If you're keen on adding a personal touch to your Christmas celebrations, making your own wine is a fun and rewarding project. Here’s how to get started with a wine kit to create delightful wines just in time for Christmas.
Why Use a Wine Kit?
Wine kits are an excellent option for both beginners and experienced winemakers. They provide you with all the ingredients and instructions you need to create high-quality wines without needing access to vineyards or advanced equipment. With the right kit and a bit of time, you can produce wines that complement your Christmas meals perfectly—whether you're looking for a rich red to pair with turkey or a sweet dessert wine to enjoy by the fire.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Christmas Wines
1. Choose the Right Kit
Selecting the right kit is the first step to success. Wine kits are typically available in a wide variety of styles, including red, white, and rosé wines, as well as speciality types like port and sparkling wines. Think about the kind of wine you want to serve for Christmas. Are you after a bold red, like a Cabernet Sauvignon, or something lighter, like a crisp Chardonnay? Some wine kits even offer blends that mimic traditional holiday favourites.
Top Christmas Kit Recommendations:
Red Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz
White Wine: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling
Speciality Wine: Port, Mulled Wine
2. Get the Right Equipment
Although wine kits come with all the necessary ingredients, you’ll need a few pieces of basic equipment:
Fermenter (a large vessel where the wine ferments, or a demijohn)
Airlock and Bung (to allow gases to escape while keeping oxygen out)
Hydrometer (to measure the wine’s progress. Not essential, however)
Siphon (for transferring liquid)
Bottles and Corks (for storing the finished wine)
If you don’t already have these items, many suppliers offer complete wine-making starter kits, which include both ingredients and equipment.
3. Sanitise Everything
This step is crucial. Cleanliness is essential to prevent any unwanted bacteria or yeast from spoiling your wine. Make sure to thoroughly sanitise all your equipment, including the fermenter, spoons, siphon, and bottles. Most kits will include a sanitiser or provide recommendations on which product to use. Follow the instructions carefully, as even a small amount of contamination can affect the final taste.
4. Follow the Instructions
Wine kits come with detailed instructions tailored to the specific wine you’re making. The basic process involves mixing the wine concentrate with water, adding any additional ingredients like yeast or flavour packs, and allowing the mixture to ferment over a set period.
Here’s an outline of the key stages:
Primary Fermentation: Mix the wine concentrate with water and other ingredients (as per your kit’s instructions) in the fermenter. After sealing with an airlock, allow the mixture to ferment for 7–10 days.
Secondary Fermentation: Transfer the wine into a secondary fermenter using a siphon to avoid sediment, and let it ferment for several weeks. During this time, the wine will clear as the yeast finishes its job.
Stabilising and Clearing: Add any stabilisers or fining agents provided in the kit. This helps stop fermentation and ensures that your wine is clear and sediment-free.
Bottling: After your wine has cleared, it’s time to bottle. Use a siphon to carefully transfer the wine from the fermenter into clean bottles. Cork them securely and store the bottles in a cool, dark place.
5. Let it Age
Patience is key when it comes to wine making. While some kits offer wines that are drinkable within 4-6 weeks, many improve significantly with age. If you're planning for Christmas, it’s best to start in early autumn to give your wine ample time to mature. Even after bottling, allowing the wine to age for a few months can improve its depth and flavour, resulting in a richer and more complex wine just in time for the holidays.
6. Consider Customisation
Once you've mastered the basics, why not add a festive touch to your wine? You can infuse your wine with Christmas spices such as cinnamon, cloves, or nutmeg, or create a mulled wine using your homemade vintage. Simply heat the wine gently with your chosen spices, a bit of sugar, and perhaps a splash of brandy or orange liqueur. Serve warm for a cosy Christmas evening treat.
Tips for Success
Start Early: If you're planning to serve your wine for Christmas, begin the process as early as possible. Wine needs time to ferment, clear, and age properly.
Monitor Temperature: Ensure that the wine ferments at the temperature recommended in your kit’s instructions. Fermentation that’s too hot or too cold can affect the flavour.
Experiment: Once you feel confident, you can start experimenting with different kits, blending flavours, or even adjusting sweetness levels to suit your taste.
Why Home-Made Wine Makes a Perfect Christmas Gift
One of the best things about making your own wine is that it can double as a thoughtful, personal Christmas gift. A bottle of homemade wine, beautifully wrapped with a handwritten label, makes for a special gift that shows you’ve put time and effort into crafting something unique. Whether it’s for family, friends, or colleagues, your homemade wine will be a lovely addition to their Christmas celebrations.
Final Thoughts
Making your own wine for Christmas using a wine kit is a fantastic way to get into the festive spirit. Not only does it allow you to customise the flavours and create something truly special, but it also adds a personal touch to your Christmas gatherings. With the right kit, some patience, and a bit of creativity, you’ll have a delicious homemade wine to enjoy throughout the holiday season. Cheers to a merry Christmas filled with warmth, good company, and fantastic wine!
An excellent supplier of all things brewing (wine, beer, cider, equipment, etc) are our friends at Brew Genie, who offer a first rate mail order service. They aren't sponsoring us but we have just finished a very tasty bottle of Merlot made with one of the wine kits they sold us, so a shout out to Brew Genie!
We are laying down Brew Genie sourced beers and wines for Christmas and are making more wines as we speak!