Homemade grape wine (my favorite recipe). How to make homemade wine from grapes (red or white) Make wine from grapes at home

Many connoisseurs of good quality wine have at least occasionally thought about how to make homemade wine from grapes on their own. This question also concerns owners of vineyards on their plots. Despite the fact that fruit and berry wines have practically become the main activity for most gardeners, grape wine deserves special attention. Wine from grapes can be made at home without special equipment, but you need to have certain knowledge.

Grape varieties for wine

The taste, characteristics and even quantity of homemade grape wine primarily depend on what type of grape you decide to make the wine from. Its acidity and sugar content. All grape varieties are divided into table grapes, intended for consumption raw, and technical or wine grapes. Technical varieties are distinguished by smaller berry size and nail weight, tight adherence of berries to nails and a juice content of more than 70%. Table varieties consist almost entirely of pulp, and it is difficult to obtain juice from them.

International varieties with a wide geographical distribution are recognized as classics of world winemaking: Muscat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Aligote, Riesling and others. Russia and the countries of the post-Soviet space, in addition to international ones, grow numerous local varieties of both natural origin and hybrid ones.

Russian wine varieties

In Russia, white wine varieties include white Kokur, varieties of white Muscat, and red wine varieties include Golubok, Odessky black, Tsimlyansky black, Dostoyny, Krasnostop. Crimea's grape culture is rich. The white varieties Albio Crimean, Verdelho, and Shabash are grown here. Among the reds, the most popular are Kefessia, Alicant and Kalyaba (varieties of black Muscat), Ekim Kara (Black Doctor, Kefe raisins), Cevat Kara (Black Colonel). In neighboring Georgia, the best grape varieties for wine are Rkatsiteli and Tsolikouri (white), as well as Saperavi and Aleksandrouli (red).

Instructions for making grape wine

The technology for making homemade wine from grapes is divided into several stages. Let's look at them step by step.

Collection and preparation of raw materials

The grapes are harvested after ripening, and when producing sweet dessert wines, the berries can be allowed to ripen a little. It is recommended to harvest the wine for wine with your own hands, in dry weather, no less than 3 days after the rain. This will ensure the presence of wild yeast. In addition, grapes have the ability to absorb moisture (water), in which the juice is diluted.

The berries need to be sorted and used within two days. We sift out rotten and spoiled berries along with leaves, ridges, and branches. Do not wash the berries so as not to wash off the layer of wild yeast. Very dirty berries can be wiped with a cloth.

Extracting grape juice

The juice released from grapes naturally under the pressure of its own weight is called gravity flow. This is the purest and most valuable juice. Wine from grape juice extracted by gravity produces an unusually aromatic and natural wine. The only difficulty is that not all the juice contained can be extracted using this method. Most of it will still remain in the berries and will have to be extracted with a press. Sometimes these two types of juice are separated and different batches of wine are prepared.

After gravity appears, knead and crush the berries. It is better to do this with a wooden pestle. The main thing is not to crush the seeds, which contain excess tannins. This will give the wine excessive bitterness. If you crush the berries with your hands, it is better to use sterile gloves. This will protect the grapes from microbes and save the skin of your hands from acidic juice.

White and red ways

Now let’s decide on the need for pulp. In short, it is the thin skin that contains the coloring tannins; they are absent from the pulp and juice of any grape varieties. This means that wine made from white grapes at home can only be white. Wine made from blue grapes (red) can be white, red and even pink.

The technology for making red wines by fermenting grape juice on pulp is called the red method. The white method is used to prepare white wine from grape juice without pulp or with its short-term addition.

Depending on the color of the grapes, your further actions may vary:

1. White wine from white grapes - transfer the juice along with the pulp into a container (wooden, glass, plastic, but not metal);
2. Red wine from blue grapes (or red) - transfer the juice along with the pulp into a container;
3. White wine from dark grapes - carefully strain the resulting juice from the pulp, do not squeeze or grind the pulp. To start fermentation, you will need to add wine yeast or wine starter.
4. Rose wine from black grapes (or red) - the same as for red, but the pulp must be removed after 1-2 days (depending on the desired color intensity).

Fermentation

Cover the container with juice (with or without pulp) with gauze and leave at a temperature of at least 20°C. The first signs of fermentation can be noticed after 8-20 hours. The duration of juice fermentation is 3-4 days. To make homemade grape wine more rich and tart, the time can be increased to a week; for light and fresh wine, it can be removed earlier.

