoisseur

Most Popular Selection: Cabernet Sauvignon

This red grape is originally from the Bordeaux region of France, but has been produced
extensively in California since the late 1800's. This particular version has a very well-rounded

character, highlighted by a dominating currant to grapy aroma. It also possesses an array of

subtle flavors from spicy currants to herbal honey to deep, dark chocolate. For more
information about California Connoisseur's Cabernet Sauvignon, go to the following
link on our web site:

_____

Brand: Legacy
Most Popular Selection: Merlot
This is another varietal red grape whose roots are embedded in the Bordeaux region of
France. This imported version produces a heavy red wine that ages earlier than most other
wines of the same body and richness. It has a smoky flavor of plums and blackberries, and
a deep grapy aroma. For more information about Legacy's Merlot, go to the following link on
our web site:

_____

Brand: European Select

Most Popular Selection: Merlot

Here's another Merlot topping the charts. This version is imported as well. It is similar to the
Legacy Merlot, deep grapy to currant aroma and flavors that hint at plums and berries. The
main difference being that European Select is 2 gallons of straight concentrate, whereas
Legacy is about 4 gallons of straight juice with a some Merlot concentrate blended in as
well.
Both still make 6 gallons of wine. For more information about European Select's Merlot, go
to the following link on our web site:

_____

Brand: Alexander's Sun Country

Most Popular Selection: Gewurztraminer

This California grown version of this classic German white has a

deep straw color. It is not considered light and crisp like most
whites, but rather, full and rich. Its aroma is similar to that
of raisins with some noticeable hints of anise and mint. Very
spicy. Its flavors are intensely fruity and instantly bring to
mind a number of fruits such as: apples, pears and grapefruit.
Some cinnamon flavors as well. For more information about
Alexander's Sun Country Gewurztraminer, go to the following link
on our web site:

_____

Brand: Niagara Mist

Most Popular Selection: Peach Chardonnay

Chardonnay and peaches just naturally seem to go together. The

citrus flavors of peaches build nicely upon the deep, complex
characters of the Chardonnay grape. Each of them together makes
something better that they could be on their own. The peaches
beautifully highlight the positive characters of the Chardonnay
grape. For more information about Niagara Mist's Peach
Chardonnay, go to the following link on our web site:

_____

Brand: County Fair

Most Popular Selection: Blackberry

These blackberries are grown in the extreme Northwest region of

the United States. They are of the Evergreen variety which is a
type that has proven itself to be excellent for making wines. Its
flavor is extremely rich and well rounded. Its color is very deep
and dark that makes a beautifully, stunning display when poured
into a glass. For more information about County Fair's Blackberry
fruit base, go to the following link on our web site:

_____

Brand: Sun Cal Vineyards

Most Popular Selection: Lambrusco

Last but certainly not least is Sun Cal's Lambrusco. This is an

American version of a varietal grape that has its origins in the
Lombardy region of northeast Italy. It is deep ruby to purple in
color. Traditionally served slightly chilled, its aroma is
intensely fresh and fragrant. Its flavor is very well balanced,
slightly tangy, but mostly fruity. Very similar to that of the
Concord and Catawba grape. Early maturing. For more information
about Sun Cal's Lambrusco grape, go to the following link on our
web site:

Home Wine Making FAQ

GENERAL
How much does it cost to start making wine at home?
Surprisingly, it is not as expensive as you might think to start making wine

at home. The wine making supplies and wine making equipment necessary

to make 5 or 6 gallons of wine at a time will cost around $50-$100. After that,

each batch of homemade wine will cost about $30-$70. Thats a maximum

cost of $2.50 per bottle of wine. And, if you home grow your own grapes or

other wine making fruit, the cost goes down even more.

Is home wine making legal?

Since 1978 the Federal Government has made home wine making legal.

However, there are some limitations. A household of two adults or more can

make up to 200 gallons of homemade wine annually. Single adult house-

holds can make up to 100 gallons of homemade wine annually. You may

also want to check with your state and local authorities to see if there

happens to be any other local restrictions in your area on home wine

making.

Can I make my wines sweeter than the wines I buy at the store?
Absolutely! When you make your own wine you get to make it the way you

like it - sweet or dry. You can also make your wine heavy and full or light

and crisp. You can even control the wines alcohol percentage. That's part
of what makes home wine making so fun.

Dont you need a wine press to be good at home wine making?

Not at all. Wine presses are used by wineries to get every last drop of juice

out of the pulp, not for quality reasons. When you make your own wine for

$1.00 or $2.00 a bottle, getting every last drop of juice is not so important.

Home wine making as a hobby is very flexible in this way.

CONCENTRATED JUICES
How are 28 day wine kits different from other concentrates?

The producers of these types of kits hold that secret close to them. It is in our opinion
that the juice is processed in a way that promotes the early settling of tannins and other
harsh elements to drop out sooner, making the wine drinkable sooner. The directions
usually state that the wine is very good at 28 days, and it is quite remarkable, but you
might consider letting them age 1 to 2 months for optimum quality.

Which type of concentrate is best for making a sweet wine?

It really does not matter which type of concentrate you choose. Any wine

you make whether it is made from concentrate or fresh fruits, is going to

be dry when it is finished. That is just part of having a complete ferment-

ation. When you get to the point where you are ready to bottle, that is the

time to make your wine sweeter. You add wine stabilizer such as

Potassium Sorbate to your wine. This stabilizer will keep the wine from

re-fermenting. Then add sugar back to the wine until you reach the desired

sweetness you are looking for. This gives you complete control over

how sweet the wine is going to be.

FININGS & CLARIFIERS

What is Bentonite?
Bentonite is a gray, clay granule that is used in wines as a clarifier. It is

unique in that it possess a negative electrostatic charge. (Just a fancy

word for static electricity) This attracting charge along with hydrogen

bonding, causes suspended particles in the wine to cling to it as it settles

to the bottom of the container.

What are the advantages of using Bentonite?

There are several advantages to using Bentonite. It is very effective in

dragging out yeast, tannins and other stubborn protein-based particles

that may want to linger after fermentation. But, it also helps to reduce the

occurrence of certain off-flavors, as well as reduce the wine's ability to

oxidize.

Are all bentonites the same?

Not at all. The particular type of Bentonite we offer comes from a specific

mine in Wyoming that is known for providing Bentonite with an unusually

high electrostatic charge. That is why we call ours Speedy Bentonite. There

are other major source of Bentonite, but they are primarily intended to be

used as a bedding sealant for watering ponds.

How Is Bentonite Used?

Bentonite is relatively easy to use. You start out by mixing it with water

into a slurry. The slurry will have the consistency of a thin, watery cement

mix. A dose of the slurry mix is then stirred into the wine. It should also

be noted here that the Bentonite should not be added to the wine until

the fermentation is complete.

The method we recommend for making the slurry is to use boiling

water and to mix it in a blender. Blend it for 1 to 2 minutes until a creamy

head is formed. The slurry then needs to set for about an hour so as to

allow the Bentonite granules to swell and become saturated. The recom-

mended mix is 3 tablespoons of Bentonite to 1 pint of boiling water. It is

then recommended that you add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the slurry mix to

each gallon of wine.

Are There Any Tips For Making Bentonite More Effective?

There are a couple of things you can do to make your Bentonite treatment

more effective:

First of all, the colder the wine is the stronger the effect of the Bentonite's

static charge. While at room temperature Bentonite is adequately

effective, but chilling the wine down before adding the Bentonite to

around 45 degrees, or as cool as you can conveniently get it, is an added

plus.

Secondly, when adding the Bentonite to the wine, stir it in thoroughly.

Don't agitate the wine, but smoothly blend it in to where you know, with-

out question, that it is evenly dispersed throughout the wine.

Also, stirring the wine several times after the Bentonite has been added,

will give the Bentonite more time to attract particles before settling. For

example, stir it once every hour or so throughout an evening.

TAKING THE MYSTERY

OUT OF HOME WINE MAKING

The toughest challenge you will ever face as a home winemaker is
making the decision to become one. For many people wine is just
one big mystery. For them taking that first step can often be the
most intimidating hurdle to get over--a hurdle that unfortunately
stops too many potential home winemakers from getting past "go".

I'd like to let you in on a little secret... the mysteries of

wine are not so complex and any intimidation it portrays is
highly over-rated.

This article is designed to help you get past the mystique of

wine and see through its intimidation--to get the process out in
the open so that you can see for yourself that making wine is not
magic; it's not folklore; it is just a natural process that
Mother Nature provides which happens to bring about the gift of
wine.

-- The Fermentation

The fermentation is the centerpiece to all other activities that

occur when one makes wine. It is the process that actually turns
the fruit into wine. During the bubbling and foaming of the
fermentation yeast will eat any available sugars and turn them
into both alcohol and CO2 gas.

It is a very natural process and one that can easily occur on its
own--but only if the conditions are favorable. And, this is where
you, the winemaker, comes in...

One way of looking at it is that the winemaker is not actually

making the wine, but rather, making sure all the conditions are
ripe for a healthy fermentation. Once the fermentation is under
way there is not much for the winemaker to do except wait.

A typical fermentation will last anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks.

During this period the only thing that is required from you, the
winemaker, is to siphon the wine off the occurring sediment every
now and then--a process known by more experienced winemakers as
"racking".

The first racking is typically done around the 5th to 7th day of
fermentation. If any pulp is involved in the recipe this is the
time it is to be removed. Up until this point the fermentation is
left opened, exposed to the air. After the first racking the
fermentation needs to be sealed off from the air in a closed
container fitted with an air-trap or "air-lock" as we call it.

A second racking is usually done after the fermentation has

completed. Once the wine has had plenty of time to clear up, a
third racking is done and then it is bottled.

For the home winemaker who is making 5 or 6 gallons of wine,

racking is a process that usually takes no more than 15 minutes to
accomplish. So, as you can see it is Mother Nature that is really
doing all the work during the fermentation. You are, for the most
part, just an anxious bystander.

-- Before The Fermentation

As stated earlier, the winemaker's real purpose in all of this is
to make sure that the conditions are favorable for a proper
fermentation. So, how does one go about this?

Start With A Solid Recipe:

The recipe is one of the key components to setting up a
successful fermentation. Without a clear, dependable recipe you
will be traveling through your first batch in a fog.

There are many sources for reliable recipes. Firstly, you can
check the recipes we have on our web site at the following link:
Wine Making Recipes

There you will find different recipes for making wine using more
common fruits. You can also find step-by-step directions for
these recipes at the link listed below:
"7 Easy Steps To Making Wine"

There are many other good sources for recipes: in the books we
offer; across the internet... Also realize that all of the
packaged juices we offer come with recipes and detailed
directions.

If you want to see what really goes into a recipe, you might want
to take a look at the following article on our web site.

"Creating Your Own Wine Making Recipes"

It dissects the different elements of a wine recipe so that you

can better understand them.

Having a sound recipe will allow you to prepare a healthy

fermentation... with the right ingredients... in the right
amounts... that will result in a wine with balance and surprising
quality.

Start With The Right Equipment:

The second way to insure that you will have a sound fermentation
is to have the proper equipment. It is not necessary to buy
hundreds of dollars of equipment to make a batch of wine, but
there are some essential pieces that you should acquire before
putting together your first batch:

- A food-grade vessel for fermenting

- An air-lock for later sealing up the fermentation
- Hoses for siphoning the juice
- A hydrometer for checking the sugar level of the wine, and
- Something to stir with

These are the major pieces of equipment that should be obtained

before setting out to start your first batch of wine. If you have
these bare-essential items you can make wine.
If you are dealing with fresh fruits, as opposed to packaged
juices, you may also want to consider getting a straining bag
(fermentation bag) for managing any pulp that may be involved.

Consider Starting With A Kit:

One very simple alternative to collecting all of the above
ingredients and equipment is to get one of the three starter kits
we offer. We call our kits "Necessities Boxes" because they come
with the essential items and ingredients you will need. They
include the same quality products we offer separately, but
packaged together at a discounted price.

By starting with a Necessities Box you are not only getting a

good deal price wise, but you are also getting recipes and

directions that are specific to the kit. In other words, you are

getting directions that guide you step-by-step through the process

in a clear, understandable fashion. And, you are getting a recipe

that will lead you to success.

You can find our Necessities Boxes at the following link on

our web site:

Sun Cal Necessities Boxes

-- After The Fermentation

Once the fermentation is complete your task is very simple. Give

the wine a few days for the yeast and any other solids to settle
to the bottom of the fermentation vessel; and then siphon the
wine off of the sediment into wine bottles and then cork.

