Home Wine Making Instructions

• Introduction |
• Step #1 |
• Step #2 |
• Step #3 |
• Step #4 |
• Step #5 |
• Review

Step #5 - Bottling the Wine & Optional Equipment

Bottling the Wine

When your wine is clear, it is ready to bottle. Taste the wine, and sweeten it (optional) to your taste using a sweetener / conditioner that can be found at any winemaking store. Never add table sugar or nutrasweet. Your wine will re-ferment and become fizzy. If you need to sweeten; start by adding 1 oz. of sweetener per 5 gallons of wine and do not exceed a maximum dosage of 5 oz. for the whole 5 gallon batch. The wine must be stabilized a second time (1/4 level teaspoon per 5 gallons of wine) just prior to bottling.

Age the wine to the desired varietal characteristics.

Optional Equipment

Optional equipment such as floor corkers, shrink tops and labels allow you to finish off your winemaking experience with a professional look. Why not, you already have a professional quality wine in your bottles. The possibilities of winemaking don't end there. It is possible to purchase filtering machines that cut the total winemaking time in half and speed production of clear wine. Eye catching blank label styles are available for those who are creative with a laser or inkjet printer. A good wine rack for your finished bottles provides stable storage and decent protection for your investment.