The juice should be mixed 1-2 times a day. When using pulp in this way, the cap gets knocked down, which can cause mold. When aging juice with starter, this will improve the oxygenation of the juice necessary for fermentation.

When signs of vigorous fermentation appear (hissing and the smell of carbon dioxide), you can prepare the wort. Drain the juice from the sediment, squeeze out the pulp (if used) and grind through a sieve. We measure the amount of grape juice formed.

Wort preparation

For the wort, in addition to the juice itself, you need sugar and possibly water. According to the classic grape wine recipe, for one liter of young juice you will need:

• sugar - 50-200 grams;
• water - 100-500 ml.

The range of figures given is very large. This is due to the different initial sweetness and acidity of the grapes. Therefore, when making wine from grapes yourself, the amount of ingredients added is usually determined by taste.

Adding water

For more efficient fermentation, we will add sugar in parts. We'll talk about this below. As for water, it is an optional component. Under ideal conditions, water is not desirable. It reduces the concentration of grape juice, so wine with the addition of water turns out less rich and bright. It must be added only when the acidity of the juice obtained from unripe grapes is very high. When preparing wort, water is added no more than 500 ml per liter of juice. When tasting the wort, you need to leave a little acid in the taste; it will go away during fermentation.

Active fermentation phase

Pour the concentrated grape juice (or grape juice with added water) into a clean fermentation container. We install a water seal or a rubber glove with a punctured finger and put it in a suitable place. For the active fermentation phase of wine at home, choose a dark room with a temperature range of 18-28°C.

Adding sugar

As we wrote above, we will add sugar in parts. This is necessary to prevent the sugar content in the wort from exceeding 15% - the upper threshold of sweetness for yeast activity. The first wort sample can be made 4-5 days after installing the valve. If you feel that the sweetness has decreased, you can add sugar at the rate of 50 grams per liter. Sugar should not be poured directly into the fermentation container. We pour out part of the wort, dissolve the sugar in it and return it back to the container.

This operation needs to be done 3-4 times with an interval of 5-6 days. When the sweetness stops changing significantly, the amount of sugar will be sufficient. There is no need to add more. Let the existing one get better.

Signs of mash readiness

Depending on many conditions, the duration of active fermentation when preparing homemade wine from grapes is 30-60 days. The readiness of the mash is determined by several criteria:

• the water seal stops releasing gas, the rubber glove falls off;
• the hissing and bubbling stop;
• the surface brightens and calms down;
• A dense sediment forms at the bottom.

When all the signs are present, the mash can be carefully drained from the sediment into a new clean container.

If at the end of the second month the wort continues to ferment, it must be drained from the sediment into a new container. Infusing grape wine on lees for a long time at home gives it bitterness.

Bringing it to taste

At this stage, our simple recipe allows you to make wine from grapes sweet or dry. Since the yeast is removed along with the sediment, the added sugar will no longer be converted into alcohol, but will remain in the wine. You should not add more than 250 grams of sugar per liter of wine.

It is better for novice winemakers to master the production of sweet and semi-sweet wine. The sugar they contain acts as a good preservative and prevents the wine from turning sour. Dry wine in this regard requires a more careful approach and careful storage.

Quiet fermentation

The young wine, brought to the desired sweetness and poured into a clean container, is moved to a cool place. The ideal temperature is 16°C, the maximum possible is 22°C. It is important to maintain a constant temperature so that it does not change day or night. During quiet fermentation, wine production continues. At this time, taste and aroma characteristics are finally formed.

Precipitation

Precipitation may continue to appear. Therefore, once every 3-4 weeks, when a thick layer forms, you need to drain the wine from the sediment again. The wine is aged at this stage until the sediment disappears completely.

It takes at least 40 days to clarify white wines, and 60-90 for red wines. The maximum period for post-fermentation of homemade grape wine is 1 year. Longer storage is pointless. When aging grape wine at home, it is difficult to reproduce the microclimate of a real wine cellar and follow the rules of assemblage that improve the characteristics of the drink.

Therefore, half a year after the start of quiet fermentation, the young wine can be bottled and not delay tasting. Please note that you need to fill the bottles under the cork so that there is as little room for air as possible. Otherwise, wine oxidation may begin earlier than planned.

