Home Wine-Making - Wine Kits
I don't know anything about home winemaking. I make wine at the local brew shop. They do all the work, and I go in 6 weeks later and bottle. I will leave the subject to the experts. Here are some excellent resources for home winemaking.
Jack Keller's Home Winemaking Page. Award winning site. Texas wine region. Great resource page for home winemakers. Just about everything you need to know to make great homemade wines from edible fruit, vegetables, grains, flowers, leaves, roots, and bark. Home Winemaking
Wine Art home winemaking kits. Discussion forum, news, list of retailers. Wine Art Home Page
Very nice Ontario site with many links for home wine making resources. Amateur Winemakers Resource Page
Spagnols Home winemaking and beer kits. Discussion forum, product guide, retailers. Spagnols Home Wine Kits
If you are having problems making your own wine, it is almost always because bacteria has gotten in somewhere in the production process. Cleanliness has got to be at the level of godliness. You can always consider having your local wine shop make it for you. They have already made the wine kits many times over testing for problems. My personal experience has been that the kits reviewed here are quite comparable to Ontario non-VQA wines and in some cases VQA themselves.
For people on a budget you can establish an alternative collection for yourself, a combination of basic four week kits for quaffing and six week premium kits aging in your wine cellar. You can always go to your local wine store and buy the occasional bottle from established wineres to experience wines from different regions.
Spagnols Cellar Classic Premium Wine Kits
Chardonnay Semillon - Two months of aging after bottling produces very rich, buttery and spicy flavour with hints of oak. Should be well-chilled and matched with ethnic foods or fish or fowl with citrus flavoured sauces.
Gewurztraminer - starts out with a very strong bouquet and taste of grapefruit. After two months of aging, more fruity complexity with overtones of peach and apricot and some spiciness. Food pairings - chinese, mexican foods, fruit salads.
Sauvignon Blanc - traditional grassy scent. Refreshing aroma and taste. Allow to age 3 to 6 months. Pair with fish, poultry. Great to sip on its own. Spagnols Home Wine Kits
Wine Art Wine Kits
Vieux Chateau du Roi - Grapes from the Rhone Valley. Similar to Chateauneuf du Pape. Deep red colour, berry flavour with smooth finish. Slight oak taste. Can drink soon after bottling. Pair with red meats or salmon. Wine Art Home Page
Moselle - Citrus nose with hints of apricot, peach and lemon. Match with seafood and chinese food.
White Burgundy - Delicate and soft with light flavours. Hint of pear at finish. An unoffensive sipping wine. Serve with chicken, scallops, salmon.
Oak Chardonnay - Buttery vanilla nose, rich flavours, very smooth middle, dry finish. Pair with salmon, trout, chicken, sea bass and lobster.
Wine Facts
The collecting of wines is an act of love for people who take it seriously. The main reason for this is that they have put some forethought in how they want to approach it. Two advantages of having a wine collection are convenience - you don't have to run out to the store when you feel like opening a bottle, and accessibility - by stocking up on favorites, you may have wines that have long since been sold out at the local wineries.
To get the most pleasure out of your wine collection you need to honestly evaluate your values and tastes, and what resources you want to put into it. For instance, don't invest in red wines if you only drink them occasionally.
A person's requirements for casual collecting are going to be far less than a person who is buying wine for an investment. There are no set rules for starting a collection, but here are a few things that will help you plan:
Know what you like. This can't be done unless you start experimenting with different wines. A good wine merchant or LCBO wine consultant in your local wine store can help guide you to trying different types of wines. (I found the red wine of my dreams in the form of a fruit wine from Newfoundland).
How often do you and your partner drink wine? How often do you entertain with wine?
Determine your objectives with this collection. Do you want to store ageable wines? Then you will have to put a higher priority in proper storage facilites.
How many bottles do you want to collect and how much do you want to spend? What balance are you going to give to these issues? Balance the types of wines you are going to store. If you carry a disproportionate amount of your favorite wine, then you run the risk of getting tired of it, or drinking your wine stock too quickly.