If you do not want to invest in a wine bottle corker just yet,

you can use Mushroom Corks instead. These are corks that can be
pushed in by hand as opposed to being mechanically pressed in,
such as a commercial winery would do. You can find these Mushroom
Corks listed at the following link our web site:
Mushroom Corks

If you plan on drinking your wine over the next year or two just
be sure to store it in a cool place--like on the basement floor,
root-cellar or such. A professional wine cellar is not necessary
unless you plan on keeping your bottles of wine for many years.
-- So, What Are You Waiting For?

Take the first step. Decide what kind of wine you want to make
and then find a recipe. If you can't find one on our web site or
elsewhere, then send us an email or give us a call at
1-800-353-1906. We'll be more than happy to help get you started.

CREATING YOUR OWN WINE MAKING RECIPES

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to
fish and you feed him for a lifetime".

You've probably heard this many times before. It's a Chinese

proverb that quickly drives home the value of learning, and it's
a proverb that can be applied to wine making as well.

-- Learning How To Fish

This article is about teaching you "how to fish"-- not literally,

but in the proverbial sense. This article is about teaching you
how to develop your own wine recipes as opposed to continually
having to search for a recipe every time you have some available
fruit or maybe just an idea for a wine you'd like to make.

All wine recipes have the same specific, key elements to them.
What we are going to do here is define and dissect these
necessary pieces, one-by-one, so that you can gain a better
understanding of the role each part plays within the recipe. Then
we are going to put them back together, one-by-one, so that you
can see more clearly how all the pieces work together to create a
coherent recipe.

By having a more intimate understanding of these different, vital

aspects of a wine recipe--then yes--you to will be able to create
your own wine recipe--anytime you have a notion. What a
liberating thought!

Now, I have to warn you, this article is rather lengthy, but I

think you will discover it is well worth a read. After all it is
the recipe that is the centerpiece--the plan--for any batch of
wine you will ever make.

-- The Pieces Of The Puzzle

There are 6 distinct pieces of a wine recipe puzzle. We will go

through them one at a time. They are as follows:
1. The Produce:
This refers to the fruit, vegetables, herbs or whatever it is
that is being used to make the wine. It could be grapes,
blackberries, rhubarb, or even dandelions. It could also be a
concentrated juice such as our SunCal or European Select brands
among others. This is the major flavor component of any wine;
this is the heart of the recipe; this is what gives the wine its
identity, its body, its character.

2. The Sugars:
This is the food that supports a fermentation. Without sugar
there is no fermentation; without a fermentation there is no
alcohol.

All of the sugars necessary to produce the normal range of

alcohol (9%-13%) can often come from the produce itself, such is
normally the case when fermenting many types of grapes. Or
conversely, all of the necessary sugars may need to be provided
separately, such as the case with dandelion and other
herbs--these produces provide no sugar of their own. And,
certainly there are situations where some sugars come from the
produce, but more still needs to be added as a supplement. This
is the most common scenario with country style, fruit wines.

3. The Water:
Water is often added to a wine recipe to dilute the flavor of
certain produces that are too strong or have acid levels that are
too high. Extreme examples of these types of fruits would be,
elderberry, gooseberries and blackberries. And, there are some
fruits that have enough water in them naturally. Their flavors
are not too strong and their acid level is not too high. Examples
of these types of fruits would be wine grapes and apples. While
one may elect to add water with these types of fruits to lighten
the body, it may not be necessary to do so.

4. The Nutrients:
Yeast has nutritional needs just like any other living thing.
Proper nutrition is vital to having a vigorous fermentation. Some
nutrients are obviously supplied by the produce itself, but in
almost all situations the amount or type of nutrients made
available by these produces are not sufficient or appropriate for
the yeast to perform to their maximum capabilities. So, we add
nutritional supplements such as Yeast Nutrient, Yeast Energizer,
Ghostex and others.

- To find out more about all the nutrients we offer, you can go
to the following link on our web site:

Wine Making Nutrients

5. The Acid:
Acidity does play a nutritional role in a fermentation in the
sense that if the acid level of a must is severely low, the rate
and quality of the fermentation will suffer. But, acidity plays
other parts in the wine making process as well.

Acidity helps to keep the wine stable. If the acid level is too
low then micro-organisms such as molds and bacteria will have a
better opportunity to flourish. But, if the acid level is brought
up to a proper range then the risk of these little nasties taking
the wine over is greatly reduced.

Acidity also plays a direct role in the flavor of the wine. If

not enough acid is in the recipe then the wine will simply taste
flat/lifeless/flabby; too much acid and the wine tastes
sharp/sour/bitter.

Quite often a must will be too low in acid, particularly if water

has been added to it to dilute its flavor. In such cases we will
need to add Acid Blend and possibly Tannin (tannic acid).

- To find out more about all the Acid Blend and Tannin we offer,
you can go to the following links on our web site:

Acid Blend

Wine Making Tannin

6. The Yeast:
All the above sets the environment. And, the yeast is what does
the work within that environment. It is yeast that is turning the
sugar into alcohol. Having the right kind of yeast is important.
Bread yeast won't cut it; beer yeast won't cut it. You need a
yeast that has been cultivated from wine and has been bred for
wine. Simple as that.

And, in fact there are several choices you have among wine yeast.
Each has its own, slightly different way in which it affects the
wine's resulting character, such is the case with our Red Star
and Lalvin brands of yeast.

- To find out more about all the Wine Yeasts we offer, you can go
to the following link on our web site:

Wine Making Yeast

NOTE: There are other ingredients that may be necessary

throughout the winemaking process such as Pectic Enzyme, Campden
Tablets and Potassium Sorbate, but these ingredients are not
reliant upon the recipe itself. These are ingredients that are
used in the same way regardless of what kind of wine you are
making. So, we will not consider these ingredients as part of the
recipe but rather consider them as part of the wine making
process. We will talk a little more about them later.

-- Putting The Pieces Together

When it comes to bringing all these elements together, it's about

about one thing--balance. It is about putting them all together
in the proper proportions so that the alcohol level, flavor,
body and character all come together to produce a wine to your
liking. But where do we start?

Step 1: Start With The Produce.

In all cases we need to start with the produce. We have to start
at the heart of the recipe. Produces come in an endless number of
varieties. Some are more naturally suited for making wine than
others in terms of the nutrients, flavor astringency and sugars
they naturally bring to the table. Others need to be brought into
balance.

Here's an example of what I mean. If you drink the juice from

freshly squeezed wine grapes it will taste fairly pleasant. It
will be sweet and flavorful; it wouldn't be too sour or bitter.
But, if you drink the straight juice of freshly squeezed
elderberries, I doubt you could even swallow it. The flavor would
be too strong; the acidity would be very sharp, almost to the
point of being bitter. Yet, we can make wine from elderberries
just the same as we do wine grapes. We do so by bringing them
into balance with other ingredients.

When you make wine from wine grapes you typically use 100 percent
juice--no water added. When you make wine from blackberries,
elderberries, and many other stronger-flavored fruits with higher
acid, you must dilute the juice with water. Exactly how much
water is up for debate, but what is not debatable is the need for
dilution to some degree with such fruit.

Here is a basic list of fruits and the typical amount normally

used in a 5 gallon batch of wine. Realize that the amount of
fruit can vary some based on personal taste or the variety being
used, but getting too far out of line with these numbers can only
get you into trouble.

70-80 pounds Wine grapes, Apples

40-60 pounds Table Grapes
30-40 pounds Muscadine, Scuppernong
20-40 pounds Pears
20-30 pounds Wild Grapes
15-20 pounds Blackberries, Blueberries, Strawberries
10-20 pounds Apricots, Watermelon, Rhubarb, Honey
8 -12 pounds Raisins, Potatoes, Prickly Pear
.5-1.5 pounds Ginger Root, Dandelions, Woodruff Herb

This list was not intended to be complete, but rather give a wide
variety of produces and the amounts needed to make 5 gallons of
wine. If the produce you want to make wine from is not on the
list, then compare the produce with similar ones on the list to
come up with a reasonable amount.

--As a side note, the produce will need to be either chopped,

crushes, bruised, pitted or ground depending on the type you are
dealing with.

Step 2: Add The Water And Sugar.

The water is simple. Add enough to equal the batch to 5 gallons.
In some cases this will mean no water at all; in other cases it
will mean nearly 5 gallons.

Once the water has been added you will need to determine if any
sugar is required in this recipe. The way to determine if sugar
is required is by testing the must with a hydrometer. The
hydrometer has a scale on it that is called "Potential Alcohol."
It is simply a scale of percentages--usually from 0 to 20--that
tells you how much alcohol can be made with the sugars that are
currently in the must.

For example, if you put the hydrometer in the must and get a
reading of 5 percent, this means that the must currently has
enough sugars to produce 5 percent worth of alcohol.

Once you know where you are at, the next step is to figure out
where you want to be. To take our previous example further, if
you know that you are currently at a potential alcohol level of 5
percent and want to be at 12 percent then you need to add
dissolved sugar into the must until the hydrometer reads 12 on the
Potential Alcohol scale.

NOTE: To help you out, as a general rule-of-thumb, for every

pound of sugar you add to a 5 gallon batch you will increase the
potential alcohol level by 1 percent. This is not exact, but very
close and will save you a lot of time in making this adjustment.

It is recommended that you do not shoot for alcohol levels higher

than 13 percent. Quite often wine yeast will not to be able to
achieve these higher alcohol levels. The result being a massive
amount of left-over sugar in the finished wine making it too
sweet for any ones taste.

It is also recommended that you shoot for alcohol levels higher

than 9 percent as levels lower than this may fail to inhibit the
growth of molds and other micro-organisms in the wine while it is
being stored.

- To find out more about all the hydrometers we offer, you can go
to the following link on our web site:

Wine Making Hydrometers

Step 3: Adjusting Acidity.

As mentioned earlier having the proper amount of acid plays
severalroles in the flavor and stability of the wine. There are
two types of ingredients that you may need to deal with when
adjusting acidity, the first being Acid Blend. This is the
ingredient that controls how flat or sharp the wine will taste.

To determine if any Acid Blend is needed in your recipe you will

need a Titration Kit. This is a kit that will allow you to test
the current acid level of the wine. And, by reading the
directions it will also tell you how much Acid Blend to add to
get your wine to a proper level. All the information you will
need comes with the Titration Kit.

- To find out more about the Titration Kit we offer, you can go
to the following link on our web site:

Wine Making Titration Kit

Once you have made any necessary adjustments with the Acid Blend
you will want to consider if adding Tannin, or Tannic Acid, to
the wine is necessary. Tannin increases the acidity level just as
Acid Blend, making the wine more stable, but Tannin affects the
wine's flavor in a different, more subtle way.

Tannin brings out a zesty flavor in the wine; more of a

puckering, tangy type of flavor. It is the backbone of the acidic
flavors. Wines short in tannin will be have lifeless, flabby
character to them. Too much and the wine will be bitter and
astringent.

Knowing exactly how much Tannin to add is more of a question of

taste than science. I would suggest to you that the best way to
know if you want to add Tannin to a wine is to experiment with a
small sample of the must first, and go by taste. If you are not
comfortable with this you can use the info below to help you as a
guide.

1/4 to 1/2 Teaspoon Per Gallon:

Flowers, vegetables, grain, bananas, honey, gooseberries,
strawberries, pineapple, rhubarb.

1/8 to 1/4 Teaspoon Per Gallon:

Grapes, apple skins (most varieties), blackberries, cherries,
loganberries, raspberries, currants, sultanas.
None to 1/8 Teaspoon Per Gallon:
Elderberries, crab apples, oak leaves, tea, grape stems,
apricots, blackcurrants, plums, grapefruit, oranges, peaches,
pears, figs, raisins, sloes.

Also, please realize that Tannic Acid is in any fruit. It is

primarily in the skin and stems of the fruit. So, it stands to
reason that the more fruit you use the less Tannin you will need.

Step 4: Selecting The Yeast:

The main consideration with selecting a yeast is its flavor and
aromatic characteristics. While subtle, yeast does effect the
character of a wine. Some produce a more fruity aroma; while
others bring out the deeper, more complex characters of a wine.

If you are not sure which yeast to use then I would suggest that
you use "Montrachet" yeast by Red Star. It is considered a very
strong fermenting yeast with a neutral character.

- To find out more about the wine yeast we offer, you can go to
the following link on our web site:

Wine Making Yeast

-- Other Ingredients To Consider

Pectic Enzyme:
This should be used in any recipe that has pulp. It helps to
break down the fiber of the fruit, allowing you to extract more
flavor during the fermentation. It also helps to make sure that
your wine does not end up with a pectin haze. This is a problem
that can occur with fruits that have a high amount of pectin in
them.

