Cellar Classic Instructions

Equipment Required:

PRIMARY FERMENTER: A food-grade plastic container, 30 - 46 litres (7 - 10 Imp. gal.), with a cover.

CARBOY: A 23 litre (5 Imp. gal.) bottle-shaped container made of glass or food-grade plastic.

AIRLOCK AND RUBBER BUNG: A valve that seals the carboy at the neck. It prevents oxygen and spoilage organisms from entering while allowing fermentation gases to escape. The airlock must be half-filled with water and attached to the carboy whenever there is wine in it.

SIPHON HOSE AND SIPHON ROD: 1.8 m (6 ft.) of food-grade tubing attached to a rigid acrylic rod. Used for transferring wine from one container to another while leaving the sediment behind.

FLOATING THERMOMETER

HYDROMETER AND TEST JAR: A hydrometer measures specific gravity (S.G.) and is very useful for monitoring the progress of fermentation. You should take a hydrometer reading at each step and record the S.G. in the space provided.

WINE THIEF: Used for removing samples from the carboy in order to test specific gravity (S.G.) and carry out other winemaking procedures. Lower wine thief into carboy and allow it to fill. Place finger over open top and remove.

SPOON: Food-grade plastic, approximately 70 cm (28 in.) long.

WINE BOTTLES AND CLOSURES: You will need thirty 750 ml bottles, thirty corks and a corker (available at Wine Cave). Plastic T-stoppers are also available, eliminating the need for corks and a corker.

 

Winemaking Terms

MEASURING CUP: A 500 ml (2 cup) measuring cup is useful for mixing and measuring.

RACKING: Transferring product from one container to another using a siphon hose and siphon rod.

CLEANING: Removing visible residue from equipment.

SANITIZING: Disinfecting equipment to prevent spoilage.

 

Before You Begin

Please record the wine style you are making, the number (date code) from the bottom of the box, and the date code from the yeast package. If you have any questions about your wine kit we will need this information.

Wine style: ______________ Date code: _______________
Date code from the yeast package: _______________

Clean and Sanitize Your Equipment!

All the equipment that will come in contact with your wine must be cleaned and sanitized before use. Wine is susceptible to microbial spoilage, so it is assumed that every piece of equipment coming in contact with the wine has been thoroughly sanitized before each procedure. Either sodium metabisulphite or potassium metabisulphite is a good choice for sanitation. To make a sulphite solution, dissolve 50 g (8 tsp.) of sulphite in 4.6 litres (1 Imp. gal.) of cold water. Completely coat all surfaces of your equipment with the sanitizing solution and rinse thoroughly with clean water. The sanitizing solution can be stored for a month in an airtight container.

DAY 1:
Date_______________S.G. ___________ (1.075–1.090*)

PRIMARY FERMENTATION
Sanitize and rinse the primary fermenter and lid, hydrometer and test jar, thermometer, wine thief and spoon.

The spout at the top of the box enables easy pouring. Secure bag spout into box top. Place box upright.
Carefully remove cap and pour contents into sanitized primary fermenter.

NOTE: Some wine kits include oak powder and/or elderberries. If yours does, add them now.
Add 8 litres (1.8 Imp. gal.) of lukewarm water and stir vigorously.
Using the wine thief, fill the test jar. Record specific gravity (S.G.).

*NOTE for makers of Rosso Grande Kits only: Your wine will have an S.G. between 1.100 and 1.110. Note: for makers of Bella Bianco only: Your wine will have an SG between 1.090 and 1.100. This is normal. All other Cellar Classic kits will be between 1.075 and 1.090.

Ensure temperature of juice is between 18 and 25°C (65–80°F) before adding yeast.
Sprinkle yeast over the surface of the juice. Do not stir.
Put the lid on the fermenter and store in a warm area (20–23°C/70–75°F). Raise fermenter approximately 1 m (3 ft.) onto a strong counter or table to avoid disturbing the sediment when racking on Day 6.
Within 3 days the wine will show signs of fermentation (bubbling or foaming).

