STEP 1: Choose the type of grape according to the wine you would like to make. All three grape varieties are of the European wine-grape family, Vitis vinifera.
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STEP 2: The grapes will have to be stemmed and crushed. Please select the amount of grapes in accordance to the amount of wine you would like to produce. [1 ton of grapes should produce about three 55-gallon barrels of wine = 75 cases = 900 bottles]
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STEP 3: SO2 is added as a wine preservative and is recommended for home winemakers. About 75ppm is adequate, however amounts vary, depending on the grapes' conditions.
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STEP 4: Pure wine yeast starter culture is used to promote alcoholic fermentation. Montrachet and Pasteur Champagne are two widely used and commercially available strains.
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STEP 5: This step turns grape juice into grape wine. Known sugar amount will reveal amount of alcohol. Temperature must be adjusted to control fermentation progress. The higher the temperature, the faster the rate of fermentation.
-------------------------------------------------- STEP 6: Select method of pressing. Addtional press wine: the more you add, the more astringent (higher tannin content), thus the wine will require more aging.
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STEP 7: Fermentation is accomplished by the activity of lactic acid bacteria, usually by species of the genus Leuconostoc. Factors that inhibit bacterial growth are low pH, high level of SO 2 , cool temperatures and nonuse of wooden cooperage. Factors that encourage bacterial growth are high pH, low levels of SO 2 , warm temperatures and the use of wooden cooperage.
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STEP 8: The SO2 added initially will be exhausted at this point. Therefore, SO2 should be added again at this step (no more than 50ppm total SO2, if malolactic fermentation has not occurred and is desired). After malolactic fermentation ends, an additional 4-5 rackings are performed every 4-6 weeks.
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STEP 9: Red wines are usually aged in oak barrels. A more convenient, rapid and alternative approach is using oak chips or granular oak to attain a wood character.
-------------------------------------------------- STEP 10: You may choose to produce a blend or not. Please make a selection.
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