When the included instructions are followed, you will craft a delicious, quality wine to enjoy with family and friends. When a kit does not turn out as expected, we have learned that almost inevitably it turns out to be due to one of several key issues. Below, we’ve listed our top winemaking tips in the form of mistakes people make, and how to avoid them (when using our kits to make wine at home).

1) Inadequate Equipment

Winemaking equipment, such as pails, carboys and spoons often seem similar to items that may be around the home. However, in many cases, proper winemaking equipment and utensils are made of special materials and this can influence your finished product.

Re-using plastic pails from other sources, like buckets that previously held food products, is always a mistake. The food odours will have sunk into the plastic, and will taint the wine. Also, plastic items not intended for food purposes, such as brand-new garbage pails must never be used for winemaking. The pigments, UV protectants and plasticisers (chemicals used to keep the plastic from becoming brittle) will leach into the wine, and could affect your health. Saving a few dollars by using suspect equipment is not worth it.

2) Cleaning and Sanitation

90% of all winemaking failures can be traced to a lapse in cleaning or sanitation. (Cleaning is removing visible dirt and residue from your equipment. Sanitising is treating that equipment with a chemical that will eliminate, or prevent the growth of spoilage organisms).

Everything that comes in contact with your wine must be clean, and properly sanitised, from the thermometer to the carboy, from the siphon hose to the bung and airlock. One single lapse could cause a failure of your batch.

3) Failure to Follow Instructions

Wine kit instructions may seem to be long and complicated, and the urge is to simplify them, or to standardise steps between different kits. This is always a mistake, for several reasons.

First, the kit instructions are based both on sound winemaking techniques, and many years of laboratory trials and experience.

Second, if your kit fails to ferment correctly, or clear sufficiently, there may be no easy way to correct it if you have not followed the directions.

Wine kit instructions are very different from those for wines made from fresh grapes. Trying to use the techniques described in winemaking textbooks will usually lead to problems.

4) Improper Water

Water is not quite as critical as many people think. In fact, if your water is fit to drink, it is usually just fine for winemaking. However, if your water is very hard or has a high mineral content, especially iron, it could lead to permanent haze or off flavours in your wine.

Also, if your house is equipped with a salt-exchange water softener, the water can’t be used for winemaking. If you’re in doubt, use bottled water to make your wine: you’ll appreciate the difference.

5) Poor Yeast Handling

Your wine kit instructions direct you to sprinkle your packet of yeast directly onto the must (unfermented mixture). However, if you read the yeast package (and many winemaking textbooks) they recommend rehydrating the yeast. If the objective is to deliver the maximum number of yeast cells to the must, which technique is best?

The answer is not as simple as one or the other: when performed correctly, rehydrating does give the highest live cell counts, along with the quickest, most thorough fermentation. The rehydrating process is very precise, however, and must be done correctly. Lalvin EC 1118 champagne yeast, for instance, asks you to add the yeast to 10 times it’s weight in water at 40­–43ºC (104­–109ºF). If too much water is used, the yeast will grow only sluggishly. If too little water is used, the cells may burst from the flood of liquid and nutrients forced into them. The temperature range is extremely important and if not adhered to will result in dead or ineffective yeast cells.

Secondly, the temperature range is inflexible. The outer wall of a yeast cell is made up of two layers of fatty acids. These layers soften best in warm water, much as greasy film will come off of dishes best in warm water. Once it has softened up, it will allow the passage of nutrients and waste products in and out of the cell much more efficiently. If the water isn’t warm enough, the cell won’t soften. If it’s too warm, generally anywhere above 52ºC (125.6ºF) the yeast cell will cook and die.

Ultimately, it is easiest to simply tear open the package and sprinkle it over your batch. Over many years and hundreds of thousands of batches country wide, this has been proven perfectly effective and almost foolproof.

6) Poor Temperature Control

A specific temperature range for fermentation is specified in your wine kit instructions. We recommend 20 – 25°C (70°F to 77°F), as the yeast included thrives between these temperatures. Commercial wineries use different temperature ranges, especially for white wines, as they have longer fermentation periods. Within the time frame of your winemaking kit instructions, the temparature range is perfect and must be adhered to: too cool and the wine will not ferment quickly enough, causing CO2 and to be trapped upon stabilising, as well as possibly resulting in incomplete fermentation. Additionally, the included clearing agents do not work well outside the recommended temperature range. Below 19°C (68°F) your wine kit may not clear at all!

7) Adding Sulphite and Sorbate at the Wrong Time

Sulphite and Sorbate, the stabilisers in the kit, work to inhibit yeast activity. If, by mistake, you add them too early your wine may not have finished fermenting and will be sweet permanently. Should you accidentally add the sorbate on day one, the yeast will never become active, and the kit will not ferment.