Wine from Isabella grapes

If you have mastered wine technology and understand how to make homemade wine, there should be no difficulties with different grape varieties. As an example, here is a popular recipe for wine made from Isabella grapes.

To make wine from the common hybrid variety Isabella, you will need:

• grapes - 5 kg;
• sugar - 3 kg;
• water - 12 liters.

A special feature of this variety is its high acidity. Vineyards with an acid content of 4-6 grams per liter are considered suitable for wine. Even in ripe Isabella, this value is 10-15 grams per liter. Therefore, adding water in this case is necessary. The algorithm of actions is described in the main recipe. There are no other fundamental differences from the basic recipe for wine made from Isabella grapes.

There are many subtleties in winemaking. It is unlikely that someone will give a good universal recipe for homemade wine that will tell you how to make a masterpiece and impress professional sommeliers. But your drink will definitely be unique and one of a kind. And experience comes with practice.

Attention, TODAY only!

Alexander Gushchin

I can’t vouch for the taste, but it will be hot :)

Content

The secrets of winemaking can be studied for almost years. Although anyone can easily learn this art. The first time you try, you may not get a masterpiece worthy of world exhibitions, but a homemade drink will be no worse than a store-bought one. Want to try? Then study simple recipes with photos describing how to make wine from grapes at home.

How to cook

Making homemade wine requires three main ingredients. This list includes:

• grape;
• sugar;
• water.

The last component is not used in all recipes for making homemade wine. It is added only if the grape juice is very sour and even cramps the cheekbones. In other cases, diluting with water only worsens the taste of the drink. Making wine from grapes at home begins with harvesting and processing. The wild yeast necessary for fermentation must remain on the bunches. To do this, you need to pick the fruit after 2-3 days of dry weather. If the grapes are purchased, then the berries cannot be washed.

Making homemade wine after processing the harvest involves three stages. Step-by-step instructions on how to make the drink can be described as follows:

1. Receiving pulp. It is an intermediate product of winemaking and is a mass of crushed grape bunches. It is not necessary to remove the ridges, but the wine with them will be slightly bitter.
2. Wort separation. This stage begins 3-5 days after receiving the pulp. From it the must is released - unclarified grape juice. This is already wine, but young and has not begun to ferment.
3. Fermentation. At this stage, wine yeast multiplies and converts fruit sugars from the grapes into alcohol. Here the wort is separated from the pulp, poured into a working glass container and closed with a stopper with a water seal or a medical glove. You can sweeten your homemade wine at this same step.

Fermentation time

The fermentation of the drink is influenced by many factors - temperature, amount of sugar and yeast activity. Therefore, there is no exact answer to the question of how long homemade grape wine plays. This process may take approximately 30-90 days. Fermentation is divided into three stages:

1. Elementary. Yeast fungi begin to actively reproduce.
2. Stormy. The bacteria finish multiplying, occupying the entire volume of the wort. The first couple of days it actively hisses and foams. How long does the wine ferment during this phase? It can last from 0 to 100 days, depending on the desired strength of the drink.
3. Quiet. The wort calms down and very few bubbles are released. The foam settles, and fermentation occurs in the lower layers. The duration of this phase is determined by the time it takes for the fungi to process all the sugar into alcohol.

Amount of sugar

Approximately 1% alcohol in the finished drink is provided by 2% sugar in the wort. The sugar content of grape varieties common in central Russia rarely exceeds 20%. They will make a drink with a strength of about 6-7%, maximum 10%. In addition, the sweetness of the drink will be zero, and the taste will be sour and astringent. The sugar content of the wort should not exceed 15-20%, otherwise the yeast will stop fermenting.

So how much sugar does grape wine need? The product is added fractionally after the juice tastes sour. For each liter, 50 g of granulated sugar is required. They are diluted in 1-2 liters of drained wort, then sent back to the bottle. This is done once every 3-4 days during the first 2-3 weeks of fermentation. When the juice no longer tastes sour, it means there is already enough sugar and no more need to be added.

Proportions

In the classic version, 10 kg of grapes are taken. If each requires about 100-200 g of sugar, then in total you will need 1-2 kg. In rare cases, water is needed. It is taken at the rate of 500 ml per 1 liter of juice. When finished, the wine is made semi-sweet, sweet or fortified. There is another option - a liqueur drink. The table contains the proportions of homemade grape wine relative to the alcohol and granulated sugar content.

