How to Make Fruit Wine (Step by Step)

Are you new to making wine? Would you like to learn? This video details each step we take over 6 weeks to make 1.5 gallons of delicious cherry wine. The same process can be used for just about any other fruit. If you are patient, you can make wine to your taste, and know exactly what's in the bottle.

Make sure you watch our second "step by step" video on wine making:    • How to Make Fruit Wine, Step by Step ...  

Let us know your experience!

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Recipe for a 2 gallon bucket:

About 4 lbs of fruit (fills bucket about 1/3 to 1/2 full)
1 campden tablet
2 tsp yeast nutrient
1 tsp acid blend
1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
1/2 tsp yeast (we use Lalvin K1-V1116)
4 lb sugar dissolved in 1-2 quarts water

Crush the fruit and place in bucket. Fill half full with water. Crush the campden tablet. Let set 24 hours. Add additives, sugar syrup and yeast. Take hydrometer (specific gravity) reading. Seal in bucket; stir daily for first few days. After about a week, transfer to glass carboys, avoiding sediment. After another week or two, transfer again, avoiding sediment. When no fermentation is noticed, transfer to bucket, add campden tablet, and stir. After 24 hours, sweeten to taste, take final hydrometer reading, and bottle. Calculate alcohol by volume (ABV), and label.

Below are additives and equipment commonly used.

Additives Qty Total
Acid Blend 1 $ 1.43
Campden Tabs 1 $ 3.32
Pectic Enzyme 1 $ 2.15
Yeast Nutrient 1 $ 1.34
Yeast 1 $ 0.77
Tannin 1 $ 2.12
TOTAL $ 11.13

Equipment
Food Grade Bucket (2 gal) 1 $ 4.94
Siphon 1 $ 9.86
Carboys 2 $ 7.70
Air Lock 2 $ 1.62
Stopper 2 $ 3.28
Hydrometer 1 $ 2.72
Hydrometer Tube 1 $ 2.80
Carboy Brush 1 $ 5.99
Spray Bottle 1 $ 1.00
Star San Sanitizer 1 $ 11.99
TOTAL $ 51.90

Bottling
EZ Cap Bottle (case of 12) 1 $ 31.75
TOTAL $ 31.75

GRAND TOTAL $ 94.78