Grape wine
Flow diagram
Selection of grapes
Crushing
Pre-fermentation
Removal of skin
Fermentation
Maturation
Practical Action
Mature, ripe and undamaged grapes
Traditionally manually, but now by crushers
24 hours to three weeks depending on colour required
Can add sulphur dioxide to inhibit wild yeasts
Ageing to develop aromas and flavours
Dry Red Table Wine
Ingredients (for 4.5l of wine)
9kg ripe red grapes
1 campden tablet (or 0.33g of potassium metabisulphite powder)
Tartaric acid, if necessary
Granulated sugar, if necessary
1 packet wine yeast (like Prise de Mousse or Montrachet)
1. Harvest the grapes once they have reached 22-24 percent sugar (22- 24° Brix). Wash
well to remove dust. Remove stalks.
2. Sanitize all equipment by washing well with a solution of potassium metabisulphite
(3tbs per 4.5 litres of water). Place the grape clusters into a nylon straining bag and
place the bag into the bottom of the food-grade bucket. Using very clean hands or a
sterilsed tool such as a potato masher, firmly crush the grapes inside the bag. Crush the
campden tablet (or measure out 1 teaspoon of sulphite crystals) and sprinkle over the
must in the nylon bag. This is to control the growth of natural yeasts and bacteria that
may be present on the skins of the grapes. Cover the bucket with cheesecloth and let it
sit for one hour.
3. Measure the temperature of the must. It should be between 22-24°C. Take a sample of
the juice in the bucket and measure the level of acid with a titration kit. If it's not
between 6- 7 grams per litre then adjust with tartaric acid.
4. Check the level of total sugars (° Brix or specific gravity) of the must. If should be about
22° Brix (1.0982 SG). If it is lower than this, add a little bit of sugar dissolved in water.
If the °Brix is higher than this, dilute the must with boiled water until it is the correct
concentration.
5. Dissolve the yeast in 500ml warm (27-30°C) water and let it stand until bubbly (it
should take no more than 10 minutes). When it is bubbling, pour the yeast solution
directly onto the must inside the nylon bag. Agitate the bag up and down a few times to
mix the yeast. Cover the bucket with cheesecloth, set in a warm place (20-25°C) and
check that fermentation has begun in at least 24 hours. Monitor the temperature and the
progression of the fermentation regularly. It may be necessary to wrap a blanket around
the fermenting bucket to maintain the optimum temperature for fermentation. Keep the
skins under the juice at all times and mix twice daily.
6. Once the must has reached "dryness" (at least 0.5° Brix or 0.998 SG), lift the nylon
straining bag out of the pail and squeeze any remaining liquid into the pail.
7. Cover the pail loosely and let the wine settle for 24 hours. Rack off the sediment into a
sanitized 4.5litre jug, topping up with a little boiled, cooled water to entirely fill the
container. Fit with a sterilised bung and fermentation lock. Keep the container topped
with grape juice or any dry red wine of a similar style. After 10 days, rack the wine into
another sanitized 4.5litre jug. Top up with dry red wine of a similar style.
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