8 ) Leaving Out the Sulphite

Some people believe that they are allergic to sulphites, and want to leave them out of their kits. While this is their option, it’s a bad idea. True sulphite allergies are very rare, and if someone has a reaction to drinking wine, it’s almost always due to some other cause. Besides, yeast make sulphites themselves during fermentation, so no wine can ever be sulphite-free, no matter what.

Without added sulphites your wine will oxidise and spoil very rapidly. It will start to go off in less than 4 weeks, and will be undrinkable in less than three months. Also, if the sulphite is left out, but the sorbate is added, the wine will be attacked by lactic bacteria, which will convert the sorbate into the compound hexadienol, which smells like rotting geraniums and dead fish.

Should you choose not to add the sulphite to the kit, Wine Kitz cannot guarantee the wine.

9) Not Stirring

On day one, the kit mixture needs to be stirred very vigorously. This is because the juice and concentrate are very viscous, and don’t mix easily with water. Even if it seems that dumping the contents of the bag into the primary with the water has done the job, it hasn’t. The juice lies on the bottom of the pail, with a layer of water on top, throwing off any specific gravity readings, and making the yeast work extra hard.

When it comes time to stabilise and fine the wine, it has to be stirred vigorously enough to drive off all of the CO2 it accumulated during fermentation. This is because the dissolved gas will attach to the fining agents, preventing them from settling out. You need to stir hard enough to make the wine foam, and keep stirring until it will no longer foam. Only then will the gas be driven off so the fining agents can work their magic.

10) Not Waiting

Our wine kits are ready to bottle in 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the kit; they’re not necessarily ready to drink! If you really, really can’t wait, the minimum time before a kit tastes good is about two weeks – this is long enough for the wine to get over the shock of bottling, and begin opening up to release its aromas and flavours. Three months is much better, and the wine will show most of its character at this point. For most whites, however, and virtually all reds, six months is needed to smooth out the wine and allow it to express mature character. Heavier reds made from longer term kits will continue to improve for at least a year, rewarding your patience with delicious bouquet and complex character.

Please see the safety data sheet links below. These contain standard, approved safety information for all applicable chemicals used in our products or sold in Wine Kitz stores.

POTASSIUM METABISULPHITE – (Sulphite Crystals). Used as an equipment sanitizer and as an antibacterial agent in wines.

POTASSIUM SORBATE – Stabilizer, used to prevent renewed fermenation in finished wine.

CHITOSAN - Part of a two part wine clearing package. Used with Kieselsol.

KIESELSOL – Part of a two part wine clearing package as above.

BENTONITE – Wyoming clay used in clarifying wine.

STEROPHOS PINK – Pink powder, cleaner/sterilizer, diluted with water and used as an equipment & bottle cleaner/sterilizer.

ONE-STEP ASEPTOX – Oxygenated sterilizer, diluted with water and used as an equipment & bottle sterilizer.

A

ACID BLEND

A mixture of fruit acids (tartaric, malic and citric). Add to grape and fruit musts before fermentation to balance the acidity. See Vinacid for more details

ACIDITY

Perceived in the taste of the wine as a level of tartness, acidity is a naturally component consisting of mainly tartaric acid, at about 0.5 to 0.7 percent of the wine by volume.

AERATE

Exposing the wine to oxygen either through decanting or allowing the wine to “breathe” in an opened bottle or glass. Thought to allow off-odours to dissipate in older wines, and to soften aromas in younger ones.

AGING

A complex series of slow chemical reactions occur when wine is aging in the carboy and the bottle. These chemical reactions combine components in the wine to produce new flavours, particularly after the wine is bottled. For red wines particularly, long bottle aging will result in fine sediment as the tannins slowly interact with other compounds to form soft flavours.

AIRLOCK & RUBBER STOPPER

Together they form a one-way valve that seals the carboy at the neck. It prevents oxygen and spoilage organisms from entering while allowing fermentation gases to escape.

ALCOHOL

The by product of fermentation wherein the yeast metabolizes sugar in roughly equal parts of carbon dioxide and ethanol.

AMERICAN OAK

Oak wood for wine barrels sourced in American forests. Favoured by many winemakers, particularly those in Australia and Spain.

ANTHOCYANS

Natural organic chemical compounds responsible for the red, blue and purple colours of grapes and wine. Include anthocyanins, anthocyanidins and pro-anthocyanidins.

AOC

Short for Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (sometimes Appellation Contrôlée abbreviated as AC). Translates literally to protected place name, and is the official French category for higher-ranking wines. AOC wines are categorised according to name, origin, grape varieties and other legal definitions.