When using Pectic Enzyme it is best to add it as early in the

process as possible. For example, at the same time the fruit is
being crushed. Just follow the directions that are listed on the
package that it came in.

- To find out more about the Pectic Enzyme we offer, you can go
to the following link on our web site:

Wine Making Pectic Enzyme

Campden Tablets:
This should be added to any must 24 hours before the yeast is
added. It sterilizes the must, getting rid of any mold, bacteria
or wild yeast that may have came with the fruit.
Campden Tablets should also be added to the wine just before
bottling. This is to help the wine to keep better while in
storage.

- To find out more about the Campden Tablets we offer, you can go
to the following link on our web site:

Wine Making Campden Tablets

Potassium Sorbate:
This is needed only if you intend to sweeten the wine just before
bottling. It is added at the same time the sugar is added.
Potassium Sorbate stops the yeast from starting up a fermentation
again with the new sugars.

- To find out more about the Potassium Sorbate we offer, you can
go to the following link on our web site:

Wine Making Potassium Sorbate

-- As A Final Note:

Take notes! If you go through these steps you will have a batch
of wine. If you go through these steps and take notes, you will
have a batch of wine and a wine recipe that you will be able to
use in the future.

FIVE WINE MAKING FUNDAMENTALS

To Keep Your Wine Making On Track

Not once have I ever heard a winemaker say, "I don't care how my
wine turns out, as long as I can drink it." To the contrary, home
winemakers generally seem to be more in tune with obtaining
perfection than just obtaining passable.

Wine making is a hobby that seems to bring out a yearning in

people to produce the best wine they can--to create a wine worthy
of recognition. And often winemakers will go to great lengths in
their quest to create such a wine.

With some home wine makers, every little detail of the wine
making process is analyzed and scrutinized with great care. The
selection of wine yeast to be used will be thought over again and
again. "Is my tap water okay, or should I get bottled water from
the store", they'll think to themselves. "And if I do buy bottled
water from the store, which brand is best?"

Some details are worthy of attention. Some are just simply tom-
foolery. But the biggest point to make here is that too much
attention given to too many details can often fuzzy-up the focus
of what matters the most when making a wine.

Too many times I've talked to a home wine maker whose thoughts
were being consumed with a minute detail only to find out that
they were overlooking some key wine making fundamentals.

With that in mind, here is a list of five things that you should
focus on first and foremost when making your own wine at home,
particularly if you are just getting started.

These are the issues that matter the most, but sometimes get lost
in the clutter of fine details that spring up here and there when
learning about wine making for the first time. Concentrate on
these key points and your wine making efforts will be consist-
ently rewarded with exceptional wine.

1. Be Sanitary.

Being sanitary and being clean are two different things. To keep
things "clean" is to wash the grime and grit off the equipment
and bottles--much like you would do when you wash dishes.

But being sanitary requires that you go a step further. Sanitiz-

ing solutions such as Sodium Bisulfite, CleanPro SDH or B-Brite
must be employed in order to eliminate wild mold, bacteria and
other micro-organisms that can be hiding on your equipment even
after it has been washed.

Keeping these "little nasties" under control will provide for a

faster, healthier fermentation. And will greatly enhance the
ability of your wine to stay fresh and fruity tasting for years
while being stored in the wine bottle.

There is no reason to become obsessed with sanitation. Just

practicing it and being aware of its necessity is enough.

2. Start With A Sound Recipe.

Recipes come in many shapes and sizes--from clippings found in

the folds of an old cookbook, to your neighbors recollection of
what he saw his grandpa do when he was watching as a child. Some
are fine. Some are simply a "recipe for failure". If you have a
recipe from a questionable source, it might be worth your effort
to investigate a little further.

There are many instructional books available on wine making that

also include recipes for producing many types of wine. One that
comes to mind is the book, "First Steps In Winemaking". The first
60 pages for the most part goes through the wine making process.
The remaining pages include about 60 different wine making
recipes.

This book is available separately on our web site and it is also

included in our beginner SunCal Necessities Box.

If you are making wine from one of our concentrated wine making
juices, a dependable recipe is already included with it. These
concentrates are a good way to get your feet wet just for that
reason. Not to mention the fact that they are easier to deal with
than processing fresh fruit and they are available all throughout
the year.

We also have several wine making recipes on our web site for

making everything from grape to grapefruit.

3. Use A Hydrometer.

A hydrometer is as important to a winemaker as a compass is to a

navigator. Without a hydrometer it is impossible to get a handle
on which way your fermentation is headed.

The hydrometer is simply a long glass cylinder with a weight at

one end. You can take readings with it by seeing how high or low
it floats in your juice.

What the hydrometer can do for you is two-fold. First, it allows

you to track the progress of your fermentation by taking readings
throughout the fermentation.

Secondly, it can tell you what the alcohol percentage of your

finished wine is by taking a reading before fermentation and
another one after fermentation has ended and then comparing the
two.

To learn more about hydrometers, we have two articles on our web

site to help you out a little more. The first one is titled,
"Getting To Know Your Hydrometer" . It covers the general use of
hydrometers.

The second article is titled, "Hydrometer Scales And What They

Mean". This article gives you a simple understanding of how to
use the different scales you will find on a typical wine making
hydrometer.

4. Control Your Fermentation Temperature.

The number one reason for a fermentation to stop in mid-stream or

for a fermentation to not start at all is because of improper
temperature. Yeast is very sensitive to temperature. It is
important that your fermentation temperatures stay between 70 and
75 degrees for a sound fermentation.

To help put the temperature issue into better perspective, a

fermentation at 75 degrees will ferment more than twice as fast
as a fermentation at 70 degrees.

It is also important to note that a fermentation at 65 degrees

may ferment very, very slow at best, but more than likely it will
not ferment at all. A fermentation at 80 degrees will ferment
very, very fast, but the flavor of the alcohol is usually
considered inferior.

Too warm of a fermentation temperature also entices unwanted

micro-organisms to multiply more readily which can eventually
result in off-flavors or in extreme cases a complete spoilage of
your wine.

If you are unsure as to what fermentation temperatures you are

encountering, you might want to invest in a thermometer that is
designed to take fermentation readings.

For a list of other common factors that may hinder a fermentation

see the article, "Top Ten Reasons For Fermentation Failure."

5. Keep Air Exposure To A Minimum.

When a wine is exposed to too much air in the coarse of its life-
time, it will show symptoms of oxidation. A white wine will turn
slightly amber, and a red wine will turn slightly orange or
brown. Also, its flavor will take on a slight caramel to raisin
character.

During fermentation air exposure is not an issue. The CO2 gases

that are produced by the fermentation protects the wine from most
oxidative forces.

But once the fermentation has finished, care should be given to

see that excessive amounts of air does not come in contact with
the wine for extended periods of time.

Also, splashing the wine when transferring it from one container

to the next should be kept to a minimum. The same goes for when
you bottle your wine. When a wine is splashed it temporarily
increases its surface area by several hundred times causing the
wine to act like a sponge, soaking up air at an extremely
accelerated pace.

This is one of the reasons why it is recommended that SO2 gases

in the form of Sodium Bisulfite or Campden Tablets be added to a
finished wine after each time it is transferred. This gas
displace the oxygen that may have been absorbed by the wine in
the siphoning or bottling process.

The recommended dosage is either 1 Campden Tablet or 1/16

teaspoon of Sodium Bisulfite for each two gallons of wine. This
dosage should only be added if the wine has stopped fermenting.
Wines that are still in the process of fermenting are still being
protected from oxygen by the fermentation's CO2 gases.

To learn more about keeping oxidation under control in your

wines, see the article on our web site titled, "Controlling
Oxidation In Your Wines". It covers in more detail the general
issues surrounding oxidation.

HOME WINE MAKING WITH FRUITS

It seems as though when we think of home wine making, we think of grapes. Walk into your
local liquor store. The racks are filled with countless wines produced from Pinot Noir,
Zinfandel, Cabernet and other notable grapes.

But what about wines made from fruits other than grapes? Since the development of home
wine making as a hobby, it has become very easy for the individual home wine maker to
make wines from affordable fresh fruits of the garden variety.

And, dont equate these wines to back-shed hooch. Today, you can make tremendous
homemade fruit wines, apricot wines that rival the complexity of any $20 Chardonnay, red
currant wines that go just as good with prime rib as a hearty bottle of store-bought Merlot.

Fruit wine making is no more difficult than making wines from fresh grapes. The basic
process is the same, and consideration is given to the same aspects as when preparing
grape juice for home winemaking.

Grape juice is naturally well-suited for wine making and needs little adjustment prior to
fermentation. In many parts of the world, California included, wine making grapes supply
enough sugar and are low enough in acid to produce stellar wines without doing much of
anything to them except to let them ferment, but none the less they are still checked and at
times slightly modified.

With fruits other than grapes, adjustments are almost always necessary during the wine
making process but are very easy to accomplish:

1. the amount of fruit used per gallon needs to be determined,

2. the amount of available sugars needs to be tested and adjusted.
3. the fruit juices acidity needs to be tested and adjusted.

While this may seem like a lot to concern yourself with, in fact it is very easy and requires
little time to do. The trade off is it allows you to take just about any fruit you can imagine and
produce a notable wine that quite often will surprise the winemaker who made it.

FRUIT HOME WINE MAKING - HOW MUCH FRUIT TO USE?

The list of home wine making fruits you can use to create these wines is endless.
Strawberries, plums, watermelons, peaches, blackberries, gooseberries, boysenberries,
grapefruits, pears, pineapples, persimmons are all very suitable for fruit home wine making,
but this list is far from complete.

As with any wine you must start the home wine making process by evaluating the fruit. No
wine can be better than the fruit used to make it. Careful attention should be given to its
quality. Doing so will repay you many times over in the form of consistently superior wine.

Molds and bruises should be minimal. The fruit should also be rinsed off before it is crushed;
just as if you where cooking with it. In most cases the fruits used for home wine making
should be fully ripe. When fruits are used too early they have a tendency to result in wines
that lack that particular fruits character. For example, a homemade pear wine will taste more
like an apple wine unless the pears are allowed to become slightly over-ripen.

Unlike grape wines which are usually made from pure grape juice, home-made fruit wines
are usually diluted with water before starting the wine making process. The main reason is
that certain fruits, such as elderberries, are simply too strong in flavor. The second reason is
that some fruits are too high in acid and would produce a wine that is too sharp tasting. An
example of this would be gooseberry and blueberry.

On the other hand, apple wines are made with pure apple juice, no water added, and they
need additional fruit acid added back to them. So as you might start to gather, there is no
general rule of thumb that can be applied when it comes to determining the amount of fruit or
water to use when making a homemade fruit wine.

After having said all this, the following list gives some general ideas as to the amount of wine
making fruit to use to make 5 gallons of homemade fruit wine.

Apricots . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 lbs.

Blackberries . . . . . . . . . . 15 lbs.
Blueberries . . . . . . . . . . . 13 lbs.
Currents. . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 lbs.
Elderberries . . . . . . . . . . 10 lbs.
Gooseberries. . . . . . . . . .11 lbs.
Peaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 lbs.
Pears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 lbs.
Persimmons . . . . . . . . . . 15 lbs.
Pineapple . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 lbs.
Plums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 lbs.
Raspberries . . . . . . . . . . 15 lbs.
Strawberries . . . . . . . . . . 16 lbs.
Watermelon (Centers) . . 18 lbs.

These are just guidelines. In reality, there is no single correct amount of fruit to use in home
wine making. This is because you may like your fruit wines heavy like a dessert wine; or light
and crisp. For example, if a home wine making recipe calls for 13 pounds of blueberries for 5
gallons of homemade wine, you might go up to 18 or 20 pounds if you feel you would like
your wine heavier like a Burgundy. Or, you might use 10 pounds if you prefer lighter bodied
Blush wines. But, deviating a fruit wine making recipe much beyond this would not be sound.

Just as can be the case with grape wine making, leaving the pulp with the juice for the first
week or so of fermentation will also intensify the wines body, character and deepen its color.
The pulp is where a lot of a fruits character lies.

During this fermentation period the pulp is broken down and a considerable part is liquefied
with the aid of Pectic Enzymes. Natural tannins and other goodies that reside in the pulp are
eventually released into the juice. By utilizing the pulp in this manner, not only are you
producing a homemade fruit wine with more body and character. But, you are producing a
wine that is more stable and will retain its flavor and color for longer periods of time.