Sweet

The sugar and alcohol content in sweet homemade wine should be between 12-18% and 16-20%. Acidity does not exceed 0.8%. It is better to make this drink from blue grapes or use muscat varieties. Sugar should be added at the rate of 50-100 g per 1 liter of juice. This is at the fermentation stage. Once finished, you can make sweet homemade wine to your liking by adding a little more sugar.

Fortified

According to the traditional recipe, fortified grape wine is prepared at home with the addition of sugar and alcohol or vodka. The strength of the drink will depend on their quantity. By adding fruits or berries to the grape must, you can get different types of fortified homemade wine - vermouth, port or sherry. The proportions for them are approximately as follows:

• grapes - about 6 kg;
• granulated sugar for fermentation - 0.6 kg; for fixing - at the rate of 100 g per liter of wort;
• medical alcohol – 1 l.

To make homemade dry wine with your own hands, you should know that it is made completely without sugar or its amount does not exceed 0.3%. Fructose from the wort is fermented only by the action of yeast. Sugar is not added for this purpose at all. For this reason, dry wines are considered the most natural, tasty and healthy. For their production, grapes are needed with a sugar content of 15-20%. It is better to take the Isabella variety:

• From such grapes a wine of a pleasant ruby ​​color is obtained;
• This variety belongs to the table variety.

Semi-sweet

Homemade semi-sweet wine is especially popular. It is more delicate, pleasant to the taste and has a distinct grape aroma. The composition of such a drink contains no more than 8% sugar and up to 13% alcohol. The low content of the latter makes this wine ideal for a regular feast. The proportions of the ingredients here are approximately the following: for 1 kg of grapes, about 800 g of sugar and 1.5 liters of water.

Recipe

Before you make homemade wine with your own hands, you need to choose the right grapes. Only ripe fruits are suitable. Unripe ones have a lot of acid, while overripe ones already begin acetic fermentation. Carrion should not be collected, because it has an unpleasant earthy taste. Technical wine grape varieties are suitable for winemaking. Their clusters are not very large, and the berries themselves are small and fit tightly together. Among these varieties are Isabella, Muscat, Riesling, Merlot, Chardonnay and Cabernet. Crystal, Kishmish, Druzhba, Rosinka and Regent are also recommended for home winemaking.

Isabel

• Number of servings: 22 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 72 kcal.
• Cuisine: Russian.

Wine from Isabella grapes is very easy to prepare at home. This variety is unpretentious - the berries are frost-resistant, have a dense structure and pleasant taste. You can even make a white variety from this variety if you use green, unripe fruits. According to this recipe, a fortified drink is prepared, so you will also need medical alcohol.

Ingredients:

• Isabella – 5 kg;
• medical alcohol – 1 l;
• granulated sugar – 0.6 kg.

Cooking method:

1. Sort the grapes, then mash them with your hands or a masher. Transfer the resulting mass into a glass jar.
2. Leave the pulp for 3 days, then add sugar.
3. Next, cover with a lid and send to a warm place to ferment for 2 weeks.
4. Take thick gauze, fold it in three and strain the drink through it, then send it to a dark place for 2 months.
5. After the specified time, pour alcohol into the container. Leave the preparation for another 2 weeks.
6. Then pour the drink into bottles and place them in a horizontal position for storage.

With water

• Preparation time: 45 days.
• Number of servings: 20 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 96 kcal.
• Purpose: for the holiday table.
• Cuisine: Russian.

Making your own grape wine with the addition of water turns out thin and not so cloying, but no less pleasant in taste. Almond essence gives the drink an unusual aroma. If you don't like this smell, you can add a little vanilla. The technology involves an ordinary glove. It does not allow oxygen into the wort, but releases carbon dioxide through a small hole.

Ingredients:

• wine yeast – 10 g;
• sugar – 400 g;
• grapes – 2 kg;
• water – 3 l;
• almond essence – 1 tsp.

Cooking method:

1. First, sort the grapes, then mash and dilute with filtered water.
2. Next, put in a warm place and leave for 4 days so that the wort separates from the cake.
3. Then strain the juice, squeeze out the liquid from the pulp, and pour everything into a glass container.
4. After squeezing, add half the sugar, almond essence and yeast, mix.
5. Put on a glove with a small hole in the finger on top and leave for 4 days.
6. Take a little wort, add 100 g of granulated sugar to it, pour it back.
7. When the glove stops inflating, remove the sediment using a thin hose.
8. Cover with a nylon lid and let stand for another week.
9. Remove the wine from the sediment again, you can drink it after full maturation after 1 to 12 months.