APPELLATION

Official name referring to a wine’s geographic region of origin.

AROMA

The smell of a wine. Some people use the term aroma for younger wines; bouquet for those that have been aged.

AROMATIC

Used to refer to a wine, particularly white wines, with intensely floral or fruity aromas, such as Muscat or Viognier.

ASTRINGENT

Caused by tannin, refers to the mouth-puckering character of some wines.

ATTACK

In wine tasting, the first impression of a wine on the mouth. Usually perceived as a first “hit” on the tip of the tongue and at the front of mouth.

AVA

Acronym for American Viticultural Area, indicating wine-growing regions as defined through geographic and climatic boundaries by the Federal Government. Theoretically, the American version of the French AOC system.

B

BALANCE

The relationship of the components of the wine including alcohol, residual sugar, acid and tannin. When no one component stands out against the rest, the wine is said to be well balanced, an indication of quality.

BARREL

A small wooden barrel used for ageing red wine, and fermenting some styles of white wine. Most barrels are about 227 litres (50 gallons) in size, and are made of oak, primarily from French and American forests.

BARREL-AGED

Refers to wines that are fermented in containers such as stainless steel, then placed in oak barrels to mature. Also refers to wines that are fermented in the barrel.

BARREL-FERMENTED

Some white wines, notably Chardonnay, may be fermented in barrels rather than in stainless steel to impart a subtle oak character.

BARRIQUE

Small French oak barrel

BENTONITE

A clearing agent made from natural clay, widely used in commercial wineries because of its low cost and its ability to remove proteins and iron compounds in white wines. High amounts will cause flavour loss in wine. Not recommended for red wines as it will remove colour.

BIG

Used to describe wines that are very full and intense; considered the opposite of elegant.

BLACK FRUITS

Aromas and flavours found typically in red wines including those of blackberries, black currants, blueberries and black cherries.

BLACK GRAPES

Grapes with reddish or blue pigment in their skins used to make red wine

BLEND

To assemble individual lots of wine together to make one wine. Can apply to different grape varieties, or grapes of the same type from different vineyards, regions and vintages.

BODY

The tactile impression of wine in your mouth. Think in terms of light, medium and full–or skim milk, whole milk and cream!

BORDEAUX BLEND

A style of wine assembled from the classic red grapes of Bordeaux including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.

BOTTLE SICKNESS

Newly bottled wine contains relatively large amounts of oxygen. The wine needs some time regain its equilibrium and to become palatable. This ‘sickness’ normally displays as a lacklustre nose, flat taste and generally dull character compared to the wine that was tasted in bulk just before bottling. It usually disappears after a few weeks but may be present for a few months.

BOTTLE-AGING

The winemaker decides how long a wine will age in the bottle before it is released for sale. Many wines are made to be consumed upon release; finer wines, particularly reds, may require additional bottle ageing by the consumer. In the case of Champagne and sparkling wine, bottle ageing allows the wine to acquire, complexity, depth and fine texture; it is also known as ageing “on the yeast” or “en tirage”.

BOUQUET

The more developed and complex aromas said to be evident in older and mature wines.

BRIGHT

A wine descriptor referring the character of the wine, including its appearance in the glass, to be fresh and exciting, and refracting light.

BRIX

Scale of measurement of total dissolved compounds in grape juice and approximate concentration of sugars used in the United States as one gauge of ripeness at harvest. One degree Brix is approximately 12-g/l sugar.

BRUT

Champagne style that is very dry, meaning little or no residual sugar

BUNG

Barrel stopper made of glass, plastic, rubber, silicone or other material which seals the bung-hole in the barrel like a cork. Can be removed to permit topping up or racking. The position of the bunghole can be changed to maximise or reduce aeration.

BUTTERY

Descriptor often applicable to Chardonnay that has undergone malolactic fermentation; describes both texture and flavour attributes.

C

CARBOY

A bottle-shaped container made of glass or plastic. Available in various sizes, the most popular being 23 litres (6 US gallons), 19 litres (5 US gallons) and 12 litres (2. US gallons). Glass is preffered in winemaking because it is easy to clean and sanitize and provides a barrier to oxygen which will damage wine. It is vital that the is kept topped up to the neck to eliminate air during the aging process.

CASTELLO

The Italian word for castle; refers to a wine estate, such as Castello d’Albola.

CEDARY

A woody aroma that characterises certain red varietals

CHAMPAGNE

Refers to sparkling wines made from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France and vinified using the Méthode Champenoise winemaking process. Term is sometimes used to refer to sparkling wines from different regions, but correctly, only sparkling wine from Champagne may be called Champagne.

