Homemade wine making technology

There are two approaches to winemaking: 1 - adjusting to the created standard, 2 - revealing the best qualities of berries.
The first method is used in industrial (factory) winemaking. A standard is created with a description of specific taste qualities, and a name is assigned (for example, "Soviet champagne" or "Tamyanka", etc.). Further, whatever the raw material, it will be made with the help of chemistry and technological tricks "Soviet Champagne" or "Tamyanka".
But we are not limited to sales, GOSTs and T / U, therefore we do it for the soul, according to our own algorithm:
1. Analysis of feedstock
2. Choosing the final goal (which wine is best made from this berry)
3. Sorting berries
4. Wort formation
5. Fermentation and stirring process
6. Draining and cleaning the wort from the mash
7. Fermentation
8. Stop fermentation
9. Defending in bottles
10. Pouring into bottles
11. A set of necessary qualities.
Using the example of currant wine, which we tried yesterday, I will describe the algorithm.
1. Analysis of raw materials.
The selected currant is ripe, medium in size, closer to sweet (by the standards of currant), slightly aromatic, dense, low acid, with large seeds.
2. Choosing the ultimate goal:
Since at that moment we were producing other types of wines, we decided to make a “light”, semi-sweet, sparkling wine from this berry. This requires:
a) Increase the amount of sugar
b) Stop fermentation at the stage of "sparkling"
c) Reduce tannins (astringency)
d) Reduce acidity
3. Sorting berries
Unwashed berries were sorted by hand. The twigs were removed. Leaves, rotten berries - leave only currant berries directly. Then, using a crush, in small batches, we "opened" the integrity of the berries, as far as possible without separating the peel from the pulp. If the task was to increase the property of tannins, then the berry would be processed in a mixer. Then the berry is folded into a 20-liter bottle.
4. Wort formation
If we talk about currants, then the acidity of its berries is 2 times higher than pleasantly used for humans. Therefore, when forming wort, currants in a bottle are half of the volume, i.e. 10 liters (not to be confused with kg). Then water and sugar dissolved in water are added (5 kg for a 20 liter bottle). The water temperature should be slightly warmer than room temperature, otherwise the start process will be delayed. Yeast starter culture is added there (approximately 0.5 l). The neck is covered with gauze (from insects) for the period of starting the fermentation process (about 2-3 days). After the start of fermentation, a water seal is installed or an ordinary medical glove is put on. Keep the bottle in a warm, dark place. The ideal temperature at the initial stage of fermentation with the pulp is 27-28 degrees. Our wine usually stands in a room with a temperature of 20-22 degrees, covered with old clean blankets, which create a "thermos" effect. Heat is generated during fermentation, so we get the ideal 27-28 degrees.
Yeast and leaven:
The quality of the yeast has a very serious impact on what comes out. You can use wine yeast (preferably from countries with traditional winemaking) or use wild yeast from your garden. We are lucky to have wild yeast of the "killer" race based on our site. Therefore, whatever the natural yeast on third-party (purchased or on blueberries from a neighboring forest) berries, our yeast first "defeats" them, and then they begin to make wine. It is risky to make wine from baker's, brewer's and other purchased yeast.In most cases, it is enough to pick a few small, dry twigs from any plants on the site, put them in a jar with water and sugar dissolved in it (sugar 150-170 g, water 0.4 l). Place all this in a warm, dark place a week before the intended use and the leaven is ready.
5. Fermentation and stirring process
After the bottle is filled with all the ingredients, the fermentation process begins. After 2-3 days, the pulp will rise up and try to crawl out. At this time, it must be mixed and settled to the bottom. In the "stormy" mode, this process takes 2-3 weeks. It is at the moment of mixing that the berry gives the wine most of its taste. After the end of active fermentation, the wine sampling and adjustment process begins. We try in small sips and one berry at a time. We find out:
• Whether the berry has given up all the taste (should be tasteless)
• What is the acidity in the wine and the residue in the berry
• What is the tannin (astringency) of wine and berries
If the berry has not given away everything, hold and stir the pulp further.
If we want to increase tannins (astringency) - keep and stir further.
If we want to increase the acidity of the wine, pour over the wine and squeeze the pulp strongly. The resulting "juice" will have a higher acidity. Thus, we adjust the composition of the wine to taste.
6. Draining and cleaning the wort.
After we have achieved the strategic characteristics of the wine, we pour the “pure” wine into a new bottle, squeeze the pulp and add “juice” to the main composition, if necessary. At this stage, about 14-17 liters of wort is obtained in the bottle (this is not wine yet). If this is the only bottle that you put with a berry, then pour the wort into a 10 liter and 5 liter bottle. If you put several bottles, then pour the wort into a 20 liter wort and top it up with wort from another bottle with the same composition. Place the rest of the wort in a smaller bottle. The smaller bottle will be “refill” anyway.
7. Fermentation
Further wort fermentation lasts 1.5-2.5 months. It is better to lower the temperature to 23-25 ​​degrees. In order to "regulate" the external temperature, for example, you can use a southern room and first let the sun heat up, and later cover the windows with curtains.
8. Stop fermentation
Since the wine is made for oneself, no chemical means are used to stop fermentation and preservation. For comparison, any wine, even the most expensive in the store, contains sulfur dioxide. For this currant wine, a “cold” stop of fermentation was used. First, the wine was cooled in the cellar to +12 degrees, and then in winter it cooled to +1 degrees.
9. Deposition in bottles
By stopping fermentation, the wine becomes "sparkling". After that, it stays in the basement for 6-12 months.
10. Pouring into bottles
When the wine has finally clarified in a natural way, it is poured into bottles, tightly corked and stored in a cold, dark place (preferably a cellar with a temperature of 8-12 degrees)
11. A set of necessary qualities.
Wine, just like a person, has a stage of creation, maturation, old age and dying. Therefore, a three-year-old wine may be better than a thirty-year-old in terms of its organoleptic properties. There are wines that are best drunk young (1-3 years), and there are wines that should be drunk only after 5 years of aging. Currant wine usually reveals its best qualities in the period from 2 to 7 years. The wine everyone has tasted of the 2015 harvest

[Vita]

Vitano words !!!!!
Thanks for the details !!!!
The wine tasted amazingly tasty !!!