Always taste before buying. Try going to local wineries for free tastings and if you fall in love with one, then buy a case and cellar it down. If buying from the local liquor store, buy one bottle to try before you commit yourself to buying in volume. If you are on a budget, don't overlook "make your own" wine as part of your collection for everyday drinking. When I say "make your own", I am referring to having it made at your local brew shop. The quality of premium kits is very good and quite comparible with wines in the $8.00 - $15.00 range. On the other hand, if you have never tasted a high priced wine, splurge occasionally on a special bottle, as recommended by the LCBO wine consultant. You will never know what fine wine tastes like if you stick to inexpensive wine. You need to educate your palate to the more complex tastes a more expensive wine can offer.
Here are some ways you might want to consider tasting wines.
Vertical tasting involves sampling the same wine from different vintage years. This will allow you to determine how the weather can affect good and bad vintages.
Horizontal tasting is tasting different wines with something in common from the same year, such as wine from the same winery, wine made from the same grape (ie. different styles of Riesling). This allows you to distinguish the different qualities of wine tasted.
If you are daring and feel that you have developed a level of expertise with your palate, then you might want to try blind tasting of wines to see if you can determine the type of wine it is, and where the wine came from.
Whatever method you use, it can be the means to an enjoyable experience with family and friends.
The matching of food and wine has built up a mythology that has unnecessarily restrained a lot of people from experimenting and discovering the full potential of food and wine matching.
White with fowl or fish and red with beef or game can work in many instances, however, if you know a simple rule you can crossover into uncharted areas and discover epicurean delights that enchant your palate.
The rule is very simple: sweet tastes in food will make a wine taste stronger, and a sour taste (acidity) will soften it. The point is not to argue any particular taste selection is good or bad, but to provide a means of communicating how a proper selection of food can make a wine that would (normally) be considered unsuitable, into an enjoyable match for anyone. For example, if you went out to dinner with friends, and the majority want to order a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Barolo with red meat dishes. But you don't want to order a red meat dish. Then you could order a delicate white fish, with a lemon butter sauce and still enjoy the red wine, because the lemon acidity would soften the astringency and bitterness of the tannins in the wine.
In a good many instances, wine has been sent back simply because the food selection changed the taste of the wine, mistaking it for being "off". Sweet taste will make tannins in wine go off the scale with astringency and bitterness. A medium tannin wine will increase incrementally. A wine with no tannins will not be affected.
Some restaurants are reclassifying their wines into groups of styles made, rather than by grape type or country or origin and price. This encourages a diner to experiment with different wines that are made in similar styles. For example, someone might try a full-bodied California Zinfandel rather than a French Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine list starts with the mild and sweet tasting wines, and proceeds in increasing order, becoming dryer with more bitterness and astringency. The wine list is thus a reference point, giving the major taste and flavour profiles of the wines on the list. This would be supported by a wait staff that is interested in selecting wines that the patron wants. No two people have exact same taste reactions to an individual food or wine. It is for this reason that established practises on food and wine matching should not be considered written in stone.
Here is an exercise that will allow you to experiment with this sweet and sour concept. Get four glasses of wine, ranging from light to heavy (ie. light fruity Chardonnay, a buttery-oak Chardonnay, a Pinot Noir or Merlot, and a Cabernet Sauvignon or Barolo). Get a slice of lemon and a slice of apple (delicious variety). Taste each wine on its own and then take a bite of the apple and then retaste the wine, and notice the differences. Repeat this procedure with the lemon wedge.
A taste called "Umami" was coined by a Japanese researcher. This term is derived from Buddist philosophy, meaning intrinsic goodness (the intrinsically good taste of food). Sometimes called sweet (even though it is not) it can have the same effect on wine as a sweet dish. The Umami taste can typically be found in most prepared foods ie. shrimp, scallops, lobster, crab, a ripe tomato or cooked potato. If a food is having this enhancing effect on the wine, then use some acidity (vinegar or some citrus product to soften the effect). Like anything else in wine and food paring, the only way you can get it right is with trial and error, but if you keep the sweet and sour principle in mind, you will find out what you like much more quickly and have some fun in the process.