From grape juice

• Preparation time: 76 days.
• Number of servings: 30 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 133 kcal.
• Purpose: for the holiday table.
• Cuisine: Russian.
• Difficulty of preparation: easy.

To the surprise of some gourmets, you can make wine at home. Apart from punctuality and patience, nothing is required from you here. But the drink turns out very tasty, and the aroma is simply amazing. The grapes themselves can be used together with the squeezed juice. The proportions of sugar can again be adjusted to your taste, making semi-sweet or sweet dessert wine. As for varieties, it is recommended to use several at once. For example, merlot and cabernet make very tasty wine.

Ingredients:

sugar – 1.5 kg;

grape juice – 5 l.

Cooking method:

1. Place the squeezed juice together with the grapes in a container of suitable size.
2. Leave the mixture in a warm place for 3 days. Stir twice a day.
3. Next, squeeze the mass under a press or by hand, then strain into a glass container, put on a glove with a small hole.
4. Infuse for 40 days in a well-ventilated area.
5. If some of the wort is not included, then add it every 2 days.
6. When carbon dioxide stops coming out, add sugar in the specified amount.
7. Next, filter the drink, bottle it and leave it at a temperature of 11-14 degrees for a month.

Secondary from pulp

• Preparation time: 48 days.
• Number of servings: 20 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 56 kcal.
• Purpose: for the holiday table.
• Cuisine: Russian.
• Difficulty of preparation: easy.

According to the classic recipe, only the wort is involved in the fermentation process, i.e. The cake that remains after straining is not used for making wine. Although there is a separate recipe for it. Learn how to make a “second wine.” It will not be as rich as a first-class drink. It's a matter of taste - some people even really like this wine. Its aroma is no worse, it just has a different shade. The secondary wine itself from the pulp is obtained with a lower strength.

Ingredients:

• purified water – 5 l;
• dark grape cake – 5 kg;
• sugar – 1 kg.

Cooking method:

1. Transfer the pulp into a clean, dry container.
2. Next, add a mixture of sugar and water.
3. Pour the resulting mixture into 3-liter jars.
4. Put rubber gloves on top of them. Make a small puncture on one of the fingers with a needle.
5. Leave the drink to ferment until the pulp is compressed and loses its original color. This will take about 40-45 days.
6. Next, strain the wort, removing all the cake.
7. Leave the wine for another 3-4 days.
8. If you are satisfied with the taste of the drink, then bottle it. Otherwise, leave it to ferment for another couple of days.

White

• Preparation time: 4 months.
• Number of servings: 15 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 128 kcal.
• Purpose: for the holiday table.
• Cuisine: Russian.
• Difficulty of preparation: easy.

After studying the recipe for wine from white grapes, you will learn how to prepare a unique drink with exceptional aroma and taste. The process will take several months, so you will have to be patient. But the result will please not only you, but also your guests. Connoisseurs of noble drinks will definitely appreciate this wine. You can adjust the sweetness of the drink yourself. This recipe produces a semi-sweet wine.

Ingredients:

• sugar – 3 kg;
• grapes – 10 kg.

Cooking method:

1. Carefully sort the grapes, remove rotten berries, and put the rest into an enamel bucket.
2. Mash the product thoroughly. When the juice comes out, cover with gauze.
3. Leave for 5 days in a warm place. Stir the contents several times a day with a wooden spatula.
4. Next, drain the pulp in a colander and strain the juice into a glass container, filling it only 75%.
5. Add sugar, put on a glove with several punctures on top, and secure it with an elastic band.
6. After 3 weeks, fermentation will almost be over. At this point you can add more sugar to suit your taste. In this case, leave the drink for another 1-2 weeks.
7. Then strain the juice into bottles, cork them, and send them to the cellar to infuse for 3 months.

Recipes with a glove

• Preparation time: 3 months.
• Number of servings: 12 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 112 kcal.
• Purpose: for the holiday table.
• Cuisine: Russian.
• Difficulty of preparation: easy.