FRUIT WINEMAKING - TESTING AND ADJUSTING AVAILABLE SUGARS

The second factor you should give consideration to when preparing a fruit juice for home
wine making is its beginning sugar level.

Fermentation is when yeast consumes the available sugars in your juice and turns that sugar
into half alcohol and half CO2 gas by weight.

The amount of sugar you start off with determines the amount of alcohol youll end up with,
minus any sugars that didn't ferment. Its that simple.

This is where a wine making hydrometer turns into your best friend. The hydrometer helps you
to determine how much sugar you have in your juice, as well as, how much alcohol that
sugar can make. Furthermore, it helps you to determine how much sugar to add to your fruit
juice.

The wine making hydrometer is simply a glass tube with a weight on one end that floats. You
take a sugar level reading with it by observing how high or low it floats in the juice. Most wine
making hydrometers have a scale on them called Potential Alcohol. By reading this scale at
the beginning of fermentation, you will know if you need to add more sugar, depending on
the alcohol level you desire.

Now we come to the question, What type of sugar is best to use when adjusting your juices
sugar level?. This is somewhat of a loaded wine making question that wineries have been
able to dodge for the most part. This is because they have the luxury of obtaining all the
sugars their juices need naturally from the grape. So, there hasnt been much research done
on the subject. But, there have been many opinions expressed.

My opinion is, Consider all of them!. Different sugars add different characters. Cane sugar,
corn sugar, beet sugar, brown sugar, rice sugar, fructose, even powdered malt and sugars I
cant even think of, all have a place in fruit home wine making. It depends on the person's
preference and the situation in which the sugar is to be used. If your not sure what to use,
stick with the cheapest -- cane sugar or corn sugar. But, by all means feel free to experiment.

Honey, is a whole nother ball of wax when it comes to fruit home wine making. Pyment is a
term used for fruit wines with a little honey added to them. Honey in its simplest form, has the
advantage of adding an herbal finish to a homemade wine. And, when using honey thats
spun off a particular blossom, the resulting creation can be tremendous. For example,
raspberry juice with Raspberry Blossom-spun honey can make an extraordinarily well
rounded fruit wine.

You can also use concentrated fruit juices along with your fresh fruit juice as a source of
additional sugar. This method will also increase the body of the wine and intensify the wines
fruitiness. So, if a lighter fruit wine is desired, this would not be appropriate. Concentrated
fruit juice also will increase the acid level of a juice. This may be good or bad depending on
whether the juice needed the acid or not. Which takes us to our next fruit wine making topic.

FRUIT WINE MAKING - TESTING AND ADJUSTING ACIDITY

Having the proper amount of acid in your wine has two distinct benefits. Not only will it
enhance the wines overall character and balance, but it will also significantly aid the
fermentation process.

Acidity varies drastically from fruit to fruit. Youll never pucker eating a banana, but it has acid
just as raspberry or lime. . . only less of it. Couple that with the fact that the amount of fruit
you use for each gallon of fruit wine varies too, and it starts to become clear that adjusting
your acidity is a necessity to fruit home wine making.

There are two basic ways to check your juices acidity level. The cheapest and quickest way
is to use pH testing strips (litmus papers). They are, for the most part accurate enough for the
home winemaker. However, it is not the most accurate way to check acidity levels. pH strips
test for all acids in the juice regardless of how tart they are to taste. So, you can get
deceptive readings from time to time when it comes to pH verses imparted flavor.

The second and most accurate way to test a juices acidity is by doing a titration. With just a
few minutes of practice you can easily master the procedure. A wine making titration kit
measures acid in relation to how sharp it actually tastes on the tongue.

If a wine has too much acid, it tastes sharp/sour/bitter. If a wine doesnt have enough acid, it
tastes flat/bland/lifeless. As one of my customers put it, it tastes Kool-Aidy. After testing and
adjusting your juices acidity level it should taste naturally fruity.

The three fruit acids commonly used for adjusting a juices acidity are: tartaric, citric and malic.
You can buy them individually or buy them blended together as an Acid Blend. The later is
most commonly used in fruit home wine making and is what is called for in most fruit wine
making recipes. All of these wine making fruit acids come in a granulated form that is easy to
dissolve.

FRUIT WINE MAKING - READY TO FERMENT

Once you have prepared your juice with the appropriate amount of fruit, and have adjusted
the sugar level and the acid level as well, you now have a juice that is very similar to grape
juice. In fact, the home wine making process from here on is exactly like making wine from
grape juice. And, you can now call your prepared fruit juice a Must. This is just a fancy wine
making term used by winemakers for a juice that is ready to ferment or is currently
fermenting.

I will not go into much detail on the fermentation process as it is outside the scope of this
article, and also because there is nothing special to fruit wine making in this area. Add a
suitable wine making yeast and appropriate wine making nutrients and let the must ferment just
as you would any grape wine. For a good condensed look at the winemaking process see
The Seven Easy Steps of Wine making.

FRUIT WINE MAKING - FINAL ADJUSTMENTS

To me, one of the most enjoyable parts of home wine making is getting it ready to bottle. This
is a time when a average homemade wine can be molded into something spectacular. Yet, I
see many home winemakers, even very experienced ones, gloss over this procedure. The
impression many home winemakers have is that once the home wine making process is
complete, they have no further control over outcome. In reality, nothing could be further from
the truth.

There is a vast array of things you can do to adjust a homemade fruit wines flavor for the
better. While it does take time to learn what to adjust and why to adjust it, youll never learn
by not experimenting.

You can sweeten your fruit wine a little or a lot. You can blend it with other fruit wines. You
can do a final acid adjustment by taste. You can add spices such as ginger or cinnamon. You
can add oak chips for a barrel aged affect, flavor enhancers, or body enhancers. You can even
fortify your wine with Vodka or Grain Alcohol. This may sound a little like cheating, but when
it comes to home wine making, if you dont consider these options youll only be cheating
yourself.

There is one critical rule I highly recommend following when making these adjustments, that
is test in small amounts. For example, if you have a 5 gallon batch ready to bottle, take a
measured half gallon off and experiment with that.

If you dont get the results you want. blend it back with the other 4 1/2 gallons and move on.
If you like what you did, duplicate the adjustment to the other 4 1/2 gallons. Not only is using
this method less likely to ruin the wine, but is also makes it less intimidating for the beginning
fruit winemaker.

One of the primary things you can do to a fruit wine at the bottling stage is to sweeten it to
taste. If the home wine making process went as planned the wine should be dry tasting.
Typically garden type fruits do not do well extremely dry so at least a touch of sugar before
bottling is recommended. Youll find that a little bit of sugar will enhance the fruity character
of the wine significantly. A wine making stabilizer such as potassium sorbate should also be
used when sweetening a wine. This is to help eliminate the chance of re-fermentation in the
bottles.

And, as mentioned before you can experiment with the type of sugar(s) used to do the
sweetening. Just as when you where preparing your wine making juice for fermentation.

The correct amount of sugar for sweetening a wine cannot be determined by a wine making
hydrometer but only by taste. Balance is the key word here. And only experience will help
in obtaining balance in a wine.

The same holds true for other flavor adjustments. Balance should be the focus. If for
example you have made a pumpkin wine and come up with the idea of adding pumpkin
spice to it before bottling, adding too little pumpkin spice will only complicate the wines flavor
to an annoying degree. It will be detected as a slight off-flavor. Adding too much pumpkin
spice will turn the pumpkin wine into spice wine with an annoying amount of pumpkin in it.
The pumpkin spice should compliment the pumpkin flavor not complicate it or overwhelm it.
Blending fruit wines can be fun. Just like Robert Mondavi's Opus wines which is a special
blend of grape wines produced annually and consistently considered one of the top wines on
the market. You can make your own specially blended fruit wines. With blending, it is
possible to take two or more average wines and blend them into something of remarkable
taste.

Im personally not a big banana fanna, but I always have some banana wine in bulk storage.
The reason is it blends quite well with many fruit wines. It adds significant body without
imparting an assertive flavor of any kind. So, you could take a homemade blackberry wine,
for example, and increase its body and cut its astringency by blending a little banana wine
with it.

Elderberry wine also blends well with other fruit wines. It tends to deepen the berry character,
and can add a Nouveau-Beaujolais twist, so to speak, to a wine such as raspberry. Thats a
couple of examples of why you should consider blending. Another reason is maybe you
accidentally ended up with a blueberry wine that is to sharp or sour tasting. Dont pour it
down the drain; make another batch of blueberry wine, but only make it lower in acid this
time and then later blend the two together.

The real point here is to have fun; be creative, and dont be afraid to try whats on your mind.
The most it could cost you is a half gallon of wine. The benefits will most assuredly be
experience and quite possibly a wine that will dazzle you, your friends, and even the winery
down the road.

In summary, fruit home wine making can open new doors to the individual wanting to make a
little wine but is unable to obtain the wine making grapes to do so. By understanding a few
basic wine making principals, you can easily turn readily available garden fruit into
stupendous wine that can be shared with family and friends. And have a little fun along the
way.

THE 7 EASY STEPS TO HOME WINE MAKING

1. Prepare the wine making produce by cutting up larger fruit, busting skins on
smaller fruit, chopping up fruits such as raisins, and bruising any produce like
ginger root, etc. Also, any large pits should be removed. It is also important to
understand that you can over-process the produce. Food processors, blenders and
such should not be used for this purpose. Doing so will cause too much bitterness
from the skin and seeds of the produce to be incorporated into the resulting wine.
2. Stir together all of the wine making ingredients called for, EXCEPT for the
YEAST, into a primary fermenter. Collect any pulp in a fermentation bag and
submerge the bag into the wine making mixture. Add water to equal the batch to
5 gallons. Then add 5 Campden Tablets. They should be crushed up before adding.
Do not add the wine yeast at this point in the process. Adding the wine yeast at the
same time you add the Campden Tablets will only result in destroying the yeast.

3. Cover the fermenter with a thin, clean towel and wait 24 hours. During this
waiting period the Campden Tablets are sterilizing the juice with a mild sulfur gas.
After 24 hours the gas leaves the container making it then safe to add the wine
yeast.
 4. Sprinkle the wine making yeast over the surface of the juice and then cover
with a thin, clean towel. Allow this mixture (must) to ferment for 5 to 7 days.
You should start to see some foaming activity within 24 hours of adding the yeast.
Typically, 70% of the fermentation activity will occur during this 5 to 7 day period.

5. After 5 to 7 days remove the pulp from the fermenter and discard. Siphon the
wine into a secondary fermenter in a careful manner, so as to leave the sediment
behind. You can easily remove the pulp by lifting out the fermentation bag. Wring
out any excess juice from the bag. Siphon the wine off the sediment without stirring it
up. Get as much liquid as you can, even it some of the sediment comes with it. If
necessary, add water back to 5 gallons.

6. Attach a wine making air-lock and fill it approximately half-way with water. Allow
the juice to ferment for an additional 4-6 week period or until it becomes
completely clear. You may want to verify with your hydrometer that the fermentation
has completed before continuing on to step 7. The hydrometer should read between
0.990 and 0.998 on the Specific Gravity scale. Be sure to give the wine plenty of time
to clear up before bottling.

7. Once the wine has cleared completely, siphon it off of the sediment again. Stir
in 5 Campden Tables that have been crushed and then bottle. When siphoning
off the sediment, unlike the first time you siphoned the wine, you want to leave all of
the sediment behind, even if you lose a little wine.

* For a list of basic wine making recipes go to our home wine making recipes page.

ADDITIONAL HOME WINE MAKING INFORMATION

Before starting your first batch of homemade wine you may want to take a look at the
following article listed on our web site: The Top Ten Reasons For Fermentation Failure.
This will help you to avoid the mistakes that have been most commonly made by
beginners.

Being sanitary is one of the keys to great home wine making. Be sure to thoroughly
clean all the wine making equipment before getting started. Four crushed Campden
Tablets to each quart of water makes a good sanitizer. Just follow the directions
provided with the Campden Tablets.

During the wine making process, it is very important to keep fermentation

temperatures stable between 70-75 degrees F. Getting the fermentation too cool
could result in the fermentation stopping before all the alcohol is made. Getting the
fermentation too warm could result in off-flavors in the wine.

The wine will be dry tasting when done fermenting. If you prefer your wines sweeter,
simply add sugar, honey, etc. to taste. However, you must first add a wine making
stabilizer such as Potassium Sorbate, or there will be a strong chance of re-
fermentation occurring in the bottles.

You may decide to purchase a wine making Hydrometer. It measures the

concentration of sugar in your wine at any given time. With this information you can
 determine your wines alcoholic content or simply monitor the progress throughout
the home wine making process.