Here is the typical four seasons of a winery owner, and ideal growing conditions for grapes. First we will look at the duties of tending to the vines.
Spring -
New vines are planted and set up as a single bush or to be trained to grow
on wires.
American root stocks are grafted to vinifera plants to prevent Phyloxera from destroying the plant.
To allow spring warmth to encourage growth the soil is plowed to aerate it.
Vines are sprayed to protect against diseases and pests.
Every few weeks this is repeated until the crop is harvested.
Special events and marketing plans for the year are planned.
Summer -
Vines are pruned to prevent them from using too much energy to grow
foliage. This allows the plant to concentrate on ripening grapes.
Warm conditions are essential for the formation of fruit from flowers.
Spraying allows the plant to fight off grape berry moths, red spiders,
wasps and weeds.
Also powdery, downey mildew, and Grey Rot are prevented (don't confuse Grey
Rot with noble Rot, that is allowed form to make late harvest wine).
Netting may be used to prevent birds deer and rabbits from getting at the fruit.
Fall -
Wine making equipment is cleaned and maintained.
Roughly a little over 3 months after vines have flowered the grape can be
harvested.
The vintage happens.
Fall winery harvest festival.
Winter -
In colder regions the base of the vines may be mounded with soil to protect them from frost.
To regulate the size of the crop and control the size and shape of the vine another pruning will take place.
Repairs to wires and stakes take place as well as the application of fertilizer.
The vineyard is cleaned up.
Winery owner and employees can take a well-deserved vacation.
A vineyard friendly climate would be as the following:
Winter -
Enough frost to kill diseases but not enough to kill the plant.
Sufficient rain to store reserves of moisture in the soil.
Cold that will inhibit vine growth and rest it.
Spring -
Mild rains and warmth to encourage growth.
Summer -
A stable period to allow flowering of the vine with some summer sun later
on mixed in with rain to inflate the growing grapes.
Fall Dry and of sufficient length to allow the full pipening of fruit for harvesting the vintage.
Bulk Wines
Bulk wines are sometimes maligned as cheap wine that is not for the serious wine drinker. When you think of it, the critics are right. If you are a serious wine drinker and have a collection, then these wines would not be part of it. This however, is true for only about seven percent of the population. The other 93 percent don't want to spend more than $10.00 for a bottle of wine and would seriously consider purchasing bulk wines as another alternative to making your own.
Most of these wines are a blend of imported and local grapes and a packaged in an airtight bag with a pouring spout. It is either boxed or put in a carboy. These packages come in mostly 8, 16 or 18 litre quantities. All the major types of grapes are offered, ranging from Chardonnay, blush or Riesling, to Pinot Noir and Caberney Sauvignon. Price range tends to be in the $80.00 to $120.00 range for the 16 to 18 litre packages and $45.00 to $65.00 for the 8 litre packs. Small quantities can be poured into a litre wine container and kept chilled in the fridge.
Like any commodity, the larger the purchase the better the unit price discounts. If you buy a 16 or 18 litre container, the unit price is in the $3.00 to $4.00 range. Vinoteca has a very good selection and allows you to taste before buying. They require a $5.00 deposit on their carboys to encourage their return. Since their distribution is limited to their Vaughan and Niagara locations, getting there may be an inconvenience. The next bet is Magnotta. They are a little more expensive, but have many distribution outlets in Southern Ontario. You are also allowed to taste before you buy, and since the wine is boxed, no deposit is required.
Although none of these are on the same level as the VQA Ontario wines, they provide an alternative if you are on a budget and can't be bothered to make your own. For everyday drinking or for special occasions with a large crowd, they are perfectly acceptable.
Magnotta - White Zinfandel. A fruity, refreshing blush wine, excellent for summer sipping. Very good value. Good with cold summer dishes, such as cold cuts and salads. Available from Magnotta wine shops. Price approx. $56.00 per 8 litre box.