Homemade wine made from glove grapes is very aromatic. This recipe is used to prepare it for both Lydia and Isabella varieties. More precisely, the juice of this grape is taken. A mixture of elderberry, oak bark and sage gives the drink a special taste. It is added to the bottle with the wort in a gauze bag. At the end of fermentation it is simply taken out, and thanks to this the wine acquires an unusually fragrant aroma.

Ingredients:

• Isabella juice – 0.8 l;
• sage, oak bark, elderberry flowers - to taste;
• granulated sugar – 320 g;
• Lydia grape juice – 1.2 l.

Cooking method:

1. Mash the grapes thoroughly, and after a couple of hours, squeeze them with your hands and strain the juice through cheesecloth into a glass container.
2. Next, dissolve the granulated sugar, and then install the glove with punctures. Leave the drink until it subsides.
3. Then remove the sediment and pour into a clean jar.
4. Insert a gauze bag with additives.
5. Close again and leave for 1 month.
6. Remove the sediment from the drink again and remove the bag with additives.
7. Leave for about 2 more months.

From red grapes

• Preparation time: 73 days.
• Number of servings: 15 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 147 kcal.
• Purpose: for the holiday table.
• Cuisine: Russian.
• Difficulty of preparation: medium.

The benefits of homemade wine are evident when consumed in moderation. , hemoglobin increases and radioactive substances are removed. Homemade red grapes make the drink stronger, more aromatic and tart. All thanks to the seeds, which contain tannins in large quantities. The wine is bright and fragrant due to the mixing of pigments secreted by the skin with clear juice.

Ingredients:

• red grape variety – 10 kg;
• granulated sugar – 2 kg.

Cooking method:

1. Sort the berries, crush them with a masher or clean, dry hands.
2. Cover with gauze and let stand for three days. Stir the contents periodically.
3. Collect the pulp layer, squeeze it out, and filter the juice itself using gauze. Pour everything into a glass container.
4. Then, over the course of 10 days, gradually introduce all the sugar in portions.
5. Seal the bottle with a punctured pharmacy glove.
6. Send the container to a warm place for 60 days.
7. Once the glove is deflated, you can bottle the juice.
8. Next, store in a cool place.

Video

Homemade grape wine has always enjoyed considerable popularity at any table, so every winemaker, even a beginner, happily tries to create wines according to various recipes, including the classic version - from grapes.

Here is a recipe for excellent grape wine: step by step and easy at home (with photos and instructions).

Choosing the right vintage for wine

In order for grape wine (and not just homemade wine) to turn out truly tasty and aromatic, it is necessary to use exclusively high-quality and, most importantly, the right product to create it - wine varieties.

The berries of these varieties are characterized by their small size and density on the bunch. Below are some valuable tips from experienced winemakers regarding the selection and preparation of material for wine:

Advice. Grapes collected for making wine should not be washed, because the white coating that forms on them is nothing more than wine yeast. Rinse or even wash grapes only if a starter with high-quality wine yeast is used.

The harvested grapes should be separated from the ridges, sorted, removing all unsuitable berries, including dried and moldy berries. After preliminary selection, the berries are poured in small batches into a deep container and crushed. You can use a regular potato masher or a meat grinder. The berries should be crushed very carefully so that each of them releases all its juice.

Wine making process

Making quality wine is a fairly simple process if you strictly follow all steps of the recipe. The following is a step-by-step process for making wine.

Fermentation of pulp

The finished pulp or crushed berries, previously separated from the ridges, are poured into a suitable container and covered tightly with a cotton cloth. Keep in mind that the container should only be 2/3 filled with wine material.

The container with pulp is installed in a room with a strict temperature regime, falling between 18 and 23 degrees. If the temperature is above the second mark, the pulp may ferment too intensely, which will result in it turning into vinegar. If the temperature is below the first mark, the fermentation process may proceed too slowly or may not even begin at all.

So, after a few days, the fermentation process will begin and the must (juice, which is essentially young grape wine) will begin to separate from the pulp. The pulp and wort should be thoroughly mixed every day, otherwise the former will simply turn sour and the taste of the not yet finished product will be spoiled.

Preparation of grape must

5-7 days after the start of fermentation, the pulp should be thoroughly squeezed out, thus separating the wort from it. The first spin is done through a colander, the second through several layers of gauze. The purified wort should ferment. To do this, it is poured into a clean container (it should be filled only 3/4) and tightly closed with a stopper and tube.