CHARRY

Aromas and flavours of a toasty nature created by the application of oak barrel ageing to the wine.

CHATEAU

A French winery estate, typically found in Bordeaux and the Loire Valley, the architecture of châteaux can range from grand to mundane.

CHITOSAN

This is a naturally charged polysaccharide derived from chitin, extracted from the outer shells of ocean crustaceans. When combined with Kieselsol, Chitosan will clarify wine in a short time and is syphoned away from the clear wine as part of the sediment. Chitosan has no allergenic properties.

CHLORICLEAN

Pink chlorinated detergent that will both clean and sanitize equipment. Make up a fresh solution each time consisting of 3 tablespoons to 4 litres of water. Chloriclean solution should be in contact with equipment for at least 30 seconds for best results. Be sure to rinse with lots of warm water at least 3 times to remove all traces of the solution. Failure to do so will kill wine yeast and will ruin flavour of wine.

CLARO KC

This is a two-part liquid fining, originated by Wine Kitz, that is absolutely the most remarkable fining product on the market today. Claro KC will clear most wines in as little as 24 hours to a brilliant finish. Removes only suspended material in the wine and settles to a nice firm sediment that is easy to rack off. Best to let the wine settle for about one week before racking. Available in packs to clear 5 gallons.

CLASSICO

Italian term indicating that wine comes from the heart of a specific region. While Chianti Classico is a demarcated DOCG district, the Classico for Verdicchio, for example, refers to the central part of the appellation.

CLEANING

Cleaning is the physical action of removing visible residue from equipment.

CLONE

A selection within a grape variety, which exhibits certain characteristics distinct from others in the group. Viticulturists and winemakers experiment with different clones of the same variety to optimise their plantings and provide specific flavour and tactile characteristics.

COLHEITA

Term used in Port winemaking referring to vintage.

COMMUNE

Typically refers to a wine-growing village in the Burgundy region of France.

COMPACT

Wine described as intense but not full.

COMPLEX

Opposite of simple. A wine that has a lot going on.

CONCENTRATED

Dense aromas and flavours.

CONCENTRATION

What wines with dense aromas and flavours evidence (as opposed to weak and watery).

COOPERAGE

Collective term for wooden containers; also used to refer to the activities and workplace of coopers, who make and repair small barrels and large wooden vats.

CREAMY

Wines, particularly barrel-fermented Chardonnay that has undergone a secondary, malolactic fermentation, that have a rich, smooth mouth-feel and are fuller in body are often characterised as creamy.

CRISP

Describes wines that are clean, and possibly a bit on the tart side. Opposite of soft. Wines that are crisp are typically higher in acid, and go well with food.

CUVEE

A blend of many lots of still wines, particularly Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, designed to become a well-balanced Champagne or sparkling wine.

D

DECANT

To transfer wine from the bottle into another container, to aerate or to separate a red wine from its sediment

DEMI-SEC

A Champagne style that is semi-dry, but sweeter than sec

DEPTH

The impression of many layers of complexity in a fine wine.

DISGORGING

The process by which the sediment collected in the neck of the Champagne bottle during the riddling process is frozen and expelled prior to the final corking.

DISTRICT

Refers to a geographic area more specific than region, but less specific than commune.

DO

Abbreviation for Denominacion de Origen, which means place name and refers to Spain’s official category for wines whose name, region of origin, variety and other defining factors are regulated by law.

DOC

Abbreviation for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which means controlled place name. Italy’s official category for wines whose name, region of origin, variety and other defining factors are regulated by law. In Portugal, DOC is also an abbreviation for the highest official wine category, Denominacao de Origem Controlada.

DOCG

Abbreviation for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita , meaning controlled and guaranteed place. Italy’s official category for its highest ranking wines.

DOMAINE

French term for wine estate, commonly used in Burgundy.

DOSAGE

The liqueur, or sugar dissolved in reserve wine, added to the Champagne just before final corking. The dosage finishes the Champagnes and determines its level of sweetness.

DOUX

A Champagne style that is sweet.

DRY

Refers to a wine that is not sweet. Can also mean a wine that feels rough or dry in the mouth.

DULL

Opposite of bright and clean; can refer to a wine’s appearance, aromas and flavours or overall style.

E

EARTHY

Refers to aromas and flavours that suggest wet or dry earth or minerals.

ELEGANCE

Suggests a wine of a certain delicacy and grace as opposed to power and intensity.

ESTATE

A property that grows grapes and makes wine from its own vineyards.

EXTRA-SEC

A Champagne style that is extra dry, but sweeter than Brut.

