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Make Your Own Wine

March 11, 2012, Eastern Shore Wine Tasting Society Ron Sasiela @ Academy Art Museum

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I. Introduction Reasons for home winemaking Federal regulations

II. Getting Started Purchasing/growing ingredients

Grapes Juice Wine kits Fruit

Equipment needs

III. Understanding structure: Acid, alcohol, tannin, sugar.

Presentation Outline

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III. Fermentation Containers; Adjusting the must; air locks,

gases Temperature effect and its regulation Yeast, oak, other additives

- - - - - - - - - - 15 minute Break- - - - - - - - - - -

IV. Tracking the juice’s fermentation Sugar changes Acid changes Temperature

V. Racking the wine

Presentation Outline cont.

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VI. Ageing the bulk wine Temperature monitoring, air locks Tasting

VII. Clarifying the wine VIII. Bottling IX. Ageing the bottles X. Costs $

Presentation Outline cont.

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1. Adjust recipes to their own tastes2. Want fewer calories or lower alcohol wine3. Avoid certain ingredients 4. Use creative skills – winemaking’s an art form5. Less cost than commercial wine6. Enter their wine in national contests, local

clubs, county fairs; lower environmental impact

7. Increase their wine knowledge and appreciation

8. Visit wineries with more awareness9. Gifts for friends; Home Winemakers’ Centers10.Practice before commercial…more reasons…

Why make your own wine?

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White, red or rosé wine? Sweet, semi-sweet or dry wine? Drink now or age? Crisp (tart) or not? Alcohol level – “hot”? Still or sparkling? “Naked” or oaked? Advanced methods: Sur lee, Malolactic,…….

What do you like to drink?What do you want to make?

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200 gallons/year tax-free to the head of the household for personal consumption (100 gal/single adult person)

Cannot be sold or offered for sale

Can be tasted at organized events, competitions

Federal Regulations27 CFR 24.75

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If ½ of 1% to not over 14% alcohol $1.07 per gallon

If more than 14% and not over 21% alcohol $1.57 per gallon

If more than 21% and not over 24% alcohol $3.15 per gallon

Artificially Carbonated $3.30 per gallon Sparkling $3.40 per gallon Hard Cider $.226 per gallon

Max saving $214 - $680/yr.

General Excise Tax InformationWhat is the tax on wine?

26 U.S.C. 5041 (b)

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Cranberry rosé: 1a and 1b Chardonnay: 2a and 2b Johannisburg Riesling: 3a and 3b Sauvignon Blanc: 4a and 4b Syrah: 5a, 5b and 5c

Malbec: 6a and 6b Pinot Noir: 7a Nebbiolo: 8a and 8b Bill Novak’s (Merlot) wines

Preview - Wines for Tasting Today

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Relative contibutions

Winemaker's contribu-tion

Varietal's contribution

What Matters?

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Cranberry wine

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Cranberry Wine

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Cranberry Wine

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1st Wine Tasting - Cranberry

17%

4%

8%

9%

9%

40%

2% 10%

1%

Cranberry, fresh

Fresh sliced strawberries

Red seedless grapes

Cranberry juice

Cranberry/pomegrante juice

Pomegrante juice

Fresh blackberries

Red cherries

Dry hibiscus flowers

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Cranberry Wine Cost Analysis

Fruit composition Packaging Unit price Amount, oz. Percentage composition   Cost Cost %

Cranberry, fresh 10 x 12 oz. $ 1.69 120 17%   $ 16.90 13%

Fresh sliced strawberries 2 x 12 oz. $ 3.50 32 4%   $ 7.00 6%

Red seedless grapes 2 x 30 oz. $ 3.50 60 8%   $ 7.00 6%

Cranberry juice 1 x 64 oz. $ 3.00 64 9%   $ 3.00 2%

Cranberry/pomegrante juice 1 x 64 oz. $ 3.00 64 9%   $ 3.00 2%

Pomegrante juice 6 x 48 oz. $ 9.99 288 40%   $ 59.94 48%

Fresh blackberries 2 x 6 oz. $ 3.50 12 2%   $ 7.00 6%

Red cherries 4.26 lbs. $ 3.99 68 10%   $ 17.00 14%

Dry hibiscus flowers 1 x 4.4 oz. $ 4.95 4.7 1%   $ 5.00 4%

Total 712.7 100%   $ 125.84 100%

$125.84/55 bottle yield = $2.28/bottle +

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Juice yield from grapes: 1 lb. of grapes ---> 1 cup juice 85-90 lbs. 5 gallons +/-

