For ages, people have enjoyed wine for a number of reasons. Many drink it just because they like the taste, but by no means is this the exclusive reason why the drink is so popular. In fact, it's been used in important religious ceremonies for thousands of years, and an entire culture has been built up around the beverage that has shaped thousands of lives across the world. Ultimately, those who love wine tend to take the drink very seriously and eventually end up wanting to make their own. If this describes you, don't be daunted; with this article, wine making is within your grasp!
When you first set out to make wine, it can seem like an overwhelming process with too many steps to make sense out of. In a sense, this is true. People have been making wine for thousands of years and naturally, there's a lot of advice on the subject. However, for the purposes of just getting a feel for the process, the following four steps lay things out nicely.
All wine starts from a base ingredient, usually grapes and other flavoring agents. When you hear wine lovers talk about "hints of cherry" and such in reference to their favorite wines, it usually means that such elements were used in this step. What you want to do is reduce your ingredients to their very essence; grapes become grape juice, vanilla becomes vanilla extract, and so on. Just focus on extracting your flavors into a base liquid primarily made of grape juice.
Next up, you're going to need to add the fermenting agent; in most cases this is a combination of sugars, acids, and yeast. Some kind of covered pot is fine for this step and you'll be leaving your wine here for as long as ten days.
By this point, your product will likely have separated into some pulpy matter and a liquid. You're going to want to place just the liquid in a separate container, this time airtight, for additional fermentation. This step can take several weeks.
Eventually, the yeast will have worked until the alcoholic content of the mixture is so high that it simply can't live anymore, usually around twelve to fourteen percent. When this happens, the wine will take on a clear look, like something you'd buy at the store. So, what comes next? You guessed it: bottling and corking! After a year for reds or half a year for whites, you'll be ready for your first taste.
And that's really all there is to it. Obviously, wine making is an advanced topic with a lot that can be written about it, but this overview should be enough to get you started. Good luck!