F

FERMENTATION

A naturally occurring process by which the action of yeast converts sugar in grape juice into alcohol, and the juice becomes wine.

FINING

Clearing the wine through the addition of products such as Claro KC (kieselsol/chitosan, bentonite, sparkolloid, gelatine, isinglass, egg whites). In winemaking, the cloudy wine is composed of extremely small solids that are negatively charged. Positively charged finings are added and quickly attract the negative solids to form larger clumps that fall to the bottom of the container. It is advisable to wait for at least 10 days to allow the finings to form a compact sediment that can be easily racked.

FINISH

The final impression of the wine in the mouth after swallowing, particularly in terms of length and persistence of flavour.

FIRM

Describes a wine neither soft nor harsh in reference to tannins in a red wine and acidity in a white.

FLABBY

Describes wines that are too soft.

FLAVOUR COMPOUNDS

Organic compounds in grapes responsible for many of the aromas and flavours in wine.

FLAVOUR INTENSITY

How strongly wine flavours are perceived.

FLAVOURS

The aromatic components of wine that define its varietal characteristics as noted in the mouth.

FLESHY

Wines so described have a rich texture and mouth-feel.

FLOATING THERMOMETER

Use this to take the temperature of the grape juice prior to addition of wine yeast. The optimal temperature range for fermentation is 20 – 24 Celcius (68 – 75 Farenheit).

FORTIFIED WINE

Wines such as Port to which alcohol has been added.

FRENCH OAK

Considered by many to be the finest oak for the ageing of white wines; also used for reds.

FRUIT CHARACTER

The characteristics of the wine has derived from the fruit, including aromas, flavours, tannins, acidity and extract.

FRUITY

The fruit aromas and flavours evident in wine. Can be fresh, dried, cooked; examples include fresh apples, dried figs, and strawberry jam.

G

GELATINE

Used mainly for red wine, Gelatine removes roughly its own weight in tannin from the wine, which can be undesirable in certain varieties. Not recommended for white wine. Widely used for clearing beer.

GRAPE TANNIN

Tannins in a red wine attributed to the grapes as opposed to winemaking methods.

GRAPE VARIETY

Type of grape, such as Chardonnay or Merlot.

H

HARMONIOUS

Referring to a pleasant and graceful balance of components in a wine.

HEATING BELT

This is a low wattage device that wraps around the plastic primary to raise the temperature of the fermenting must. If the ambient temperature of the room is above 66 F (19 C), do not use a heat belt as the use may actually heat the fermenting must to a level that will weaken or kill the wine yeast.

HERBAL

Aromas and flavours in wine that suggest those of herbs.

HYDROMETER

A hydrometer measures specific gravity (S.G.) and is very useful for monitoring the progress of fermentation. You should take a hydrometer reading at each step and record the S.G.. To calculate the alcohol produced, here is a simple equation: Take the starting Specific Gravity before fermentation and subtract the final SG. Divide the difference by 7.2 to find the alcohol by volume. If the SG of the finished wine drops below 1.000, use the 1.000 as the final SG. Example: Starting SG: 1.098 Final SG .996. Total drop in SG is 98. Divide by 7.2 = 13.61% alcohol by volume.

I

IGT

Indicazione Geografica Tipica. A category of wines created in Italy by Wine Law 164 in 1992 to approximate the French Vin de Pays and German Landwein.

INTENSE

Used to describe wines that express their character powerfully.

ISINGLASS

A gelatin produced from the air bladder of fish. Used to clarify wine.

L

LEES

The grape solids and spent yeast cells that fall to the bottom of a white wine after fermentation.

LENGTH

The sustained impression of a wine across the tongue.

M

MACERATION

The process of soaking the skins of red grapes in their juice to extract colour, tannins and other substances into the wine; can occur pre or post fermentation.

MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION

A natural, secondary fermentation, optional in the winemaking process, which softens the total acidity of the wine through the conversion of malic into lactic acid.

MATURATION

The process by which a wine reaches a point of readiness for bottling; can continue in the bottle.

METHODE CHAMPENOISE

The traditional French Champagne winemaking method used for producing sparkling wine.

METHODE TRADITIONELLE

The equivalent of the traditional French Champagne process know as Méthode Champenoise, but applied to the making of sparkling wines outside the Champagne region.

MINERALLY

Used to describe flavours and aromas that suggest minerals, such as flint, steel, chalk etc.

MOUSSE

The ring of light foam at the top of a glass of sparkling wine.

N

NEW OAK

Can refer to brand new barrels, or barrels that have been used from one to four years previously.

NEW WORLD

Winemaking countries such as Australia, New Zealand, USA, South Africa, Chile, Argentina, Canada etc. outside of Western Europe.