Attention! Experienced winemakers believe that separating the pulp from the wort is a mistaken action, which will subsequently deprive the finished product of its valuable deep aroma and delicate aftertaste.

If you want to leave the pulp, you should not squeeze it out to separate the wort: just pour all the product into a new container and close it with a lid with a straw. The tube will serve as a kind of protection against oxygen: one end of it must be lowered into a container of water, the other into wine.

At this stage, it is important to control the strength and sweetness of the wine, which depend, first of all, on the fructose content in the product. You can regulate this indicator by adding this or that amount of sugar. In our area, predominantly varieties with a low fructose content grow, therefore, if sugar is not added during the preparation of wine, it will turn out dry.

The dosage of sugar is usually taken as follows: about 1 tbsp. per 1 liter of semi-finished product. Sugar is added as follows: you need to pour a little wort, heat it and pour sugar into it, stirring the mass until the latter dissolves completely. After this, pour the resulting sweet composition back into the container with wine.

Corking of semi-finished wine

At this stage, you should separate all the sediment from the finished wort (to do this, you just need to drain the wine through a straw, carefully lowering the container with water below the container with wine). Be sure to check the product for the amount of sugar: if you like dry grape wine, you won’t need sugar. Otherwise, be sure to add it to the wine and stir thoroughly.

All that remains is to pour the grape wine into a dark glass bottle and seal it loosely (this is necessary so that the remaining carbon dioxide contained in the wine finds a “way out”).

Product sterilization

This is the last, but no less important stage in making homemade wine. Some winemakers believe that this process should occur naturally: the wine must be left in a dark, cool place for several months (2-3) until the fermentation process stops, having previously installed water seals on each bottle. During this period, you should drain the wine at least several times to remove any sediment.

There is another way to sterilize wine - forced. It is necessary to loosely close the wine bottles, wrap them with cloth and place them in a container filled with water. Place a thermometer in one of the bottles and sterilize the product until its temperature rises to 60 degrees. After this, all the yeast will die and the fermentation process will stop completely. The remaining carbon dioxide will also escape through a loosely closed plug.

Afterwards, you can tightly cork the bottles and send them to a cool, dry place. A product that has gone through all the preparatory stages correctly will be able to gain all that wonderful aroma and depth of taste for which many people love grape wine so much. Good luck!

Wine made from grapes is the oldest and noblest drink. Properly prepared and consumed in certain doses, it performs healing functions, heals our body, rejuvenates, fills us with strength and energy, removes free radicals and toxins. Wine helps with bronchitis and pneumonia, tuberculosis and many other serious ailments. Therefore, it is not only possible to drink it, but it is necessary - the conclusion of doctors is clear.

Homemade wine

Naturally, it’s easier than ever to go to the store and buy a bottle of red, pink or white that you like. However, the best drink is considered to be one made with one's own hands. So we will tell you how to do it. Where does the process begin, what stages does it go through? Which varieties are best to use to produce the drink? How to make it, what container to use for fermentation and what to store the finished product in? In a word, you will learn in sufficient detail how to do it. The main thing is to follow the recommendations exactly, and everything will work out great for you!

Choosing grapes

Let us note right away: there are no special restrictions in the selection of berry varieties for the production of the drink. This means that whatever vine grows in you, harvest it from. But if you follow the advice of professionals on how to make wine from grapes, then juice from Isabella, Kapshun, Muscat, Lydia, Aligote, Buzoika, Moldova and other southern varieties is better. The main thing is that the grapes are well ripened, ripe and sweet. The grapes should be collected before frost and rain, so that they are dry and the berries do not gain excess moisture and lose their sweetness. In addition, they can be damaged by wasps and birds. These are some simple initial recommendations on how to make wine from grapes!

Recipe No. 1 (for a small amount of grapes)

There are several technologies for preparing the drink. Much depends on the amount of raw materials and their grade. It is usually recommended to make it with additional sugar and a starter made from natural yeast. The process should begin with preparing the grapes. Carefully sort the brushes, remove debris, leaves, remove damaged elements, etc.

Ideally, it is better to pick all the berries from the bunches. But, of course, this process is labor-intensive and painstaking. Especially if you have more than ten kilograms of grapes. If you use a special press, pass the selected berries through it. Or grind using a mashed potato masher. Or you can use the famous method of the hero of the film “The Taming of the Shrew” with Celentano in the title role and crush it with your feet, and to the music.