WINE MAKING WITH

CONCENTRATES VERSUS GRAPES
Quite often we are asked what the difference is between making
wine from concentrates and making wine from grapes. There are a
few differences, but there are also a lot of similarities.

-- Wine Making With Concentrates:

If you are just starting out, wine concentrates offer an easy way
to consistently make spectacular wines. They come with simple,
easy-to-follow directions that eliminate all of the guess-work
and can easily be understood by even the first-time winemaker.

In most cases they also come with all of the additional

ingredients that are called for, pre-measured and ready for use.
All the variables have been taken away, so mistakes are hard to
make.

With wine concentrates there is also a larger variety available

to the home winemaker than if they were to try to purchase or
grow their own grapes. Currently, we offer over 190 different
wine juices from all over the world: France, Germany, Spain,
Italy, Australia, Chile, Argentina, Canada and California. An
incredible selection that allows one to make a medley of wines
that never gets tiring, and unlike grapes, these wine
concentrates are available throughout the year. Go to the
following link for a complete listing:

Wine Concentrate Listing

These concentrates will consistently make wines that are

comparable to any $10 to $15 bottle of wine you buy at the store,
and in the case of our higher-end juices such as Legacy, Bin49,
KenRidge Showcase and Vinterra, they will make wines that equal
the $15 to $50 range.

Getting started with a batch of wine using concentrate is very

quick and easy. It is simply a matter of pouring the concentrate
into your fermentation vessel, adding water to the proper level
(usually 6 gallons) and then adding the yeast and any other
ingredients that are called for by the accompanying directions.

After that it's just a matter of siphoning the wine off the
sediment from time to time as directed (called: racking) and then
eventually bottling the wine. The whole process usually takes
anywhere from 30 to 45 days, depending on the brand of wine
concentrate you purchased and can be done in a very small area.
-- Wine Making With Grapes

When making wine from grapes, much of the process is very similar
to that of making wine from packaged juices. The fermentation,
clearing and bottling goes pretty much the same way, but there
are some key differences that need to be pointed out.

-Dealing With The Grapes:

Many people do not realize it, but a lot of grapes are used in
making wine. For example, each of our packaged wine concentrates
represent anywhere from 70 to 100 pounds of wine grapes for
making six gallons of wine. That's two to three bushels. You will
need this many grapes as well.

Once the fermentation is complete and the pulp is removed you are
then left with approximately six gallons of wine. No water is
used, just a 100 percent straight juice is used to make wine from
wine grapes.

AS A SIDE NOTE: The 70 to 100 pounds applies only to actual

viniferous wine grapes such as: Merlot, Cabernet, Pinot Noir,
Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and others. When making wines made from
grapes like: Muscadine, Fox and Scuppernongs, usually anywhere
from 25 to 50 pounds is used for making six gallons. The
difference is made up with sugar and water. This lesser amount is
used because these grapes are stronger in flavor and higher in
acid, so using 100% juice would make the wine sharp, sour and
bitter tasting.

Dealing with such a large amount of grapes must be taken into

consideration before taking on such a project. The grapes will
need to be de-stemmed and crushed before fermenting, and then
later pressed after a few days of fermentation; white wines are
pressed before fermentation.

De-stemming and crushing the grapes can be done by hand. You can
use anything from a potato masher to the butt-end of a 2 X 4. If
you are dealing with several hundred pounds or more then you will
want to consider getting either a grape crusher or a
crusher/de-stemmer combo. Either of these items will speed up the
process tremendously. To see the crusher and de-stemmers that we
offer go to the following link on our web site:

Crushers and De-Stemmers

The pulp will need to be pressed after a few days of fermentation

to extract all the juice possible from the pulp. In the case of
white wine the grapes are pressed after crushing and before
fermentation; the pulp never sees the fermentation. To see the
presses that we offer go to the following link on our web site:

Wine Presses
-Dealing With The Variables:
As stated earlier, when you make wine from concentrates all of
the variables have been taken care of for you. That is why these
packaged wine concentrates are perfect for the casual or even
beginning winemaker; you can make fabulous wines with carefree,
consistent results.

When making wine from grapes you must be ready to deal with these
variables. Ignoring them is not an option. Ignoring them will
only produce an agreeable wine *if you are lucky* but mastering
them will allow you to produce a wine you can be proud of and
worth sharing every time.

What are these variables? While one could consider quite a

healthy list of things from minor to major, the list of variables
that require strong attention is not so long. Focus on these few
and you will have won most of the battle. The variables we speak
of are as follows:

Sugar Level:
Knowledge of the hydrometer for controlling the beginning sugar
level of the must is critical when making wine from grapes. The
beginning sugar level is what determines the final alcohol level
the wine. Different years, type of grape and time of harvest all
add to the unpredictability of sugar levels grapes can naturally
provide on their own. These varying sugar levels may require that
either sugar or water be added to the must to adjust the
potential alcohol level of the wine to a reasonable
range--usually between 10 and 13 percent.

Acidity Level:
Just as sugar levels can vary, so can the acidity level. If the
acid level is too high the wine will end up tasting sharp or
sour; not enough acid and the wine will taste flat and flabby.
The way to control this is to take readings with an Acid Test
Kit. By taking acid level readings you will be able to determine
if Acid Blend or water needs to be added to the must.

Pulp Contact Time:

The amount of time the pulp is allowed to remain in the
fermentation needs to be controlled. The range of time is
anywhere from one to seven days with five days being the most
common. These times refer to red wines primarily. With white
wines the pulp is not normally incorporated into the
fermentation. The longer the pulp remains in the fermentation,
the more color and grape character is brought into the wine.
However, one should be cautious of going too long, doing so can
bring an astringency to the wine that is irreversible. Varying
pulp contact time is one of the reasons that White Zinfandels,
Blush Zinfandels and Red Zinfandels can all be made from the same
grape.
Pressing Pressure:
The amount of pressure applied to the pulp during pressing can
alter the character of the wine in similar ways to pulp contact
time. When the must is first put into a wine press you will get
what is called "free run". This is the juice that has the
lightest body. As pressure is applied to the pulp fuller bodied
juice is released. So, the final level of pressure that is used
in pressing can control the body of the resulting wine.

Other Variables:
There are many other factors that play a more marginal role in
producing the character of a wine. We will not go into them here
as it is beyond the scope of this article. Just realize that
there are enough variables of varying degree of importance to
keep one learning for a life-time.

-- Summing It All Up

As you can see there are a lot of things that come into play when
dealing directly with grapes such as: crushing, pressing and dealing
with the shear volume of grapes. The producers of wine making
concentrates are experts at it. Everything from picking to
concentrating is done in a way that preserves the true character
of the grape and produces a wine that has balance in body, flavor
and character, something that has to be strived for when dealing
with grapes on your own.

But for the more aggressive home winemakers, making wine from
grapes may be the only way that brings satisfaction to the hobby
for them. For some there is something about the hands-on feeling
you get when you crank down on a grape press that makes the
process worth doing. If this is you then by all mean go for it.
Making wine from fresh grapes is certainly rewarding, and once
mastered, will allow you to produce wines that go well beyond
some of the best wines you will find on the market today.

_____

-- For more information about the Hydrometer and Acid Test Kit
mentioned in this article, go to the following links listed on
our web site:

Hydrometer

Acid Test Kit

HOW TO START MAKING WINE

A Clear Guide For The Overwhelmed Beginner

I received an email not too long ago that rather disturbed me. It
was from an individual who had been pondering about whether or
not they wanted to start making their own wine. They had just
been to our web site, looking through the endless selection of
supplies, equipment, ingredients, recipes and such.

The email stated that they had been thinking about making wine
off and on for several months, but after finding our site and
looking through it they now felt very "intimidated" by the whole
idea. "So many different kinds of ingredients, yeasts,
containers, testers.... I just feel overwhelmed." But, the part
of the email that really got me is when they said, "I don't think
this is something I really want to do".

As you might imagine my heart just sank with those words. It has
always been our intentions to promote home wine making, not be a
reason for someone to shy away.

But, after I thought about it I was able to see how the

first-time visitor might be "intimidated". Without a doubt there
are a lot of different products, a lot of little pieces to what
seems to be--for the beginning winemaker, anyway--a very big
puzzle.

If the email mentioned above seems like something you could have
written--in other words, you're thinking about making wine but
feel a little overwhelmed--then this article's for you.

-- Putting Things In Perspective

- The Ingredients:
Here's something to start out with that will eliminate a lot of
the confusion right from the start. A lot of the products we
offer are seldom needed to make wine. This statement may seem a
little counterproductive for someone trying to sell wine making
supplies, but it's true.

For example, the following items: Calcium Carbonate, Acid

Reducing Crystals, Lactose, Magnesium Sulfate, Instant Anti-Foam,
Ascorbic Acid, and many others, are ingredients that are used in
unique situations, not all the time. And, they are certainly not
items that you need to concern yourself with as a beginner.

There are just a hand-full of ingredients that are used on a

regular basis when making wine. They are: Acid Blend, Yeast
Nutrient, Yeast Energizer, Tannin, Pectic Enzyme, Campden Tablets
and Yeast. These seven simple ingredients will allow you to make
95 percent of the wines you could ever imagine making.

Secondly, we do offer what would be considered *ingredient kits.*

These are packages that contain all of the ingredients needed to
produce 6 gallons of wine. They come with the juice, the yeast,
nutrients... the same type of ingredients as mentioned above--all
pre-measured in separate little packets.
Just follow the directions that comes with the ingredient kit and
put in the individual packets as they are called for. It's that
simple. They come with directions that are clear, complete and
concise. They assume you know absolutely nothing about what you
are doing and that it's the first time you have ever made wine.

While these ingredient kits are designed in such a way to be easy

and simple to use, their quality is superior enough to keep even
the old pros coming back to them. The wines they produce are
simply remarkable and provide quite a surprise for the
unsuspecting, first-time winemaker.

Currently, we offer 63 different ingredient kits across four

different brands. So, selection is not an issue. Everything from
a hearty Cabernet Sauvignon to a crisp Peach Chardonnay is
available. The four brands are as follows:

California Connoisseur:
These ingredient kits include packaged juices from grapes grown
in California such as: Zinfandel, Beaujolais, Merlot and so on.

European Select:
These ingredient kits include packaged juices from grapes grown
throughout various regions in Europe. They include such types as:
Cabernet, Pinot Grigio, Chianti and so on.

Legacy:
These ingredient kits are similar to the European Select kits in
the sense that the grapes are grown throughout Europe. But, the
Legacy kits come in a much larger package that consist of a blend
of pure juice and concentrate.

Niagara Mist:
This is a wonderful line of ingredient kits that produce grape
and fruit blends. Some examples are, Strawberry-Zinfandel or
Cranberry-Shiraz.

- The Equipment:
When it comes to the equipment you will need, we have:
containers, hydrometers, jugs, hoses, brushes... it goes on and
on. And, again the issue for the beginning winemaker is the same,
"What do I need if I'm just starting out?"

A simple way to answer this question is to look at our starter

kits. They include not only the ingredients but the equipment as
well. We call them "Necessities Boxes". This is because we don't
try to sell you everything under the sun, but rather the
essentials that you will need--the necessities.

We have three different Necessities Boxes to choose from,

depending on what you want to accomplish. They are as follows:
California Connoisseur Necessities Box:
This is a collection of equipment that would be appropriate for
making wine with any of our boxed ingredient kits mentioned
earlier. We call it the "California Connoisseur" Necessities Box
because it includes your choice of ingredient kit from that
particular brand. But, it will also work just as well later on
for any of the other ingredient kits mentioned earlier in this
article.

SunCal Necessities Box:

This kit has all the the items necessary to make wine using our
SunCal juices. These juices are not ingredient kits, but rather,
cans of concentrate juice on its own. The SunCal Necessities Box
provides the additional ingredients and equipment necessary to
make wine using these juices.

Your Fruit! Necessities Box:

If packaged juices are not how you are looking to make wine, then
we have the "Your Fruit! Necessities Box". It contains all the
equipment and ingredients you will need for making wine using
your own fruit. It has a recipe book with over 100 different wine
recipes: apricot, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, elderberry,
gooseberry, strawberry, to name a few.

Price Savings: What also makes these kits so attractive is that

all three are offered at a special, introductory price. This
represents a saving to you of 15% to 25% off the individual
prices.

-- Other Resources For The Beginner

Here is some other helpful information for the beginning

winemaker that will help to get you on the right track. You don't
necessarily need to read them all, but you might look at one or
two that seem interesting to you.