NON-VINTAGE

Refers to those Champagnes whose Cuvée contains wine from a previous vintage.

NUTTY

Broad descriptor to describe aromas and flavours of nuts in a wine; more specifically hazelnut, almonds, roasted nuts etc.

O

OAKY

The aroma and flavour characteristics imparted to a wine through the use of oak barrel fermentation and/or ageing. These may be characterised as vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, toast, smoke or char. Sometimes associated with imparting a higher tanning level than the wine might ordinarily have.

OFF-DRY

Term for wines that are neither fully sweet not dry.

OLD OAK

Barrels old enough to have lost much of its woody character. Generally five year or older.

OLD VINES

Term referring to vines that are generally 40 years or older. Presumed to deliver small yields, but good quality.

OLD WORLD

Refers to the winemaking countries of Western Europe including France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Germany.

P

PALATE

Referring to the mouth, or how a wine’s characteristics manifest themselves in the mouth

PECTIC ENZYME

Breaks down the naturally occurring pectin in fruit such as apples, peaches and Labrusca variety grapes. Add to the must prior to fermentation. Pectic Enzyme is heat sensitive and has a normal shelf life of about 1 year (keep in the refrigerator for up to two years) so don’t mix it with hot water and don’t use old stock. Can also be added to grapes at crushing to increase yield.

PETROL

Aromas or flavours reminiscent of gasoline, classic in European versions of Gewürztraminer and Riesling.

PHYLLOXERA

A parasite that feeds on the roots of vitis vinifera grapes, resulting in decline and premature death.

PLUMMY

Aromas and flavours that suggest ripe plums.

PLUSH

Describes a wine that feels luxurious in the mouth.

POTASSIUM METABISULPHITE

Potassium metabisulphite is a common wine or must additive, in which it forms sulfur dioxide gas (SO2). This both prevents most wild microorganisms from growing, and it acts as a potent antioxidant, protecting both the color and delicate flavors of wine. It is also used to sanitize winemaking equipment by spraying a 1% SO2 (2 tsp potassium metabisulphite per L) solution on all surfaces of the equipment that will be in contact with the wine.

POTASSIUM SORBATE

Also known as “wine stabilizer”, potassium sorbate produces sorbic acid when added to wine. It serves two purposes. When active fermentation has ceased, potassium sorbate will render any surviving yeast incapable of multiplying. Yeast living at that moment can continue fermenting any residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, but when they die no new yeast will be present to cause future fermentation. When a wine is sweetened before bottling, potassium sorbate will prevent refermentation in sweetened wines when used in conjunction with potassium metabisulfite.

POWERFUL

Describes a wine of intensity and strength.

PRETTY

Describes a wine of delicacy and finesse.

PRIMARY AROMAS

Fresh fruit aromas suggestive of the wine varietal.

PRIMARY FERMENTER

Food-grade plastic container, with a cover. Should be at least 30% larger than your juice volume. For example, 23 litres of juice will require a container of at least 30 litres.

PUNT

The dome-shaped indentation in the bottom of a wine bottle.

R

RACKING

Transferring wine from one container to another through gravity using a syphon hose and syphon rod, leaving the sediment behind. Racking helps to clear and age the wine.

RED GRAPES

Also called black grapes, with skins that have reddish or blue pigment in their skins.

REGION

Geographical area for wine growing less specific than a district; more specific than a state or country.

RESERVE

Loose designation for presumably higher quality than “standard” version of the wine. In the case of Champagne, reserve wine refers to wine from previous vintages added to the cuvée for consistent quality and style.

RESIDUAL SUGAR

Remaining sugar in wine after fermentation

RIDDLING

The art of turning and tilting bottles of sparkling wine in order to ease the sediment into the neck of the bottle. Often performed mechanically in modern facilities.

RISERVA / RESERVA

Italian/Spanish term for “reserve” indicating longer ageing before release and suggesting higher quality. Regulations determine how long this is for individual wines.

ROSE

In still wine or Champagne, a slightly pink tint comes from contact with the grape skins or the addition of a small portion of red wine to the cuvée.

ROUND

As opposed to flat or angular, refers to a wine’s structure, particularly acid, tannin, sweetness and alcohol.

S

SANTIZING

Disinfecting equipment to prevent spoilage. Sanitizing infers that the equipment is spotlessly clean first. Pink chlorinated detergent (Chloriclean) is recommended for both cleaning and sanitizing.

SEC

A Champagne style that is dry, but sweeter than extra-sec.

SECOND-LABEL WINE

A less expensive or second brand made from grapes or wine a level down from primary label

SEDIMENT

Residue in the bottom of a bottle of red wine that forms as the wine ages.

