Cellar Classic
We welcome you to the timeless art that is winemaking! With these easy step-by-step instructions, you can produce top quality wines in a reasonably short time – and at little cost. If this is your first batch, rest assured that you will soon be serving wine as delectable as the vintages you used to buy at the store. It’s as simple as following the steps that are clearly laid out for you. If you have made wine before, you will note that our process varies little from standard winemaking procedures.
Please read the instructions carefully before you begin.

Important:

Please Read All Instructions Carefully Before Proceeding
Before you begin, the importance of sanitation in the winemaking process can not be stressed enough. Everything that touches your wine (all equipment) must be sanitized with a recognized sanitizing solution. Just as important is thoroughly rinsing off all equipment after the sanitation procedure. Please use the following instructions as outlined taking care to measure the specific gravity. This allows the wine to tell you when to proceed to the next step. If you have any questions beyond these instructions please contact your local winemaking supply store or call our help line.

Now, let’s begin!

Required Equipment

Primary Fermenter: Food-grade plastic container ( 27-46 litre) with cover. Fermenter should be well marked at the 23 litre (5 imp gal/6 US gal) level. To do this, fill Carboy with water, pour into Fermenter, mark water level on outside of Fermenter.

Carboy – 23 litre (5 imp gal/6 US gal): Either glass (recommended) or food-grade plastic.
Airlock & Rubber Bung: One-way valve to seal Carboy at neck. Airlock must be half-filled with water and attached to Carboy when it is filled with wine.

Siphon Assembly: 4 feet of food-grade plastic tubing attached to a rigid acrylic rod.

Hydrometer & Test Cylinder: Measures specific gravity to monitor fermentation & sugar levels.

Spoon: Food-grade plastic, approximately 28in./70cm. long.

Package of Cleaner

Package of Sulphite

Suggested Equipment

Measuring Cup: 2 cup/500 ml.

Floating Thermometer: Tracks fermentation temperature.

Wine Thief: To remove wine samples from primary or carboy.

30 Wine Bottles: 750 ml.

30 Wine Bottle Closures: Synthetic or high grade corks are recommended to maintain the integrity of the wine.

Corker: Used with corks only. This can be rented from a retailer.

Bottle-filling Wand

Additives (included in kit)

Package 1: Bentonite Also in Kit:
Package 2A: Sulphite RJ Spagnols wine yeast
Package 2B: Potassium Sorbate (may contain 2 packages) Oak Chips (optional)
Package D1: Kieselsol
Package D2: Chitosan

NOTE: Your kit may include any of the following: oak infusion bag, oak powder, sweetening blend, finishing blend, dehydrated fruit or Süss Reserve. Do not use or substitute additive packages from other wine kits!

Brand:____________________
Wine Style:________________
Product Date Code: (on box label)____________

Primary Fermentation (Specific Gravity 1.074-1.110)

DAY 1 Date_____________________ SG______________________

1. Clean and sanitize Primary Fermenter, Lid, Wine Thief, Test Cylinder & Spoon. Make sure everything is well-rinsed before you begin.

2. Add 4 litres of warm water to the Primary Fermenter. Stirring constantly, slowly add Pkg. #1 Bentonite to water until dispersed.

3. Empty contents of juice/Concentrate Bag into mixture in Primary Fermenter.

4. Rinse Bag with hot water and add to Primary Fermenter.

5. Add coolwater to Primary Fermenter up to the 23 litre (5 imp gal/6 US gal) mark. Check to make sure the water temperature in Primary Fermenter is between 20-25°C/70-80°F. Stir vigorously.

NOTE: Some wine kits may contain Oak powder/chips.

Oak powder/chips – If your wine kit does, open it and add it now. Stir vigorously.

Dehydrated fruit – If your wine kit does, rehydrate in hot water and add mixture to primary fermenter.

Stir vigorously.

Oak chip infusion bag (resembling a tea bag) – If your wine kit does, soak it submersed in 1 cup of hot water for 10 min. Do not open infusion bag. Add water and infusion bag to primary fermenter.