Magnotta - Chablis. Light and crisp white table wine. Serve well-chilled. Extremely versatile, this wine can go with most meats, fowl and fish. Best as a summer sipping wine for hot days (or nights), or to cut through thick sauces. Sold through Magnotta wine shops. Price approx. $86.00 per 16 litre box.
The Vintners Quality Alliance is the appellation system of high quality standards for Canadian wines. VQA is similar to Italy's DOC, Germany's QMP and France's AOC. The VQA was started in Ontario in 1988 and in British Columbia in 1990. Niagara-on-the-Lake's Inniskillin Winery co-founder and President Donald Ziraldo is responsible for creating the VQA, and remains it's chairman.
For wines to have the prized VQA designation, the grapes must be grown within designated areas of the Canadian wine growing region, of certain grape varieties, and grown according to strict regulations. What sets VQA apart from international appellation systems is an applicant wine must pass a taste test by an independent panel as a final step before the VQA medal can be displayed on the product.
There are 2 levels of designation:
Viticulture Area - this is the higher level of designation. Only wines coming from designated growing regions are eligible. These regions have been determined to have a satisfactory terroir to consistently grow premium mature grapes. Therfore, 100 percent of the grapes must be from the province of origin of the wine. 85 percent must be from the immediate area. Only vitis vinifera, classic European varieties of grapes can be used. To claim a vineyard designation, the wine must be from a designated viticultural area and the grape must have been grown from the vineyard on the bottle label. To claim an estate designation, the grapes must come from winery controlled vines in a designated area, and must not leave the winery prior to being bottled. Natural sugar levels must be attained from all designated viticultural areas, including for icewine and late harvest products.
Provincial Designation - this is less stringent than the first designaton. Wines must be made from an approved list of vinefera or hybrids. If a varietal is labelled on the bottle, the wine must have the predominent characteristics of the varietal and must contain 85 percent of the variety mentioned. Grapes must be 100 percent Canadian and 85 percent must be from Ontario (for Ontario wines). Minimum natural sugar levels must be reached, expressed in degrees Brix.
VQA is currently being applied to B.C. and Ontario wines. The other major Canadian winemaking regions are Quebec and Nova Scotia. Negotiations are on-going to establish a national VQA standard for Canada. An emerging new wine region is from north of Toronto going eastward to Prince Edward County (Picton). This is called the Lake Ontario north wine region. IMHO I would love to see this region become Ontario's fourth designated viticulture region. Perhaps, with a few more years of producing quality wines, it will join Niagara, Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island as designated VQA regions.
Wine Storage
The storage of wine is not a factor for most people because wine is usually purchased and then consumed shortly after. However, if you have any intention of keeping wines around for months then some precautions should be taken.
Never leave a wine open to direct exposure to the sun. Exposure to the heat and light of the sun can very quickly ruin a wine. Drastic temperature changes can also have a major effect on wine. On hot summer days cover your purchased wine in the car and drive with the windows open or air conditioning on. If you are not going straight home, use a cooler.
For someone wanting to store wine for aging purposes, you need a dark area free of vibration with a temperature ideally constant between 50 & 60 degrees F and a humidity level of 70 to 95 percent. Wine should also be stored away from odor causing products, ie: paints or solvants.
The amount of attention given to wine storage is directly related to the price and quality of the wine being stored. A first-growth Bordeaux will require ideal conditions, even if it means that you must go out and purchase a wine storage unit.
If you are storing homemade wine then you may not be so concerned with temperature fluctuations since its storage life is relatively short anyway.
The majority of wine drinkers don't have the resources or desire to put a lot of money into producing an ideal wine storing environment. However, in most cases a dark place with no vibration can be found eg. a bedroom closet, a low traffic corner of a basement (NOT under the stairs or near the washer and dryer or furnace).
If you are careful to select ageable wines that are moderately priced, then you can get away with some temperature fluctuations, such as a house in the Northern climates without air conditioning.