Irish, I was glad to help

[Vita]

Vita, great !!!!
and some more wine and details will be ?.

Here, now it will definitely not get lost, thanks Vitul!

Alain, we make black-currant, blueberry, plum, raspberry, grape white and red, blueberry + raspberry, rice wine. Well, then comes: dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet, sparkling, fortified. All kinds of tinctures. What else is of interest?

Alain, we make black-currant, blueberry, plum, raspberry, grape white and red, blueberry + raspberry, rice wine. Well, then it goes: dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet, sparkling, fortified. All kinds of tinctures. What else is of interest?

describe usho, I love homemade wine very much, it's a pity that I have neither a cellar nor a balcony .. there is only a cold garage (((

Vita, thanks for a separate Temka, I subscribe to it and wait for the cheese roll.

Vita, very interesting, thank you. Can you talk about grape wine now?

He made various wines from currants. I liked the mixture of black and white more.
About acid - I don't rely on tables for a long time. The acidity varies greatly from the amount of sun and precipitation. To determine the acidity of the wort, I bought a special set in one online store and I calculate the water and sugar exactly.
Now about stopping fermentation. Unfortunately, cooling the wine does not kill the yeast. If there is residual sugar, warming to room temperature will re-ferment. For reliability, there is a simple way - pasteurization. After pasteurization, during storage, a fairly substantial sediment may precipitate, which can be removed before use.
In addition to these minor remarks, I fully agree with the described technology. It makes a wonderful wine.

The use of acid test kits is a good thing. However, it is not mandatory in home winemaking, since there is no task to strictly comply with GOST. It is much more important and more interesting to learn how to intuitively calculate the result, taking into account all the factors of incoming raw materials, cooking conditions and even the mood with which you work. That is, to show creativity. And the devices should be used as an auxiliary tool for analysis and self-study.
Now about stopping fermentation. Whoever tasted "Aghdam", "Karabakh", "Slavic", etc. in Soviet times, have an idea of ​​wine after pasteurization. The level (quality) of wine decreases significantly. In fact, pasteurized wine never rises above table wine. At this forum, for most of the participants, the quality of the dishes received is in the first place. Therefore, I propose those technologies that will maximize the "opening" of the wine, although it will take more time.
About storage. I keep the main wine in the basement, in sealed bottles. Cork plugs. I bring 7-12 bottles of different wines to my apartment and keep them in the refrigerator. When I run out I bring again 7-12 bottles. Friends and acquaintances to whom I give my wine are stored in a cool place without a refrigerator (usually no more than four weeks). For ordinary "intra-family" consumption, such logistics are not difficult. And so from year to year - no one is missing anything.
However, I know of other examples of the use of wine. And unfortunately, people use antibiotics to stop fermentation for simplicity of processes.
Therefore, it all depends on what a person wants to get in the end and how high his internal requirements are.

P.S. Take your time with wine. Do not set yourself a goal to surprise your friends and relatives in 8-9 months. Let the blame show itself in 2-3 years. Then no pasteurization is needed.

I did not say anything about compliance with GOSTs and about factory wines (chatters) of the Soviet period. It is just known for a long time that for wine to have a balanced taste, the acid should be 6-8 g / l. If more - the wine is heavy, if less - rustic. So why guess if you can easily measure it.
It is not true about the poor quality of wine after pasteurization. In pasteurized wine, all residual turbidity falls out faster, and the aging process occurs faster. I have been making wine for 30 years now and have had the opportunity to compare the quality with and without pasteurization. Naturally, I have never pasteurized the wine right after the end of fermentation.Grapes stand on additional fermentation for up to 2 years, then the conditions are quite normal for storage and without heat treatment. Berries are more susceptible to disease, so I pasteurize them (if any) after a year. To date, the oldest berry wine I have is a cherry with a strength of 8-9 *, pasteurized. The quality is very good. The oldest grape wine is 15 years old. So you shouldn't reproach me in a hurry.
After aging the berries - a year, grapes - two, I bottle them under the crust and keep them lying down in the basement. Fortunately, I have a cellar at home, so I get the right wine right to the table. Naturally, carefully decant before use.
And do not take my posts as criticism. Just small additions. If your technology does not fail, then in your conditions and according to your tastes this is the best option. I wish you success. Best regards, Leonid.

It's good that you've found a balance in the pasteurization of wine, which is predictable for 30 years of winemaking. But if you still dare to try more gentle technologies, then perhaps reconsider your views. Moreover, you do not have a problem with the transportation and storage of wine.
About acidity. I regularly make blackcurrant wine with high acidity, in small batches for use in mulled wine and in red meat cooking. Therefore, I repeat - home winemaking is wonderful because it allows you to create the result you need.
Leonid, I have a counter offer to you - share your technology for making wine and pasteurization. I think many on this site will be interested.

Very interesting topic, I will subscribe.
Thanks for the information!

One of these days I'll free myself and open my topic so as not to interfere with everything in a heap. Moreover, there are enough different developments. It's just that I dealt with alcohol topics on a specialized forum, I discovered here recently.