6. Using the wine thief, fill the test cylinder. Record specific gravity (S.G.). For a table wine it should be 1.074-1.110 (depending on the wine kit).

7. Sprinkle yeast over the surface of the juice. Do not stir.

8. Place cover (or lid with Airlock and Rubber Bung) onto Primary Fermenter. If Airlock and bung are used fill the Airlock half-full of water or mild sulphite solution.

9. Place Primary Fermenter in a warm, raised area about 3- 4 feet high, where it will be undisturbed.

NOTE: Within 2 days the wine will show signs of fermentation (bubbling or foaming). If this does not happen, call your retailer

NOTE: For makers of Cellar Classic Barolo, Shiraz and Bella Bianco kits only – Your wine will have a final S.G.between 0.999 and 1.004. This is normal. If within this range proceed to STABILIZING AND CLEARING.

Stabilizing & Clearing (Specific Gravity 0.998 or lower)

DAY 14 (approx.) Date_____________________ SG_________________

1. Clean and sanitize siphon hose, carboy and mixing spoon.

2. Siphon wine into a sanitised 23 litre 5 imp gal/6 US gal) carboy or primary bucket (optional). Discard sediment in primary fermenter.

3. Add Pkg. #2A Sulphite to the carboy and stir vigorously.

4. Add Pkg. #2B Potassium Sorbate (if your kit contains 2 packages add both) to the carboy and stir vigorously.

5. If your wine kit includes finishing blend or sweetening blend, please refer to label instructions and add now.

6. Degas wine vigorously for 5 minutes by stirring with the handle of a spoon or with a drill mounted stirring device. INSUFFICIENT STIRRING WILL PREVENT THE WINE FROM CLEARING ADEQUATELY.

7. Add Packet D1 (Kieselsol) to wine and stir for 1 minute. Then add D2 (Chitosan) and stir well. Important: Do not reverse the order of Kieselsol and Chitosan. Degass wine for 5 minutes by stirring vigorously.

8. If in primary bucket, rack back into carboy. Attach bung and airlock.

9. Top up to within two inches of the airlock. Attach bung and airlock.

10. Let wine stand until Day 42 in an elevated cool area (15-19ºC/59-66ºF).

OPTIONAL: After approximately 10 days optional racking may be done. Simply rack the wine into a fresh,clean sanitized carboy, top up if necessary and discard the sediment.

Bottling & Corking

DAY 42 Date___________________ SG__________________________

NOTE: Only crystal clear wine is suitable for bottling. If wine is cloudy, wait an additional few days for wine to clear. At this point you may wish to filter (polish) your wine prior to bottling.

1. Clean and sanitize the Primary Fermenter, Siphon Assembly and Wine Bottles. Make sure everything is well-rinsed before you begin.

2. Siphon the wine into Primary Fermenter. (Filtering optional)

3. If ageing past 6 months we suggest adding an extra 1/4 teaspoon of sulphite to the Primary Fermenter to prevent premature oxidation of the wine.

4. Insert Corks using proper corking machine.

5. Keep Wine Bottles upright for 1 day. Then age Wine Bottles on their sides to keep Corks moist.

6. Keep your wine in a temperature-controlled environment (less than 16°C /60°F) out of direct light, for 2-3 months prior to consuming.

Enjoy!

Read Complete Questions & Answers | Ask a Question

5/17/2010 -- what is your phone number?

Response From Homebrew Heaven: We can be reached at (425) 355-8865

Our toll free order is (800) 850-2739

5/2/2008 -- I've brewed four of your beer kits with great success, thank you. I live in New York City, and with summer approaching I’m sure the temperatures will be well above 75. Is there a something, perhaps wine, that will ferment properly at higher temperatures? I’m predicting between 80 and 85 degrees. I’ve heard Mead might, but the one Mead . . .

Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes! Red wines and meads, especially, are fermented warm. Cabernets, Merlots, Pinot Noirs etc etc work out nicely. Meads too!

