As we approach the fading days of summer, we turn our attention to vibrance of autumn and the coming festive months that signal the end of the dying year. 'twill be the season soon, and although the leaves are still green on the trees, it's not too early to begin planning for the holiday season - making lists, checking them twice (although we aren't the type to judge whose been naughty or nice), and prepping for feasts, family, and - you guessed it - festivities.
Now, what does this have to do with wine, you ask? The November and December months are known for their rich pouring (if you don't mind the pun) of assorted specialty wines. Let's face it, wine makes for an excellent gift, whether you're surprising your sweetheart with chardonnay or vying for that raise by slipping your boss some port at the company gift exchange. But what if you wanted to go that extra mile to show your friends, family, and loved ones that you are truly thinking about them? If you're wanting to add a personal touch or if you're just the adventurous type, making wine at home can be a fun, inventive way to spread holiday cheer this year.
Now, the reason why we are talking about holiday wine here at the end of August is because wine takes a long time to ferment - we're talking about 30-45 days, maybe longer. So by the time October and November roll around, you'll be ready to bottle your gifting wines.
Making wine is actually easy. At its core, wine is simply fruit juice, sugar, and yeast; that said, we don't recommend just tossing in a bottle of Welch's, a handful of suger and yeast, and then setting it off for a month. Unmeasured ingredients and/or a sloppy or unclean process will ruin your wine. Which brings about another reason why we suggest starting your holiday wine making early - leave several months for trial-and-error runs in case your first batch is a botch.
When making wine, we suggest using fresh fruits for the best effect. Or, if you want to make things easier on yourself, you can purchase a winemaking kit at our Belpre, OH storefront. Furthermore, if you are new to the process, don't try to experiment with recipes until you've mastered your timing and measurement. But most importantly - and pay attention now, because this rule is important - have fun!
We'll provide more specific guidelines and instructions for making your own wine in later posts, but until then, remember - the glass is always half-full.
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