Cluster size Press pressure Pre vs. post pressing Varietal variations Annual vintage variations

Juice yield from juice

Grapes vs. Juice

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Heron Bay brand wine kit from California Starting sp. gr. = 1.109 = 26.4oBrix; April 25, 2011 @55% conversion to alcohol = 14.5% Titratable acidity (TA) increased from 0.40 to 0.81 pH went from 3.4 to 2.8 Bentonite added for clarification Lalvin #EC-1118 yeast used In two days fermentation rate = 48 bubbles/min. At 9 days vat moved to 55oF cellar, sp. gr. 1.028,

move back to 68oF At 18 days sp. gr. = 1.017 moved back to 55oF room

for Sur lee ageing; no bâtonnage. At 9 months, sp. gr. = 1.003, RS = 1/10%, Bottle off

w/SO2

Chardonnay – Sur Lee

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Tracking Malo-lactic Fermentation

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Harford Vineyard & Winery

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Harford Vineyard Supply

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Harford Vineyard’s Grape Crushing

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About ½ of the juice sugar is converted to alcohol – the other half becomes carbon dioxide gas.

24% juice sugar results in a 12% alcohol table wine

Measuring devices: Hydrometer – measures specific gravity (Brix)

of juice, potential alcohol and is inexpensive ($6)

Refractometer – measures the refractive index of the juice and converts it directly to % sugar ($90)

How to Measure Juice Sugar

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Hydrometer in Use

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Refractometer

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• What are the recommended ranges?

• How are they measured? • How do you make corrective

adjustments?• When do you make adjustment(s)?

Must adjustmentpH and Acid

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Wine Type

pH TA, %

White

3.25 – 3.45

0.70 – 0.95

Red 3.40 – 3.55

0.50 – 0.75

Must Acid Recommendations

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Measuring TA: Kit’s parts

.2 N NaOH

20 mlsyringe

Indicatorsolution

Beaker, flask

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Measure 15 ml of juice into container Add a few drops of indicator solution Slowly add 0.2 N sodium hydroxide Note volume used Multiply ml. of NaOH used by 0.15 = TA, % Example:

4.5 ml. x 0.15 = 0.68 % Titratable acidity

Measuring Titratable Acidity

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Measuring TA

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Calibrate pH meter with pH 4.00 and 7.00 solutions

Place pH probe’s into juice, stir slowly, stop

Allow meter reading to stabilize Read value from display panel If using fresh grapes then

measure several values and calculate an average

Adjust, if necessary, with tartaric acid before fermentation

Measuring pH

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pH Meter Measurement

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The Wine Acid Website Calculator:

http://www.anaesthetist.com/mnm/wine/Findex.htm#wine.htm

Calculating Acid Adjustment

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Made from fresh California juice (Harford Vineyard)

Starting sp. gr. = 1.096, pH = 2.91, TA = 0.34%

Yeast used was S. bayanus, October 9th, 2011

Fermented at ~71oF Sp. gr. = 1.083 on Oct 16th, 1.066 on Oct.

22nd, 1.011 on Nov. 9th On 11/20 adjust TA to 0.7, sp. gr. = 1.002

and take to 55oF cellar, so2 to 39 ppm. 1/22/12 – degas, r.s. = ¼%

Johannisburg Riesling

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A significant taste component of a wine’s experience

Causes the mouth puckering sensation Found in strong tea beverages In wine making it’s contributed by:

If using grapes – stems and seeds Oak contact from new barrels, chips, etc. Added tannin sources – dry extract, chip

vodka extract, strong tea

Tannin

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Tea is a Good Source of Tannin

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Sauvignon Blanc

Made from fresh Chilean juice (Harford Vineyard)

Starting sp. gr. = 1.096, pH = 3.16, TA = 0.52%

Yeast used was S. bayanus, May 4th, 2011 Fermented at from 58 to 71oF Sp. gr. = 1.060 on May 8th, 1.039 on May

13th

Adjust TA to 0.80 and take to 55oF cellar Sp. gr. = 1.002 on June 4th

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Air Locks

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Air Locks

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Carbonic acid: H2CO3

Found in Coca Cola Our lungs Champagne

But not ordinarily desired in still table wines

Dissolved Carbon Dioxide

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Removing Dissolved Carbon Dioxide

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Hydrometer readings during fermentation provide a visual guide to the grape juice to wine conversion

As sugar is nearing complete consumption the CO2 rate will taper off Paper glucose test strips – commonly used by diabetics are an easy and inexpensive tool to check remaining wine sugar levels

Measuring Residual Sugar (RS)

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R. S. Measurement

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Oak Options

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SO2 Measurement

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Syrah has many attributes: big, luscious and framed with masculine tannins. Yet, Syrah can be alluringly balanced with dark fruit and elegant floral aspects. It is not surprising to learn that the French call it "La Syrah" - one of the few feminine varieties. So, think of Syrah as a ballerina who took up kick boxing and has an attitude.