Don't let the fact that your first (and only?) taste of mead was too sweet for your tastes. Mead can be made dry as well. With our Nectar of the Gods Mead Kit you actually sweeten to taste (if you like) AFTER fermentation. . . .

1/26/2008 -- I live about an hour (if traffic is good) from the address on your website. Do you have an actual store or is everything here based solely online?

Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes, we have an actual brick-and-mortar store in Everett, WA. People actually walk in and buy stuff!

Our address is:

Homebrew Heaven
9109 Evergreen Way
Everett, WA 98204

Here is a video of our shop:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1a5fKvv8XI

Heck, you can actually call us on the phone, too! It's 425-355-8865. A person will . . .

9/8/2006 -- Just wondering if you will have more concentrate of the blend "cab/syrah/zin" this season?

Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes, we will. It's one of our favorite wines!

8/13/2006 -- I just received the Cellar Classi Harvest Cabernet/Syrah/Zinfandel. I have some difficulty getting the wine concentrate from the plastic bag into the primary fermenter without spilling. Do you have any tips?

Response From Homebrew Heaven: Having 3 hands helps, certainly. I just lift the pour spout all the way up before removing the cap, and make sure it is over my fermentation bucket when I do it. After removing the cap, I drop the spout down into the bucket and let it rip...hope this helps!

6/22/2006 -- Can you recommend a liquid yeast alternative to use with your Cellar Classic Harvest Cabernet/Syrah/Zinfandel wine kit?

Response From Homebrew Heaven: The Wyeast Bordeaux yeast might be very good. Here is a link to that product:

http://www.nexternal.com/hombre/Product820

Even without the liquid yeast, this is an EXCELLENT wine. Everyone who tries it likes it very much!

5/3/2006 -- I have been brewing beer for a while and am ready to try making wine. I plan on starting with a red wine concentrate/juice kit but I don't know how the quality among kits varies. Although I assume all your kits would be excellent choices do some come with a lower concentrate level(more juice) than others? Are there other factors that seperate . . .

Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes, you have the idea. Some varietal wine kits contain less (or zero) concentrate than others, and more juice. More juice means a more delicate, aromatic wine as well as better quality in general. As you might expect, they cost more, and because of the added weight, they are more expensive to ship.

In terms of quality, the best brands . . .

4/9/2005 -- Had a question about bottle aging--the kit (Chianti)says the wine is drinkable after 60 days but a friend of mine who makes wine from fresh grapes thought it would need a year or so to be appropriately aged. What do you think? Is there a difference between the kits and grape pressing in terms of bottle aging the wine?

Response From Homebrew Heaven: Our varietal kits do not require such long aging times. Often wine made from fresh grapes does, because of the additional tannins from stems, seeds etc. Varietal wine kits willl improve with age, but do not require it to be darn good!

1/21/2005 -- First, you guys are great and your website is one of the most functional I've dealt with. This winemaking business is good for the soul but now, some of my finnicky friends want organic wine. Do you have access to organic kits or packs so I don't have to wait for the local fruit season to roll around? I can't tell from the info on your . . .

Response From Homebrew Heaven: Thanks for your kind words. We work hard on our website.

To answer your question, much depends on what you call "organic". To some, it means the fruit grown was without chemical fertilizers (unlikely), or sprays (again, unlikely) in the commercial wine grape growing world.

Most people are more concerned about the level of sulfites added . . .

12/28/2004 -- I bought the Cru Select Limited Eddition kits from you. I am getting ready to move to the stablizing and clearing stage but there is no mention of racking the wine between the secondary and stablizing steps. My question is do you still rack the wine between steps with this kit or just move to the next step like the directions tell you to do. . . .

Response From Homebrew Heaven: Racking at that stage is optional. I guess I would recommend it if you have a spare carboy, but if not, I would just go ahead with it as written. You may get a LITTLE clearer wine by racking again, but I doubt is you will see much difference.