SERIOUS

Describes a high-quality wine.

SILKY

Refers to a smooth, supple texture.

SINGLE-VINEYARD WINE

Wine made from the (presumably) good grapes of a single plot of land and not blended with any other grapes.

SKIN CONTACT

The pre-fermentation period in which the grape juice rests in contact with the skins of the grapes. Used in red winemaking to enhance colours and texture; may be used briefly in white winemaking to enhance aromas.

SMOKY

Aromas and flavours suggesting smoke or smoked wood imparted by oak barrel fermentation or ageing.

SMOOTH

Describes a wine that is not rough or harsh.

SOFT

Wine lacking in hardness or roughness, and present when alcohol and sugar dominate acidity and tannin.

SPARKLING WINES

Refers to all effervescent wines outside those from the Champagne region of France, vinified the Méthode Champenoise (correctly known elsewhere are Méthode Traditionelle).

SPARKOLLOID

Good all-round fining for red and white wines. Sparkolloid must be boiled for at least 3 minutes in water or wine prior to addition. Sediment is quite loose so care must be taken when racking. Allow the wine to clear for 14 days before racking. Filtering is mandatory because this fining agent will probably drop a light precipitation in the bottle if you don’t.

SPECIFIC GRAVITY (S.G.)

Measurement of the density of your juice in relation to water. Used for tracking the progress of fermentation (as sugar is replaced by alcohhol, the wine becomes less dense, giving a lower reading on the hydrometer). Potential alcohol can be calculated from the starting s.g

SPOON

Food-grade plastic, approximately 70 cm (28 in.) long. Avoid wooden spoons as they can contain unwanted micro-organisms.

STEMMY

Red wines with green or stalky tannins.

STEMS

Woody part of the grape bunch that is high in tannin. Usually removed and discarded before fermentation.

STONEY

Aromas or flavours that suggest the mineral quality of stones.

STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS

A wine’s alcohol, tannin, acid and sugar (if any).

STRUCTURE

How a wine’s structural components are perceived. Ideally structure should be well-balanced, without any one component dominant.

STYLE

Characteristics that form the personality of the wine.

SUPPLE

Describes a wine that is fluid in texture in the mouth, without roughness or harshness

SWEETNESS

The impression of a sugary taste in a wine. Can be due to the presence of residual sugar or other sweet-tasting substances such as alcohol.

SYPHON HOSE & SYPHON ROD

5 ft of food-grade tubing attached to a rigid acrylic rod. Used for transferring wine from one container to another while leaving sediment behind.

T

TANNIC

Describes wines too high in tannin

TANNIN

A substance found in the skins, stems and seeds of grapes (grape tannins) and imparted by oak barrels (wood tannins), that, in balance, can lend structure, texture and ageability to red wines.

TARRY

Aromas and flavours that suggest fresh tar.

TART

A term that can be applied to wines that are too high in acid, or made from under-ripe grapes.

TASTE

The impressions formed by wine in the mouth, perceived as bitter, sweet and sour.

TEMPERATURE

The best range for wine fermentation is 68 – 73 F

TERROIR

French term referring to the growing conditions in the vineyard, including climate, soil, elevation, slope, drainage, topography etc.

TEXTURE

How a wine feels in the mouth.

TIGHT

Can refer to a certain lean or underdeveloped quality of the wine in its aromas, flavour or structure.

TIRAGE

The process of bottling a cuvée with the addition of active yeast and sugar in order to induce a second fermentation. The carbonation produced by this second fermentation is trapped in the bottle, producing the effervescence of Champagnes and sparkling wines.

TOPPING UP

The process by which evaporated wine is replaced in the barrel.

V

VARIETAL

Term for grape variety.

VARIETAL CHARACTER

The unmistakable set of sensory characteristics attributable to a grape variety.

VEGETAL

Aromas or flavours that suggest vegetables.

VIN DE PAYS

French phrase for country wine. Lower status than AOC.

VINIFICATION

The activity of making grape juice into wine.

VINTAGE

The year in which a wine’s grapes were harvested; sometimes referring to the grape harvest itself. Vintage designations are only given to Champagnes whose cuvées contain wines made from a single year’s harvest. As with Port, a Champagne vintage is only declared in a year of exceptional quality.

VITICULTURE

The activity of growing grapes.

VITIS VINIFERA

Species to which most of the worlds wine grapes belong.

W

WEIGHT

Impression of heft and volume of the wine in the mouth.

WELL-BALANCED

Used to describe wines in which all component–alcohol, acid, tannin (if any) and sugar (if any)–relate to each other in such a way that none seems dominant.

