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Winemaking
By Scott Miller
What wine enthusiast hasn't had the thought of making their own
wine cross his or her mind? For some it is an inevitable
progression of their passion for wine. For many of us however,
it's one of those "wouldn't it be fun" ideas that never go any
further because we think it is too difficult or costly to begin.
But it doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. Indeed, one
of the most compelling aspects of home winemaking is the low cost.
And with the all-in-one winemaking kits available, home winemaking
is truly something anyone can try.
 An
easy way to try your hand at making your own "Chateau de la Maison"
is with one of the kits available from
Northwest
Brewweks. The juice concentrate, yeasts, flavoring
ingredients, etc. are all included. You can even make and bottle
the wine there at Northwest Brewwerks. They are happy to provide
any assistance and advice needed. It really doesn't get any easier
that this!
But is the wine any good? I attended a recent tasting at
Northwest Brewwerks which featured 18 different wines, all
produced from home winemaking kits, and I was delightfully
surprised.
This tasting spanned a full complement of whites and reds,
ranging from light to full bodied styles, and included dessert
wines and several international varieties. A number of these wines
were "first time" bottlings shared by individuals who had made
them for themselves. All the wines tasted were made from Brew King
wine kits available from Northwest Brewwerks.
The overall quality of the wines was good, with some
outstanding examples. I rated each wine on the
WineSquire 20 Point Wine
Score Sheet. A few of the wines that particularly impressed me
were the Italian Verdicchio (a light white wine) - 15pts; a
California Tempranillo (medium bodied red)- 15pts; a Limited
Edition Cab/Merlot blend - 15pts (made by a young couple and
served at their wedding); and the Special Selection Port - 16pts.
But what really earned my praise was the Barolo Style and the
Icewine Style wines. WOW - these wines were exceptional! The
Barolo Style -17pts - was easy drinking, balanced, and showed all
the characteristics of any fine barolo you would be paying $20 or
$30 for in a wine shop. In talking with others at the tasting, the
Barolo was at everyone's top of list for the red wines.
The Icewine Style - 20pts! Clean, sweet and balanced,
with all the right aromas, colors and mouthfeel. Every bit as good
as the finest Icewines I seek out on store shelves. This is the
wine that really pushed my buttons and has me planning my first
home winemaking experience. I've developed a bit of a sweet tooth
for Icewines over the last couple years and have become used to
prices for quality Icewine to range anywhere from $10 to $30 or
more per half bottle. Comparing this to the homemade kit Icewine
at $4 per half bottle, is a compelling argument to try bottling my
own wine.
How is this possible to have such a great Icewine Style wine at
a fraction of the cost of typical Icewine? Well, the secret is
that it is not exactly Icewine. Instead, it is a rectified
riesling must that is reduced and sweetened. But the final result
is right on, and what's more, has fewer impurities which may lead
to off-character flavors or headache-causing vinegar compounds.
Overall, it's a great deal in a super yummy wine that probably
annoys the heck out of traditional Icewine producers...oh well. I
can't wait to bring mine home!
The home winemaking kits are of course just one of several ways
to pursue making your own wine. But it offers the easiest, and
lowest up-front investment to trying a new art... And once you've
tried, who knows, you may be shopping for used oak barrels and
buying your own wine thief before
long!
Enjoy!
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