"Getting Started In Home Wine Making"

"The Hottest Selling Wine Making Juices Of 2004"

"Home Wine Making With Fruits"

"Five Fundamentals To Keeping Your Wine Making On Track"

Getting Started In Home Wine Making

If you've been toying with the idea of trying your hand at wine making,
delay no longer. Go right ahead! By doing so you will be joining
thousands of happy people who have already discovered this
intriguing and rewarding hobby. Home wine making is a pastime that

truly brings its own rewards.

 Wine Making - A Deceptively Easy Process

Finding A Fruit Wine Recipe

Making Wine From Concentrates

Getting Started With A Starter Kit

What Ingredients Will I Need?

What Equipment Will I Need?

Additional Wine Making Info

WINE MAKING - A DECEPTIVELY EASY PROCESS

Wine making at home is a deceptively easy process. In reality, all you

are doing is putting together either fruit or concentrate along with a few other ingredients into
a container and allowing Mother Nature to do

what comes natural.

Your real contribution to the wine making process is making sure that

Mother Nature is given a fair opportunity to do her part. This is done

by putting together the right ingredients in the proper proportions and

making sure those ingredients are in an environment suitable for a

healthy fermentation.

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FINDING A FRUIT WINE RECIPE

There are many, many home wine making recipes available that will guide you to the right
ingredients and their correct amounts. And
they're no different than following a cookbook recipe.

Wine making books are a good souce for recipes and general wine making information. There
are many wine making books listed on this site that offer and endless array of wine making
recipes for making wine from apples, blackberries, strawberries....
You may also want to take a look at the wine recipe chart listed on this
web site. You can use these wine making recipes to make wine by using
our 7 Easy Steps To Making Wine.

You can also make excellent wine from grapes at home. Wilder grapes
like Muscadine and Fox will make wine just like the more domesticated
grape varieties do. You can find more information on our web site
about making wine from grapes.

If you have trouble finding a wine making recipe to suite your taste
contact us and tell us what kind of wine recipe you are looking for and
we'll see how we can help you.

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MAKING WINE FROM CONCENTRATE

There are lots of concentrated wine making juices available. They all
come with recipes and directions right on the package. Most come
with all the wine making ingredients called for, such as our California
Connoisseur line.

Others are concentrated juices by themselves which provide directions

and a listing of the other basic ingredients you will need. One example
of this is our Sun Cal Vineyards line of concentrates.

In either case, these concentrated wine making juices are extremely

easy to use and make exceptional homemade wines, and they are available all throughout
the year. So no waiting for fruit to be in season. You can find more information on our web
site about making wine from concentrated juices.

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GETTING STARTED WITH A STARTER KIT

You may want to consider getting a complete wine making starter kit. These kits include all the
equipment and ingredients you will need to get started making wine from concentrate or
fresh fruit.

One of the main advantages to starting with a complete wine making kit such as the SunCal
Necessities Box or the California Connoisseur Necessities Box is that they come with directions
that apply specifically to the supplies and ingredients that are in front of you.

In other words, the directions are very explicit. They take you by the hand and guide you
through each step with little to no guess-work; a pleasant way to take on any new endeavor.
You can find more information on our web site about making wine using a starter kit.

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WHAT WINE MAKING INGREDIENTS WILL I NEED?
There is a core group of wine making ingredients that are usually called
for in most all fruit and concentrate wine recipes. Each of these
ingredients play a specific and distinctly different role in the wine
making process. Here is a brief discription of what these ingredients do.

Yeast Nutrient: This is not yeast, but rather, energy for the yeast.
It insures that your yeast will ferment and make alcohol in
sufficient quantities.

Yeast Energizer: Used in place of Yeast Nutrient when fermenting fruits that severely
lack the set of nutrients yeast expects. It has a more extensive array of nutrients.
Pectic Enzyme: This is added to help break down the fruit during fermentation. By
using it you will extract more flavor and body from the fruit. It will also help to insure
that your wine will clear up successfully.
Acid Blend: This is used to help control the sharpness of the wine. Many wines will
not have enough acid on their own making the wine taste flat or flabby. By adding
Acid Blend you can correct the deficiency.
Wine Tannin: This is the zest of the fruit in powder form. It is added to increase the
character of the wine and to aid in its clarification after fermentation. It also helps the
wine to take better advantage of aging during storage.
Wine Yeast: This is the stuff that actually does all the work. It is what turns the sugar in
the juice into precious alcohol.
Campden Tablets: These tablets are added before fermentation and again before
bottling. They insure that your wine does not spoil and remains fresh tasting up to the
point of consumption.

If you have these above basic ingredients then you will be able to make wine from 95% of
the recipes you run across.

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WHAT EQUIPMENT WILL I NEED?

One of the things that makes wine making so attractive is that you don't have to spend a ton
of money to get started, and if you already are buying wine at the store it can actually save
you money. But there are some fundamental pieces of equipment you will need before
making your first batch.

Obviously you will need a container for fermenting the juice. You will also need to be able to
fit the container with an air-lock. This is to allow gases to escape without letting stuff back into
the wine during fermentation. And, you will need some hose for siphoning your wine off of the
sediment. All very simple items.

A straining bag is also very handy when making wine from fresh fruit. It is used for easy
removal of the pulp during fermentation. You can leave the bag in the fermentation, filled with
pulp, and simply pull it out at the appropriate time.
Beyond this you will also want to get a hydrometer. The hydrometer will allow you to
determine the alcohol level of your wine and it will help you to track the progress of your
wine's fermentation. An invaluable tool!

There may be other items that may pique your interest, but these are the basics of what you
will need to get started.

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ADDITIONAL WINE MAKING INFO

Here are a few articles on our web site that may be of interest to you. They are more specific
articles that involve different areas of wine making.

Making Wine With Fruits

Making Wine With Grapes
Making Wine With Concentrates
Wine Making With A Starter Kit
Concentrates Verses Grapes
7 Easy Steps To Making Wine

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NEED MORE DETAILED INFORMATION?

We also have an endless listing of helpful articles that cover more specific topics on wine
making at home. If you're looking for an answer to a wine making question, or are just
interested in gaining more indepth knowledge about wine making at home then take a look at
our articles page.

Detailed Listing Of Wine Making Articles

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To receive our free wine making newsletter! Click Here

INTRODUCTION TO WINE MAKING WITH FRUITS

Whether the fruit comes from the city market or your own backyard, you can make fruit wines
of remarkable flavor, body and character. Tremendous wines that are worthy of recognition
by friends and family.
And what's more, you can create these bottles of wine for a fraction of what they would cost
you at the store, and if the fruit's just sitting in your backyard just waiting to be picked--then
that's a heck of a deal.

So, go right ahead and dive into the interesting and rewarding hobby of home wine making.
By doing so you will be joining thousands of happy people who make and enjoy their own
wine with pride.

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WHAT KIND OF FRUIT TO CHOOSE

The first step to making fruit wine is figuring out what kind of fruit wine you want to make.
This could be anything from banana to blackberry. If you have an abundance of a particular
fruit available then that obviously would be a prime candidate for making wine. Or, maybe
there's a particular type of fruit that you absolutely love and can't wait to taste it as a wine.
Then go for it!

There is virtually no limit as to what you can use to create your own fruit wines, and that's
part of what makes this pastime so fun and interesting.

If you are having trouble coming up with fruit for making your wine, not to worry. County Fair
Fruit Bases offer a year-round solution for making fruit wines. There are 13 different fruit wine
juices to choose from.

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FINDING A FRUIT WINE RECIPE

There are many sources for wine recipes: books, internet and so forth. Many of these recipes
are good, sound recipes; others are--simply put--a recipe for failure. To help you avoid the
bad recipes, we have set up a wine recipe chart for making wines from various fruits. These
are solid recipes that have been proven time and time again. Each recipe makes 5 gallons.

Across the top of the chart you will see all the common wine making ingredients listed. Down
the left column are the different fruits and the amounts needed. Just look across the chart
from the type of fruit you want to use and you will see the amounts needed for each of the
ingredients.

What makes a wine recipe so valuable is that it allows you to get the right ingredients in the
right amounts into the mix. With a sound recipe you will have a sound wine.

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GETTING THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS

You may be asking yourself, why do I need all these ingredients? That's a good question,
and here's the answer.
Each one of these ingredients plays a distinctly different role in both the wine making
process and the resulting flavor of the finished wine. Here is a brief description of what these
ingredients do.

Yeast Nutrient: This is not yeast, but rather, energy for the yeast. It insures that your
yeast will ferment and make alcohol sufficiently.

Yeast Energizer: Used in place of Yeast Nutrient when fermenting fruits that severely
lack the nutrients yeast expects to do its job. It is a more extensive array of nutrients
than Yeast Nutrient.
Pectic Enzyme: This is added to help break down the fruit so that you can extract
more flavor and body from the fruit. It also helps to insure that your wine will clear up
successfully.
Acid Blend: This is used to control the sharpness of the wine. Many wines will not
have enough acid on their own once the required water is added. This can leave the
wine tasting flat.
Wine Tannin: This is the zest of the fruit. It is added to increase the character of the
wine and to help aid in its clarification. It also helps the wine to take better advantage
of aging while in storage.
Yeast: This is what actually does all the work. It turns all the sugars in the mix into
precious alcohol.
Campden Tablets: These tablets are added before fermentation and again before
bottling. They insure that your wine does not spoil and remains fresh tasting up to the
point of consumption.

Getting these ingredients in the right balance along with the fruit, sugar and water will allow
you to produce wines of exceptional character and flavor.

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STARTING YOUR FRUIT WINE

Once you have your recipe and ingredients together it's time to make the wine. Making the
wine is deceptively easy. It's basically a matter of mixing all the ingredients together and
letting Mother Nature do... what comes natural.

After a few days you will need to take the pulp out of the wine and from time to time you
need to siphon the wine off of the sediment that is occurring throughout the process. But
other than that it is primarily a matter of waiting.

For a more detailed look at the actual wine making process you should use The 7 Easy Step
To Making Wine. Here you will find all the particulars as to how you should prepare the mix
and the timeframes involved between each step. Use these directions in connection with the
wine making recipe chart and you will have a winning team.

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WHAT EQUIPMENT WILL I NEED?
One of the things that makes wine making so attractive is that you don't have to spend a ton
of money to get started, and if you already are buying wine at the store it can actually save
you money. But there are some fundamental pieces of equipment you will need before
making your first batch.

Obviously you will need a container for fermenting the juice. You will also need to be able to
fit the container with an air-lock. This is to allow gases to escape without letting stuff back into
the wine during fermentation. And, you will need some hose for siphoning your wine off of the
sediment. All very simple items.

A straining bag is also very handy for removing the pulp from the wine. You can leave the bag
in the fermentation, filled with pulp, and simply pull it out at the appropriate time.

Beyond this you will also want to get a hydrometer. The hydrometer will allow you to
determine the alcohol level of your wine and it will help you to track the progress of your
wine's fermentation. An invaluable tool!

There may be other items that may pique your interest, but this is the basics of what you will
need to get started.

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BOTTLING YOUR WINE

Bottling your wine is a fairly straight forward process. It is simply a matter of siphoning the
wine into the bottles and then corking them. You will need wine bottles, corks and a corker.
You may also want wine bottle labels and decorative bottle neck capsules. For more
information about this take a look at the article "Corking Your Wine Bottles".

You may or may not want to filter your wine before bottling. Doing so will add an additional
polish to the wine's already clear appearance. Wine filters come in different sizes based on
the amount of wine you are filtering and how fast you want to filter.

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A SIMPLE WAY TO GET STARTED

As you can see the number of items required to make fruit wine is small. Just a few
ingredients and a few pieces of equipment and your on your way.

Because of this it only makes sense that we put these items into a packaged group, one that
allows you to get started with little hassle. And, that's what we've done. We call it the Your
Fruit! Necessities Box.

It is a very powerful kit in the sense that it will allow you to make country-style wines out of
just about any fruit imaginable. Whether it be berries, orchard fruits or even watermelon you
will have the ingredients and equipment needed to get started. And what's more, it all comes
at a specially reduced packaged price.
It also includes the "Winemaker's Recipe Handbook" which contains about a hundred recipes
and the book "First Steps In Wine Making" which delves further into the wine making process
and provides even more wine recipes.

A simple way to get started.

INTRODUCTION TO WINE MAKING WITH GRAPES

Whether the grapes come from the local vineyard or your own backyard, you can make
impressive grape wines with remarkable flavor, body and character. Tremendous wines that
are worthy of recognition by friends and family.

And what's more, you can create these bottles of wine for a fraction of what they would cost
you at the store, and if the grapes are just sitting in your backyard, waiting to be picked--then
that's a heck of a deal.

