steps in making wine

THE STEPS OF MAKING RED WINE
FOR THE FERMENTATION OF RED JUICE WITH SKIN CONTACT
OBTAIN FRUIT
Look for sound fruit only, with no mold or rot.  You will need about 12 pounds of fruit for each
gallon of finished wine
CRUSH / STEM
Crush into an open top container without breaking the seeds or tearing the stems.  Remove at
least 90% of the stems.
ADD SO2 & PECTIC
ENZYME
Sulfite with 50 ppm SO2 immediately after crushing to minimize effect of exposure to the air
and to inhibit wild yeast.  ( see separate handout )
TEST FOR SUGAR  ( see separate handouts )
TEST FOR ACID  Following the instructions included with your particular Acid Test Kit
ADJUST SUGAR & ACID ( see separate handouts )  Adjust the sugar before testing and adjusting the acid.
ADD YEAST AND
NUTRIENT
Add a diammonium phosphate based yeast nutrient at the rate of one tsp/gal.  Add wine yeast
24hrs after the above sulfiting.
FERMENTATION
Cover the open top container to keep out fruit flies and dust.  The temperature of the juice
should be above 60 deg F and preferably below 80 deg F throughout the fermentation cycle.
Break up the cap (rising skins) at least twice a day and mix well.
PRESS
When the rising cap appears less firm and more moist or the sugar drops to 5-10ºBrix  (4-6
days), press the juice from the skins.  Longer skin contact can produce a deeper color.  Line
the press with a press cloth or bag to retain skins and seeds.  Breaking up the resulting "cake"
and repressing can increase yield.
FILL CARBOYS
ADD AIRLOCKS
After pressing place into carboys, filled to within the small of the neck.  Attach air locks, 1/2 to
1/3 full of water.
RACK WITH SO2
INTO CLEAN CARBOYS
When all fermentation ceases (no gas bubbles thru air lock in 10 min) rack into clean carboys
with 50 ppm SO2, leaving all sediment behind.
Add the required sulfite (see handout), first dissolved in a little warm water, to the clean
carboys before filling.  Fill with the siphon hose at the bottom of the clean carboy to minimize
air contact and to help mix the sulfite.  Top up to the small of the neck with water or a similar
wine.
RACK WITH SO2
After 1½ to 2 months repeat the above racking procedure, but, with only 30 ppm SO2.  Top up
with wine or water.
COLD STABILIZE
Move the carboys to location where the temperature is in the range of 30 to 40 deg F, but no
lower than 28deg F, to precipitate the tartrates.  Use a mixture of water and Vodka or water
and Glqcerine in the aurlocks.
uet the carboys utand undisturbed with air locks for about 2 months.  Avoid exposure to light.
RACK WITH SO2
After cold stabilization, while the wine is still cold, rack again, as above, with 30 ppm SO2.
Top up the carboys with wine or water
FINE
The wine should be clear at this point.  If not, clarity will often improve with additional time.  If
haze or cloudiness persists the wine may be fined with a suitable fining agent.  Most hazes will
be removed by fining with Sparkolloid or Bentonite, followed a few weeks later by a racking
with 30 ppm SO2 to remove the sediment.  ( see separate handout )
RACK WITH SO2  When the wine is crystal clear rack as above with 50 ppm SO2.
BOTTLE
Immediately after the above racking siphon the wine into sanitized bottles, then cork or cap.
If using corks, let the bottles stand upright 3-5 days to relieve the pressure inside the bottle,
then lay the bottles on their side to keep the wine in contact with the corks to prevent them
from drying out.
NYSHWC  8/15/82    (rev. 5/28/96)