WINE BOTTLES, CORKS, CORKER

For every 23 litres of wine you will need thirty, 750 mL bottles, thirty corks and a corker.

WINE THIEF

Used for removing samples from the carboy in order to measure specific gravity (S.G.). Lower thief into carboy and allow to fill. Remove thief from carboy, float hydrometer in liquid. Give the hydrometer a spin to dis-lodge any bubbles that may effect the reading.

WOOD TANNIN

Describes tannins attributable to barrel ageing, rather than the grapes.

Y

YEAST

One-celled organisms responsible for turning grape juice into wine.

You’ll find .pdf versions below – simply select the type of kit you are making and click on the link.

Should you have any further questions, please call us during business hours, or email us at winekitzcharlottetown@bellaliant.com and we’ll get back to you promptly.

Cheers!

Sommelier Reserve 18L • Ultimate Estate Reserve 17L

Traditional Vintage 10L • Sommelier 10L

Wine Art 7.2L • Coastal Sunset 7.2L • Wine Art Table Wine Series 5.1L

Country Mist 7L

Specialty Series 5L

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – June 9, 2011

Local businessman Darren Holt, owner of Wine Kitz Charlottetown was named New Franchisee of the Year at the Wine Kitz National Conference held in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario June 5 -7.

Mr. Holt opened the Charlottetown location at 155 Belvedere Avenue in March 2010 and has grown his business exponentially since that time. This award recognizes Darren’s efforts and success as a first year franchise partner.

5 of the 12 awards presented went to Atlantic Wine Kitz stores. Other winners included Mike Briggs, Moncton NB for Franchise Partner of the Year. Award winners in the Director’s Club for outstanding sales achievement included franchise partners Harry Turner, Quispamsis NB, Eric Tucker, Fredericton NB (2nd year in a row) & Mike Briggs, Moncton NB.

There are 72 stores in the Wine Kitz franchise chain.

Darren Holt attributed his success to having staff that treat the customer as one of the family, making the whole customer service process a fun event for winemakers & staff.

Wine Kitz Charlottetown offers it customers the opportunity to make their own wine on the premises in a clean environment with state-of –the-art equipment that automates much of the winemaking process.

For additional information contact: Darren Holt, winekitzcharlottetown@bellaliant.com or phone (902) 894-9403

In-store winery services are known by various names: U-Vint, U-Brew, Brew-on-Premise, Brew-on-Site, etc..

Wine Kitz is a pioneer in bringing the in-store winery concept to the Atlantic region, and an increasing number of the Atlantic Wine Kitz locations offer state-of-the-art wineries in their stores. Some store locations allow customers to process both beer and wine, however most stores focus solely on wine processing.

Note: We now offer in-store oak barrel aging. Ask us about it!

The Concept

On day one the winemaker selects and pays for a kit of their choice, along with the winery service fee. This fee usually includes corks, and in some instances also includes wine bottle labels and shrink tops. The cost of wine bottles (if new bottles are required – many customers bring their own to re-use) is always outside the normal service fee.

When making payment the winemaker will be asked to sign a bailment contract. For legal purposes, this contract moves ownership of the soon-to-be wine from the store owner to the winemaker who is making wine for personal use only.

The winemaker will then be directed to a preparation area within the winery, generally near a sink, where the winemaking process will commence. Store staff or owner will pour the liquid content of the kit into a sanitized primary pail. Legally, the winemaker must mix the liquid product by adding yeast, bentonite and oak chips (if included with kit). Once the product has been mixed, store staff will attach a log card with pertinent information such as date started, wine type, contact information etc., and move it into the ‘in-progress’ section of the store with many other full pails and carboys.

The winemaker may now go home and wait for a telephone call to book a bottling appointment. This telephone call will occur in approximately in 4-8 weeks, depending on type of kit selected. During these few weeks, store staff will perform many necessary tasks, which include hydrometer readings, several rackings (transfers), stabilizing, clearing and the final step of filtering the wine.

Click on the flow chart below for a full-sized image

In-Store Wineries and the Law

There are several Provincial laws by which we must abide when operating in-store wineries. For instance, store owner or staff are not permitted to bottle wine on a customer’s behalf. Wine will be set aside until the customer can come in and bottle it personally.

Several basic Provincial laws we must all abide by:

• Winemakers must be of legal drinking age to use in-store winery services.
• Wine sampling prior to purchase is not permitted.
• Wine sampling prior to bottling (the day of) is limited to 170ml (five ounces) per batch by the winemaker whose name appears on the contract.
• Winemaker’s assistants must be of legal drinking age.
• Exchanging wines on–site with other winemakers is not permitted.