So, go right ahead and dive into the interesting and rewarding hobby of wine making. By
doing so you will be joining the thousands of happy people who make and enjoy their own
wines with pride.

A very good book on the subject of wine making with grapes is From Vines To Wines. Not only
does this book cover wine making, but it also covers the vineyard aspect as well. For a
clearer understanding of grape wine making this is the book to get.

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GRAPE CLASSIFICATIONS
For the purpose of wine making you can classify grapes into three distinct groups:

Native Wild Grapes (Vitis Muscadinia): These are grapes such as Muscadine
(Scuppernong), Fox and Frost grape. They are extremely sharp tasting due to their
high acid content and have a strong assertive to pungent flavor and aroma. They are
also lower in sugar than other grapes. This class of grape can be distinguished from
others by the fact they do not grow in clusters, but rather, as separate berries.

Native Wine Grapes (Vitis Lambrusca): These are grapes such as Concord,
Catawba, Niagara and Delaware. They are indigenous to the North American
continent. While their flavor and aroma are not excessive like that of the wild grapes,
their acidity level can be a little on the high side making the juice slightly too sharp
tasting. Their sugar level is also much higher than that of wild grapes.
European Wine Grapes (Vitis Vinifera): These are grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Pinot Chardonnay and many others that were brought over
from Europe. Hybrid grapes such as Reliance, Foch, Chambourcin and Vignoles are
also considered to be in this group. Only on occasion are these grapes too sharp or
acidic in flavor and their sugar content is generally higher than that of native wine
grapes and much higher than that of wild grapes.

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IT'S ALL ABOUT THE GRAPE
How you go about making wine from grapes depends on the class of grape you are going to
use (see "Grape Classifications").

Some grapes will require only a little dilution with water to get its sharp acidic flavor under
control. Others will require none at all. Then there are some that may require as much as
three gallons of water for every 5 gallons of wine, such as in the case with many wild grapes.
Not only does the high acid level of the wild grapes require dilution but their excessive,
strong flavor demands it as well.

Sugar may need to be added to the juice in some cases. Sugar is what the yeast ferments to
make alcohol. When the fermentation is done the sugar is gone. When there is not enough
sugar for the yeast, there will not be enough alcohol in the wine.

Certainly in the case of wild grapes sugar will be in short supply and marginally so with some
native wine grapes. Sugar will need to be added to these mixes. But, in the case of
European wine grapes only rarely is sugar needed.

The point here is that making grape wine is not necessarily about following a recipe, but
rather, going through a procedure of adjustments based on the juice that is at hand. The
situation can vary dramatically based on the grape so to apply a recipe to all grapes or even
a class of grape is not practical.

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GETTING THE RIGHT MIX

Now the question comes, how do we know when water and/or sugar needs to be added to
the juice, and if so, how much do we need to add?

This question is really not that hard to answer. For measuring and controlling acidity you can
use an acid testing kit and for measuring and controlling sugar levels you can use a
hydrometer. Both come with complete directions and are relatively easy to use.

Acid Level Adjustment

You would start by taking an acid level reading of the juice to determine where you are at. If
the acid level is found to be twice as high as needed, then you would add equal amounts of
water to cut the level in half. If the acid level is only 10 percent too high you would then only
need to add 10 percent water.

The acid test kit directions include recommended acid levels for different types of wine. For
more information about controlling your wine's acidity see the article "Getting A Handle On
Wine Acidity" .

Sugar Level Adjustment

Once the acidity level is correct you then will want to check the sugar level and adjust it if
necessary. The hydrometer has a "Potential Alcohol" scale which tells you how much alcohol
can be made with the sugars that are currently in the juice. You will want to shoot for a
potential alcohol level somewhere between 9 and 13 percent.

Almost always the European wine grapes will provide enough sugar naturally. The native
wine grapes will usually need a little sugar and the wild grapes will need significant amounts
of sugar. For more information about using a hydrometer see the article "Getting To Know Your
Hydrometer".

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PROCESSING THE GRAPES

Now that you understand a little about the adjustments that may need to be made to the
juice (see "Getting The Right Mix"), it's time to go through the actual processing of the grapes.

In general red grapes are handled differently than white grapes. Red grapes are destemmed,
crushed and fermented with the skin and pulp for several days and then later pressed. White
grapes on the other hand are crushed with the stems left on and then pressed immediately.
The skin and pulp does not become a part of the fermentation with white grapes.

Destemming & Crushing

How you go about destemming and crushing depends on the amount of grapes you will be
dealing with. When making wine from wild grapes you may only be dealing with 20 to 40
pounds to end up with 5 gallons of wine. When making wine with European wine grapes the
amount is more in the neighborhood of 60 to 80 pound for 5 gallons. And if you plan on doing
50 or 100 gallons you are then looking at 600 to 1600 pounds to process.

The smaller amounts can obviously be destemmed and crushed by hand, but when you get
into larger amounts you may want to consider getting a crusher/destemmer combination or
possibly just a crusher if you are only dealing with whites.

Pressing
As stated earlier red grapes are pressed after a few days of fermentation whereas white
grapes are pressed prior to fermentation. The size of press you purchase, again, is
determined by the size of the job at hand.

A small table-top press is sufficient for handling 50 or 100 pounds of grapes. It can press
about 15 pounds at a time. For larger jobs you will want to consider a larger press like the R-
25 ratchet style.

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PREPARING FOR FERMENTATION

Once the grapes have been destemmed / crushed / pressed as needed and the acidity and
sugar levels have been checked and adjusted as necessary (see "Getting The Right Mix") it is
then time to prepare the mix for fermentation.
At this point the mix--which we can now call a "Must"--should be in an open fermentation
vessel of some type. You will then want to add to the must the following ingredients:

Yeast Nutrient: add at the rate of 1 teaspoon per gallon. This is not yeast, but rather,
an energy source for the yeast which will be added later.

Pectic Enzyme: add at the rate of 1/8 teaspoon per gallon. This is used to aid in the
clarification of the wine, and in the case of red wines, to help break down the pulp so
more flavor can be extracted.
Potassium Bisulfite: add at the rate of 1/16 teaspoon per gallon or 1/4 teaspoon for
every 4 gallons. This is used to sterilize the must, to kill all the wild molds, bacteria
and yeast that come with the fresh grapes. Over a 24 hour period the Potassium
Bisulfite will sterilize the juice and then dissipate into the air. Only cover the
fermentation vessel with a light towel during the waiting period.
Yeast can then be added after waiting 24 hours. If the yeast is added before the
Potassium Bisulfite leaves it will kill the yeast as well. Just sprinkle the yeast onto the
surface of the must at a rate of 1 package for every 5 gallons.

It is important that during the 24 hour waiting period before the yeast is added that the
fermentation vessel is only covered with a light towel, maybe an old t-shirt. This is to make
sure that the Potassium Bisulfite which needs to escape and leave the vessel is not trapped
by a lid or a heavy covering of some kind.

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FERMENTING THE MUST

The Primary Fermentation:

Usually within 12 hours of adding the yeast (sometimes 24) you will see the fermentation
activity begin by way of small patchy areas of foam on the surface of the must. These
patches will progress into a layer of foam that can get as high as 4 or 5 inches over the next
2 to 3 days.

During this time the fermentation vessel should be covered only with a thin cloth towel. It is
important that the fermentation be able to breath during these first few days of fermentation.
You will also want to stir the must on a daily basis with a stirring paddle so as to break up any
dried formation of solids that may rise to the top.

The Secondary Fermentation:

Around the 5th or 6th day of fermentation you will want to transfer ("rack") the must into a
clean fermentation vessel leaving any pulp and sediment behind.

If you are making red wine you will want to press the pulp at this time to extract all of the
juice and then discard the pulp. If you are making white wine you will simply transfer ("rack")
the wine to the new container.

A thin cloth towel should no longer be used, but instead an air-lock should be attached to the
new vessel. The air-lock is used to allow gases to escape from the fermentation vessel
without letting anything bad back into the must.
You can use the same type of fermentation vessel that you used for the primary fermentation
so long as an air-lock can be attached to it. Some winemakers prefer to use a carboy or
similar type container for their secondary fermentations.

During the secondary fermentation the yeast will be finishing up its activity and the solids will
be settling out. After the fermentation has completely stopped and you have verified with the
hydrometer that it has completed, you will want to add another dose of Potassium Bisulfite to
help preserve the wine's flavor and color while it is clearing.

The clearing process can take several weeks, sometimes months. You will want to rack the
wine off the sediment every month or so while you are waiting. As an option you can speed
up the clarification process by treating the wine with finings after the fermentation has
completed.

For a more detailed look at what is really going on during the fermentation read the article
"Fermentation 101".

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BOTTLING YOUR WINE

Once the wine is completely clear and you have verified with a hydrometer that it is done
fermenting it is time to bottle.

You may or may not want to filter your wine before bottling. Doing so will add an additional
polish to the wine's already clear appearance. Wine filters come in different sizes based on
the amount of wine you are filtering and how fast you want to filter.

Bottling your wine is a fairly straight forward process. It is simply a matter of siphoning the
wine into the bottles and then corking them. You will need wine bottles, corks and a corker.
You may also want wine bottle labels and decorative bottle neck capsules. For more
information about this take a look at the article "Corking Your Wine Bottles".

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ADDITIONAL WINE MAKING INFO

Here are a few articles on our web site that may be of interest to you. They are more specific
articles that involve the area of wine making from grapes.

INTRODUCTION TO
WINE MAKING WITH CONCENTRATES

If you are just starting out, wine concentrates offer an easy way for you to get rolling. They
come with simple, easy-to-follow directions that eliminate all of the guess-work and can
easily be understood by even the first-time winemaker.
In most cases the wine making concentrates also come with all of the additional ingredients
that are called for, pre-measured and ready for use. By offering concentrated juices in this
way all of the variables have been eliminated, so you have to work hard to make a mistake.

In short, wine making concentrates provide you with an easy, consistent way to make
impressive grape wines with remarkable flavor, body and character. And what's more,
you can create these bottles of wine for a fraction of what they would cost you at the store,
as little as $2.00 a bottle. Tremendous wines that are worthy of recognition by friends and
family.

So, go right ahead and dive into the interesting and rewarding hobby of wine making. By
doing so you will be joining the thousands of happy people who make and enjoy their own
wines everyday with pride.

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WHAT KIND OF WINES CAN I MAKE?

With wine concentrates there is a larger variety available to the home winemaker than if they
were to try to purchase or grow their own grapes. Currently, we offer over 190 different wine
making juices from all over the world: France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia, Chile,
Argentina, Canada and California. From Cabernet to Chianti it's all there for your choosing.

It's an incredible selection that allows one to make a medley of wines that never gets tiring,
and unlike growing your own grapes, these wine concentrates are available all throughout
the year. So you can make your wine whether it be April or August.

These concentrates will consistently make wines that are comparable to any $10 to $15
bottle of wine you buy at the store, and in the case of our higher-end juices such as Legacy,
Bin49, KenRidge Showcase and Vinterra, they will make wines that equal the $15 to $50 range.

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HOW DO YOU USE WINE MAKING CONCENTRATES?

Getting started with a batch of wine from concentrate is very quick and easy. It is simply a
matter of pouring the wine concentrate into your fermentation vessel, adding water and then
adding the yeast and any other ingredients that are called for by the accompanying directions.

After that it's only matter of siphoning the wine off of the sediment from time to time as
directed (called: racking) and adding any additional ingredients that may be called for along
the way.

The whole process usually takes anywhere from 30 to 45 days, from beginning to bottling,
depending on the brand of wine concentrate you purchased. Your primary role in the whole
process is to simply watch and wait.
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WHAT COMES WITH THE CONCENTRATE?

Of the eleven different brands of wine making concentrate we offer, eight of them come with
all the ingredients you will need. All you need to do is add water. These brands are as
follows: California Connoisseur, European Select, Niagara Mist, Legacy, KenRidge Classic, Bin 49,
KenRidge Showcase and Vinterra.

Ingredient Kits
These brands are considered *ingredient kits* because of their inclusion of everything you
will need to make 6 gallons (30 bottles) of wine. They come with: the yeast, the nutrients, the
clarifiers and such, all pre-measured in little packets. The sugars and fruit acids are already
incorporated into the concentrate and have been balanced for superior flavor and character.

Depending on the type of wine you are making, you may also receive flavor enhancement
items such as oak powder to give a barrel-aged effect, elderflowers to develop the wines
bouquet and elderberries to add body and depth to the wine.