Syrah

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Alcohol level desired Resistance to sulfite’s inhibition

Characteristic of lees produced

Flavor nuances sought Temperature sensitivity

Wild vs. Cultured Yeast?Considerations

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Commercial Wine Yeasts

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJyFGYPyHbY

Yeast Growing

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Malbec 2010

Started Sept. 5, 2010; a Chilean concentrate kit wine. Four liters of warm water placed in the primary fermenter and let stand, open, overnight to reduce the amount of Easton-town chlorine. Juice and oak chips were added, along with a jar of grape skins that had the consistency of grape jam. The starting specific gravity was 1.085. Yeast was sprinkled over the surface and not stirred. Fermentation was rapid at ~73oF, sp. gr. = 1.004 eight days later. Racked on Oct. 8th and four additives introduced (Kiesolol, Ksorbate, chitosan, SO2). 31 bottles on Dec. 17th (@14 wks.)

Wine complements Of Tom Divilio

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Pectic enzymes Bentonite – a colloidal clay Sparkaloid Kiesolol – a hydrocolloid Chitosan – shellfish extract Egg whites Isinglass Paper filtration Potassium sorbate added to

prevent bottle re-fermentation

Clarifying the Wine(Beyond simply settling)

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Made from Vintner’s Reserve Concentrate Prepare bentonite treatment Starting sp. gr. = 1.097(23o Brix); TA = 0.2% ,

adjust to 0.6% Yeast used: Red Star Premier Cuvée, March 29th,

2009 6 oz. oak chips added to vat Fermented at 74oF Sp. gr. = 1.064 on April 1st, add ¼ tsp dry tannin,

move to 55oF then two days later back to 73oF, 1.018 on April 7 , 1.004 on April 11; Rack, 39 ppm SO2, Vit. C

Cellar age for 18 months Bottle on Oct. 2, 2010

Pinot Noir, 2009

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Select bottles in keeping with the wine’s style

Use either screw caps, corks, Zorks, caps Clean bottles, treat with SO2 Use special bottom-up filler tube to avoid air

contact Purge headspace with inert gas If using corks rest the bottles upright for 3

days to seat the corks in the bottle’s neck Prepare a descriptive label Add a decorative capsule Keep the corks moist by laying the bottles on

side Let rest for 2 months to avoid “bottle

sickness” Enjoy!

Bottling the Wine

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Bottle Closures

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Wine after Corking

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Nebbiolo produces lightly colored red wines which can be highly tannic in youth with scents of tar and roses. As they age, the wines take on a characteristic brick-orange hue at the rim of the glass and mature to reveal other aromas and flavors such as violets, tar, wild herbs, cherries, raspberries, truffles, tobacco, and prunes. Nebbiolo wines can require years of aging to balance the tannins with other characteristics.

Nebbiolo

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This young Italian charmer is an excellent example of Nebbiolo that can show off it's big brother Barolo's best qualities, but is accessible and ready to drink now. Exhibiting typical flavors of dark fruit, tar and leather, it is balanced by a fresh acidity and lush, lengthy finish. A great value, and a great introduction to the seductive Nebbiolo grape.

Casata Monticello Nebbiolo d'Alba 2008

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Sulfite Free Winehttp://

www.naturalwine.net/index.htm

1.Select only the freshest fruit2.Wash the fruit3.Use meticulous sanitation4.Use vitamin C as an antioxidant5.FDA regs allow up to 10 ppm6.Keep acid level high (e. g. >.7 TA)7.Keep pH low (e. g. <3.5)

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Made 5 gallons from 100 lbs. fresh grapes in Sept.

Starting Brix = 21o, pH = 3.3 Yeast = k1 21 day primary fermentation Malolactic fermentation completed Oak treatment = 7 sticks for 5 month Racking = three times Bottled in June 2011

Merlot, 2010Compliments of Bill Novak

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Winemaker Magazine http://winemakermag.com/

Making Wine Website http://www.sentex.net/~bacchus/faq.html

The Home Winemaker's Manual (free download!) http://www.winebook.webs.com/winebook.pdf

Enjoy your winemaking hobby responsibly!P. S. Sunday, November 4th , 3 – 5 PM Wine-in-Art @ AAM

Resources