For a medium bodied red, I would go with one either the Cellar Classic Chianti, The Cellar Classic . . .

12/20/2004 -- I was wondering if it is possible to read the kit directions online before purchasing the kit?
The kit I have in mind is the "Vino del Vida Pinot Noir". It would be nice if you had the instructions linked to the kit page.

Response From Homebrew Heaven: That IS a good idea.

Here are the instructions for that kit, from the manufacturers website.

http://www.rjspagnols.com/pdf/kit_instructions/generic%204%20week.pdf

For the Cellar Classic, Cru Select and En Primeur lines, there is a video available. The principles are the same for all our varietal wine kits. Here is a link to that site:

http: . . .

11/4/2004 -- I'm going to purchase a wine starter kit and a Cellar Classics kit for my sister's wedding gift. She won't be starting it until the middle of January. Will the kit(Cellar Classics - Cabernet / Syrah / Zinfandel) last that long in the box, or should I wait until a couple weeks before to purchase it?

Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes, it will last that long. It is considered shelf stable for at least 6 months.

8/5/2004 -- How much does the Cellar Classic Cabernet kit make?

Response From Homebrew Heaven: All of our varietal wine kits make 6 U.S. Gallons, or about 30 standard wine bottles.

6/21/2004 -- I am getting married in December and my fiance' and i thought homemade wine would make great favors. I have never made wine before but would like to crush my own grapes if at all possible. Is it advisable for a first time wine maker to use fresh juice instead of concentrate and if so is 6 months enough time to brew 12 gallons of wine?

Response From Homebrew Heaven: Congratulations! I've heard of homemade wine used in this way, and it worked out well.

Using your own grapes takes more equipment and more time to make, so for this batch I would recommend making it from a varietal kit. It assures that you have a great wine, and gets you started in the right way. Later on, if you like, you can step up . . .

1/6/2004 -- how much wine does the kit make?

Response From Homebrew Heaven: It makes 6 U.S. gallons, or about 30 bottles of wine.

It CAN be made into a 5 gallon (25 bottle) batch if your equipment is limited to 5 gallons. Going this way, your wine will have a higher alcohol content, and more body than if made as intended.

1/6/2004 -- I have the equipment, so does the kit do it, or do i need the kit and other ingredients? And do the kits come with directions?

Response From Homebrew Heaven: If you have the equipment, this is all you need (and a little water). This kit comes with the juice, concentrate, yeast, clarifiers, etc. Yes, all of our kits come with complete instructions.
Enjoy!

9/24/2003 -- How will I know which equipment to purchase and can I do it now when ordering my wine kits?

Response From Homebrew Heaven: For these kits, like the Cellar Classic series, we recommend the 6 Gallon Complete Wine Equipment Kit. It is shown in the category above in the "Winemaking Equipment Kits" category.

http://www.nexternal.com/hombre/?Target=products.asp&CategoryID=50

Just add what you need to your "shopping cart" and proceed to checkout. Very easy.

9/24/2003 -- What is the lifespan of the wine made from these kits?

Response From Homebrew Heaven: That depends on how fast you drink it! Just kidding...

Using good technioques (clean, sanitized bottles, stabilizers that come in the kit, etc) and reasonable storage conditions, the wine can be expected to last for at least a year, and five years is not unreasonable. Probably much more, but we use it faster than that!

9/17/2003 -- How much wine do each of the wine kits make?

Response From Homebrew Heaven: Each of the kits, regardless of brand name, are designed to make 6 gallons (30 botttles) of great wine. The only exceptions are the Ice Wine, and Port style kits, which make 3 gallons.

8/11/2003 -- Do these wine kits include all additives, bottle corks, etc or will these have to be bought seperately?

Response From Homebrew Heaven: The varietal wine kits, like the Cellar Classic, Ancient Vines, Vido del Vida lines etc contain all the ingredients i.e. juice yeast and additives (except water!) necessary to make wine. They do NOT include corks or any equipment.

Read Complete Questions & Answers | Ask a Question

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