When the berries turn into puree, you can start making homemade wine from grapes. Recipes advise transferring the mass into a glass or enamel bowl and heating to 60 degrees (use a thermometer so as not to overheat, otherwise the wine will not taste the same). Then let the puree cool, squeeze thoroughly through cheesecloth to obtain clear juice. If it seems sour, pour in sugar syrup (100 grams of sugar per half liter of water), stir and add the starter. How to make wine from grapes next: place the container with the juice in a warm place so that the product ferments for about 2 months. Try again, add sugar if necessary, stir until completely dissolved. Pour carefully so that the sediment remains at the bottom, the finished wine into bottles, store it in a cool place. How to make wine from grapes according to the second recipe - read on.

Homemade grape wine - recipe No. 2

Sort the harvested crop, separate the berries from the branches. Place them in a deep bowl. Using a wooden or porcelain pestle, crush the fruits into a homogeneous mass. You don't have to choose the bones. How to make wine from grapes based on berry puree: sprinkle it with sugar and leave it in a dark and cool place for fermentation for a week. Cover the container with a linen rag. After the specified time has passed, strain the wine through several layers of gauze, bottle it and store it in the cellar. Serve it with meat dishes. Using this recipe, it’s good to make homemade wine from dark grape varieties.

Along the way, take note of one more piece of advice. There should be no pungent, foreign odors in the room intended for wine production: they are actively absorbed by the future drink. In general, the ideal containers for making and storing wine are oak barrels, enamel pots and buckets, and glass bottles.

Sharing secrets

Secret one: why does wine from grapes (prepared at home) taste better if you separate the berries from the branches? Firstly, in this way you can carefully sort out the raw materials, remove the berries covered with tsvilya, overripe, spoiled berries. This means that you receive a preliminary guarantee that the final product - a noble drink - will not spoil either.

Secondly, if the berries are crushed along with the twigs, the wine will be bitter and overly tart. Those. It's not nearly as high quality as you'd expect. Thirdly, how to prepare wine from grapes so that it turns out excellent? Prepared berries should be immediately released into juice. After all, the fermentation process begins quite quickly in picked fruits. And it is impossible for him to find the grapes intact. This should be done either with a press or manually. You can also use a juicer, but this is not the best option. For 4-5 days, let the juice stand in a warm place along with the pomace so that it “plays out” and infuses. Then strain, bottle and send for fermentation. This completes the first stage of wine preparation.

To ensure the juice ferments properly

If you don’t have oak barrels, you can ferment the drink in glass bottles with a volume of 5-10 liters. Fill them about two-thirds full. There must be free space in the vessels for the released carbon dioxide. When the bottles are filled, they need to be sealed. And to avoid air getting in, fill the edges of the plugs with sealing wax, seal them with plasticine or dough. Just be sure to make holes in them and insert flexible tubes (for example, from droppers) through which the gas will escape out. Dip the free end of the tube into a bowl or cup of water. Another option for making simple wine from grapes is to put regular balls on the necks of the bottles. Just don't forget to pierce them with a thick pin!

When juice turns to wine

The next - second - stage of turning grape juice into the drink of the gods is fermentation. It takes from one and a half to 2-3 months. Containers with liquid should be placed in a cool place, such as a cellar. The temperature there should be no higher than 5 degrees. You should often monitor how actively carbon dioxide is released from the bottles. Wash the vessels where the tubes are placed periodically and change the water. If the gas comes out weakly, check the tightness of the plugs. Otherwise, air will get into the wine and it will degenerate into vinegar. Usually in home winemaking, the production of the drink begins in late September - October. Therefore, it will be completely ready for the New Year’s celebrations!

The final stage

When the wine in the bottles stops playing, becomes clean and transparent in appearance, and the sediment settles to the bottom, it can be strained again, poured into plastic bottles and drunk at the festive table. Its strength is about 5 degrees, and its taste is similar to dry. However, if you like sweeter drinks, the resulting product should be “improved.” To do this, pour all or part of the wine (only without sediment) into one container. Then add 150 g of sugar for each liter of liquid (less can be done, depending on your taste). Dissolve it completely, rinse thoroughly the bottles in which the wine was previously, and pour it again, seal it and leave it to “finish playing.” The process will be completed in a month, when bubbles stop settling on the walls of the jars. The strength of the drink is 10-13 degrees. Pour into bottles, store in a cool place and drink to your health.