So, how does this work, and what can you expect from the experience?
Winemaking is easy and fun, but we’ve all made mistakes! We’ve gathered a few winemaking tips we’ve learned over the years for you when aging your wine.
The process of making wine on-premise starts with choosing the type of wine you want to make and what quality of wine kit you want to use. The wine options are varied with the kits; there is something for every taste or occasion. Most of the wines have a dry finish, but you can adjust the levels to your taste, and there are sweetness indicators next to the wine names. The alcohol level in most wines ranges from 12 per cent to 14 per cent. "There are so many options to choose from in addition to the many reds, whites and roses, including specialty wines like dessert wines, ice wine styles, and the Niagara Mist kits, with wine like cranberry grapefruit, chocolate cherry, mango strawberry and orchard crisp." Says Darren Holt, owner of Wine Kitz in Charlottetown. "You can also choose a premium kit offering exceptional wines from one of the world’s most renowned wine growing regions." The PEILCB requires that you, the customer, own the ingredients and begin by sprinkling the yeast on the juice to begin fermentation. The on- premise staff assist you at all times to whatever extent is required. “After the batch is started, you have no further obligations until the wine is ready to be bottled,” says Holt. “When you arrive for your bottling appointment you need to sanitize your bottles, fill and cork them and finish by applying labels and shrink caps.” Wine Kitz supplies all the necessary equipment and assistance for you to accomplish this with ease. About four to six weeks later, you’ll have about 28 to 30 bottles. For special occasions you can use a customized label—what a wonderful idea for weddings, anniversaries, or any significant date.
Keep the cork moist.
For the first three to five days, store your wine upright. Then after those first few days, store your wine on its side to keep the cork damp. Try to maintain a relative humidity of 50-70 per cent in the room to prevent the cork from drying out or becoming too wet and encouraging mold.
Store in a dark place.
There is a chemical reaction that takes place when the wine has constant exposure to light that causes the wine to deteriorate. White wines and champagnes are the most susceptible to this reaction.
Not too hot, not too cold.
Store your wine in a spot with a consistent cooler temperature, around 12-15 C, to allow for steady aging and prevent oxidation or premature aging. If you store wine in your basement, keep it off the cement floor. Also, never store wine on a heated floor.
Clean your wine bottles as soon as you can.
Rinsing out your wine bottles as you finish them and soaking them for a few minutes to remove the label will make things easier when it’s time for a new batch. If possible, store your empty bottles upside down—it keeps out the dust and bugs.
Sulphite is your friend.
Sulphite solution is handy to spray on your equipment after sanitizing at home. This inhibits bacteria growth while storing your equipment. You can also use the sulphite solution in your airlock to help repel fruit flies.
FALL 2021/WINTER 2022 www.pei-living.ca
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