Very clear and complete directions are included making these ingredient kits a powerfully
simple way to make incredible wines starting with your very first batch.

Other Concentrates
The other three brands do not come with any ingredients. They are simply the concentrated
juice. These brands are as follows: SunCal Vineyards, Alexander Sun Country and County Fair
Premium Fruit Bases.

All three of these brands come with directions that explain what other ingredients you will
need. You can also find this information on our web site within the description of each
concentrate.

The items that are called for are basically the following: Yeast Nutrient, Acid Blend, Wine
Tannin, Yeast, and sometimes Pectic Enzyme or Bentonite. These concentrates will also need
sugar added to them as well.

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WHAT EQUIPMENT WILL I NEED?

One of the things that makes wine making so attractive is that you don't have to spend a ton
of money to get started, and if you already are buying wine at the store it can actually save
you money. But there are some fundamental pieces of equipment you will need before
making your first batch.

Obviously you will need a fermentation container for fermenting the juice. You will also need to
be able to fit the container with an air-lock. This is to allow gases to escape without letting
stuff back into the wine during fermentation. And, you will need some hose for siphoning your
wine off of the sediment. All very simple items.
Beyond this you will also want to get a hydrometer. The hydrometer will allow you to
determine the alcohol level of your wine and it will help you to track the progress of your
wine's fermentation. An invaluable tool!

You may also want a second fermentation container to make it easier when you are
transferring the wine off the sediment. Otherwise, you can just move the wine to one or two
large cooking pots, just long enough to rinse out the fermentation container and then transfer
the wine back to it.

There may be other items that may pique your interest like stirring paddles, testing jars and
bottle brushes, but this is the basics of what you will need to get started.

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A SIMPLE WAY TO GET STARTED

As you can see the number of items required to make wine from concentrate is small. Just a
few pieces of equipment, an ingredient kit and you're on your way.

Because of this it only makes sense that we put these items into a packaged group, one that
allows you to get started with little hassle and little guesswork. And, that's what we've done.
We call it the California Connoisseur Necessities Box.

It is a very powerful kit in the sense that it will allow you to make wine using any one of our
wine making ingredient kits, whether it be a Shiraz by Vinterra or Raspberry Merlot by Niagara
Mist. And what's more, it all comes at a specially reduced packaged price.

For your first batch, it includes your choice of California Connoisseur Ingredient kit. If you're not
sure which one to choose, we suggest the Cabernet Sauvignon as it is one of the most
popular red wine kits we offer. After that it's whatever type of wine you can imagine from our
selection of over 190 ingredient kits.

We also offer a SunCal Necessities Box. It's the same idea only it is geared to making wine
using our SunCal concentrates. It comes with the necessary equipment and your choice of
SunCal Concentrate to start out with.

INTRODUCTION TO
WINE MAKING WITH A START KIT

If you are just starting out, a starter kit offers an easy way for you to get rolling. We offer
three different wine making starter kits. Each comes with simple, easy-to-follow recipes and
directions that eliminate all of the guess-work and can easily be understood by even the first-
time winemaker.

All three start kits have both all the equipment and ingredients you will need to make your
first batch of wine. Complete and ready to go. By offering the starter kits in this way all of the
variables have been eliminated, so you have to work hard to make a mistake.
In short, these wine making starter kits provide you with an easy, painless way for you
to start making wine... Impressive wines with remarkable flavor, body and character,
starting with your very first batch.

And what's more, you can create these bottles of wine for a fraction of what they would cost
you at the store, as little as $2.00 a bottle. Tremendous wines that are worthy of recognition
by friends and family.

So, go right ahead and dive into the interesting and rewarding hobby of wine making. By
doing so you will be joining the thousands of happy people who make and enjoy their own
wines everyday with pride.

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WHY DO YOU OFFER THREE DIFFERENT STARTER KITS?

We offer three differnet starter kits because not all beginning winemakers are alike. Some
may want to make wine from fruits grown right out of their own backyard. Others may want to
make wine using concentrated juices and such.

Each requires a slightly different set of ingredients and equipment. By offering these three
kits in this way, we are able to get you what you want for making wine the way you want.

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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN THE STARTER KITS?

Your Fruit! Necessities Box:

As the name suggests this is a starter kit for someone wanting to make wine using
their own fruits. It comes with all ingredients needed to cover 95 percent of the fruit
wine recipes you'll run across. It also comes with the book First Steps In Wine Making
and a Recipe Handbook that features 100 different recipes for making wine from
various fruits. Find Out More>>>

SunCal Necessities Box:

This starter kit provides everything you will need to start making wine using SunCal
Vineyard concentrates. It comes with all the additional ingredients that are called for as
well as all of the equipment you will need. SunCal Vineyards has been providing
juices for the home winemaker for over 30 years and has a reputation of bringing
quality wines to the table. A very economical way to get started. Find Out More>>>
California Connoisseur Necessites Box:
This kit has everything you will need to start making wine using concentrated
ingredient kits. It is a very powerful kit in the sense that it will allow you to make wine
using any one of our wine making ingredient kits, whether it be a Shiraz by Vinterra or
 Raspberry Merlot by Niagara Mist. For your first batch, it includes your choice of
California Connoisseur Ingredient kit. If you're not sure which one to choose, we
suggest the Cabernet Sauvignon as it is one of the most popular red wine kits we
offer. After that it's whatever type of wine you can imagine from our selection of over
190 ingredient kits. Find Out More>>>

All of these kits are available at a reduced introductory price. So it's a you win, you win
situation. Not only do you get the equipment and ingredients you will need, put together in a
way that leads you easily down the path to successful wine making, you also get it at a lower
price.

WINE MAKING WITH

CONCENTRATES VERSUS GRAPES
Quite often we are asked what the difference is between making
wine from concentrates and making wine from grapes. There are a
few differences, but there are also a lot of similarities.

-- Wine Making With Concentrates:

If you are just starting out, wine concentrates offer an easy way
to consistently make spectacular wines. They come with simple,
easy-to-follow directions that eliminate all of the guess-work
and can easily be understood by even the first-time winemaker.

In most cases they also come with all of the additional

ingredients that are called for, pre-measured and ready for use.
All the variables have been taken away, so mistakes are hard to
make.

With wine concentrates there is also a larger variety available

to the home winemaker than if they were to try to purchase or
grow their own grapes. Currently, we offer over 190 different
wine juices from all over the world: France, Germany, Spain,
Italy, Australia, Chile, Argentina, Canada and California. An
incredible selection that allows one to make a medley of wines
that never gets tiring, and unlike grapes, these wine
concentrates are available throughout the year. Go to the
following link for a complete listing:

Wine Concentrate Listing

These concentrates will consistently make wines that are

comparable to any $10 to $15 bottle of wine you buy at the store,
and in the case of our higher-end juices such as Legacy, Bin49,
KenRidge Showcase and Vinterra, they will make wines that equal
the $15 to $50 range.

Getting started with a batch of wine using concentrate is very

quick and easy. It is simply a matter of pouring the concentrate
into your fermentation vessel, adding water to the proper level
(usually 6 gallons) and then adding the yeast and any other
ingredients that are called for by the accompanying directions.

After that it's just a matter of siphoning the wine off the
sediment from time to time as directed (called: racking) and then
eventually bottling the wine. The whole process usually takes
anywhere from 30 to 45 days, depending on the brand of wine
concentrate you purchased and can be done in a very small area.

-- Wine Making With Grapes

When making wine from grapes, much of the process is very similar
to that of making wine from packaged juices. The fermentation,
clearing and bottling goes pretty much the same way, but there
are some key differences that need to be pointed out.

-Dealing With The Grapes:

Many people do not realize it, but a lot of grapes are used in
making wine. For example, each of our packaged wine concentrates
represent anywhere from 70 to 100 pounds of wine grapes for
making six gallons of wine. That's two to three bushels. You will
need this many grapes as well.

Once the fermentation is complete and the pulp is removed you are
then left with approximately six gallons of wine. No water is
used, just a 100 percent straight juice is used to make wine from
wine grapes.

AS A SIDE NOTE: The 70 to 100 pounds applies only to actual

viniferous wine grapes such as: Merlot, Cabernet, Pinot Noir,
Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and others. When making wines made from
grapes like: Muscadine, Fox and Scuppernongs, usually anywhere
from 25 to 50 pounds is used for making six gallons. The
difference is made up with sugar and water. This lesser amount is
used because these grapes are stronger in flavor and higher in
acid, so using 100% juice would make the wine sharp, sour and
bitter tasting.

Dealing with such a large amount of grapes must be taken into

consideration before taking on such a project. The grapes will
need to be de-stemmed and crushed before fermenting, and then
later pressed after a few days of fermentation; white wines are
pressed before fermentation.

De-stemming and crushing the grapes can be done by hand. You can
use anything from a potato masher to the butt-end of a 2 X 4. If
you are dealing with several hundred pounds or more then you will
want to consider getting either a grape crusher or a
crusher/de-stemmer combo. Either of these items will speed up the
process tremendously. To see the crusher and de-stemmers that we
offer go to the following link on our web site:
Crushers and De-Stemmers

The pulp will need to be pressed after a few days of fermentation

to extract all the juice possible from the pulp. In the case of
white wine the grapes are pressed after crushing and before
fermentation; the pulp never sees the fermentation. To see the
presses that we offer go to the following link on our web site:

Wine Presses

-Dealing With The Variables:

As stated earlier, when you make wine from concentrates all of
the variables have been taken care of for you. That is why these
packaged wine concentrates are perfect for the casual or even
beginning winemaker; you can make fabulous wines with carefree,
consistent results.

When making wine from grapes you must be ready to deal with these
variables. Ignoring them is not an option. Ignoring them will
only produce an agreeable wine *if you are lucky* but mastering
them will allow you to produce a wine you can be proud of and
worth sharing every time.

What are these variables? While one could consider quite a

healthy list of things from minor to major, the list of variables
that require strong attention is not so long. Focus on these few
and you will have won most of the battle. The variables we speak
of are as follows:

Sugar Level:
Knowledge of the hydrometer for controlling the beginning sugar
level of the must is critical when making wine from grapes. The
beginning sugar level is what determines the final alcohol level
the wine. Different years, type of grape and time of harvest all
add to the unpredictability of sugar levels grapes can naturally
provide on their own. These varying sugar levels may require that
either sugar or water be added to the must to adjust the
potential alcohol level of the wine to a reasonable
range--usually between 10 and 13 percent.

Acidity Level:
Just as sugar levels can vary, so can the acidity level. If the
acid level is too high the wine will end up tasting sharp or
sour; not enough acid and the wine will taste flat and flabby.
The way to control this is to take readings with an Acid Test
Kit. By taking acid level readings you will be able to determine
if Acid Blend or water needs to be added to the must.

Pulp Contact Time:

The amount of time the pulp is allowed to remain in the
fermentation needs to be controlled. The range of time is
anywhere from one to seven days with five days being the most
common. These times refer to red wines primarily. With white
wines the pulp is not normally incorporated into the
fermentation. The longer the pulp remains in the fermentation,
the more color and grape character is brought into the wine.
However, one should be cautious of going too long, doing so can
bring an astringency to the wine that is irreversible. Varying
pulp contact time is one of the reasons that White Zinfandels,
Blush Zinfandels and Red Zinfandels can all be made from the same
grape.

Pressing Pressure:
The amount of pressure applied to the pulp during pressing can
alter the character of the wine in similar ways to pulp contact
time. When the must is first put into a wine press you will get
what is called "free run". This is the juice that has the
lightest body. As pressure is applied to the pulp fuller bodied
juice is released. So, the final level of pressure that is used
in pressing can control the body of the resulting wine.

Other Variables:
There are many other factors that play a more marginal role in
producing the character of a wine. We will not go into them here
as it is beyond the scope of this article. Just realize that
there are enough variables of varying degree of importance to
keep one learning for a life-time.

-- Summing It All Up

As you can see there are a lot of things that come into play when
dealing directly with grapes such as: crushing, pressing and dealing
with the shear volume of grapes. The producers of wine making
concentrates are experts at it. Everything from picking to
concentrating is done in a way that preserves the true character
of the grape and produces a wine that has balance in body, flavor
and character, something that has to be strived for when dealing
with grapes on your own.

But for the more aggressive home winemakers, making wine from
grapes may be the only way that brings satisfaction to the hobby
for them. For some there is something about the hands-on feeling
you get when you crank down on a grape press that makes the
process worth doing. If this is you then by all mean go for it.
Making wine from fresh grapes is certainly rewarding, and once
mastered, will allow you to produce wines that go well beyond
some of the best wines you will find on the market today.