Buying several bottles of the same wine and trying them periodically (every 6-12 months) is a good compromise in tasting wines to see how they develope and minimize spoilage. Temperature fluctuations will cause you wine to age quicker.
Shorter shelf life is not necessarilly a bad thing. You can experience an aging wine during a short time span. I have had this over 6 months with homemade white wine, and 12 months with homemade red. Premium Ontario white wines come into their peak in about 2-3 years under my less than ideal storage conditions (wine closet).
As a general rule, red is more ageable than white. This is because of the tannins that red wines have. Tannins come from contact with grape skins during fermentation, and also from oak aging. For specific wine recommendations, contact your local LCBO or wine merchant. Champagne can be aged for decades, provided it is a premium brand and is stored properly. It ages best in 1.5 litre bottles (magnums).
For those that can afford it, a free-standing wine storage unit can be purchased. These can range in price from about $1000 to $3000 CDN and may require installations. An additional expense incurred is usually electricity (about $20.00 CDN a month). Don't confuse these units with a refridgerator. Using a fridge is not recommended because of the lack of humidity and the vibration from the motor.
If you want to invest in racks for a basement wine storage room, you choices are wood, metal, or man-made. Cardboard is not recommended due to the chemicals in its production. For more information on wine storage, why not invest first in a good wine book. I recommend Wine for Dummies, 2nd edition ($26.99 CDN). It's full of tips and humour. Or feel free to email me with specific questions.
Wine Facts
The June 1, 2000 Wineward.com Wine News email reports that a new classification of wine standards are being proposed to change the system currently in effect.
They are the following:
VQA
National standards for quality assurance in winemaking and harvesting will be set into place.
Grapes must come from designated viticultural areas in Canada as determined by the V.Q.A.
Specific terms will be restricted to V.Q.A wines (ie Lake Erie north).
Product of the Province
Standards of quality will not be as stingent as national V.Q.A but will be intended to keep wines at a relatively high standard
Grapes would be have to be grown in the province and consist of 75-100% content in the wine.
It is unclear at this point if the V.Q.A. would be allowed to be displayed on a bottle as it is now under the Ontario Provincial Designation.
Product of Canada
Grapes grown anywhere in Canada that make 75% of a wine. There will be no restrictive standards.
Cellared in Canada
Wines made from foreign or domestic grape product or any combination there of will have the term imported or domestic on it's label depending on the majority content of the wine. These are wines that are blended and bottled in Canada.
Wine Trivia
In Ancient Egypt, the poor man's drink was beer. The rich drank Wine. Sweet or dry white and red wines were produced. First pressing of the best quality juice was by workers stomping on them with their feet. Second pressings of lower quality juice was from putting grapes, pips and stems in cloth and twisting to extract the juice. Juices were put into jars and allowed to ferment. Before the use of corks, jars were closed with a wad of leaves and mud. A small hole was left until secondary fermentation took place, and then that hole was plugged. Jars were labelled with the quality, year and vineyard and allowed to age. Egyptians also made wine from dates, pomegranates and palm sap.
The Ancient Greeks grew grapes and olives as their main source of wealth. Vines were grown on terraces cut into the hillside to get the maximum sunlight. Ripe grapes were harvested in September and taken to a treading floor made of wood or mortar which sloped down to an outlet. As workers trod the grapes, juice ran into a vat sunk into the ground. It was left to ferment in clay vats lined with pitch or resin. The vats were stored in cool cellars for six months, and then the wine was poured into large amphorae for ease of transport. Proof of large scale export of wine was found in sunken wrecks of merchant ships laden with amphorae for Greek colonies in southern Italy or off the Black Sea.
Barges were used to transport wine in barrels from vineyards in France and Germany to ships carrying the wine to all regions of the vast Ancient Roman Empire. Italian wine was also enjoyed throughout the Roman Empire.
For more information on the history of wine, read Tony Aspler's Vintage Canada or Hugh Johnston's book on wine history, The Story of Wine.
© 1998 - 2002 rreichertis@rogers.com