DAY 6:
Date_______________S.G. ___________ (1.020 or lower)

SECONDARY FERMENTATION
The vigorous fermentation will be complete. Sanitize and rinse the carboy, siphon rod, siphon hose, bung, airlock, wine thief, hydrometer and test jar.

Use the siphon hose and siphon rod to gently rack the wine from the elevated primary fermenter to the carboy. Be careful not to disturb the sediment on the bottom of the primary fermenter.
Place the carboy in an elevated fermentation area.
Fill the airlock half-way with water. Attach the bung and airlock.
After Day 6 your wine will continue to ferment. However, there may be little if any bubbling in the airlock.

DAY 28:
Date_______________S.G. ___________ (1.000 or lower)

SPECIFIC GRAVITY READING
Sanitize and rinse the wine thief, hydrometer and test jar.

Remove airlock and bung.
Using the wine thief, fill your test jar. Record specific gravity (S.G.).
If S.G. is above 1.000, reattach airlock and bung and let fermentation continue until S.G. is 1.000 or lower. If S.G. is 1.000 or lower, proceed to STABILIZING AND CLEARING below.

NOTE for makers of Barolo, Bella Bianco and Shiraz kits only: Your wine will have a final S.G. between 1.000 and 1.004. This is normal. If your kit is within this range, proceed to STABILIZING AND CLEARING. All other kits must be 1.000 or lower before continuing.

STABILIZING AND CLEARING
Sanitize and rinse the siphon rod, siphon hose, primary fermenter, measuring cup and spoon.

Carefully rack your wine from the carboy to the primary fermenter.
Add sulphite package (red bag) to the primary fermenter and stir until dissolved.
Add sorbate package (blue bag) to the primary fermenter and stir until dissolved

NOTE: If your wine kit includes finishing blend or sweetening blend, please refer to label instructions and add now.
Slowly stir bentonite (white bag) into 250 ml (1 cup) of hot tap water. Stir until well dispersed.
Add bentonite solution to wine. Stir vigorously for 2 minutes.
Wait 15 minutes and again stir vigorously for 2 minutes. Stirring helps drive off CO2 gas that may be trapped in the wine as a result of fermentation. It also ensures the thorough dispersal of the bentonite.
Repeat step 6 twice.
Pour gelatin into the wine and stir vigorously for 1 minute. If you are making a red wine go to step 10 now.
For white and blush wines only: Pour kieselsol into the wine and stir vigorously for 1 minute.
Rack your wine from the primary fermenter to a clean, sanitized and rinsed carboy.
To ensure that your wine is the best quality possible, top up carboy using a similar wine.
Place carboy in a cool area (15–19°C/60–68°F). Raise the carboy approximately 1 m (3 ft.) to avoid disturbing the sediment when racking on Day 35.
Fill the airlock half-way with water. Attach the bung and airlock.
The wine will begin to clear over the following week, leaving sediment on the bottom of the carboy.

DAY 35:
Date_______________

RACKING
Sanitize and rinse primary fermenter or carboy, siphon rod and siphon hose.

Remove airlock and bung.
Without disturbing the sediment, carefully rack the wine from the elevated carboy into another sanitized and rinsed carboy. (If you do not have an additional carboy, rack your wine into a primary fermenter and then back into your clean, sanitized and rinsed carboy.)
To ensure that your wine is the best quality possible, top up carboy using a similar wine.
Return carboy to cool area (15–19°C/60–68°F), elevated approximately 1 m (3 ft.).
Fill the airlock half-way with water. Attach the airlock and bung.

DAY 45:
Date_______________S.G. ___________

FINISHING
Your wine should be clear and ready to bottle. If it is not as clear as you would like, contact your local home winemaking shop for assistance, or call 1-800-663-0954.

Remove airlock and bung.
siphon wine into clean, sanitized wine bottles, being careful not to disturb any sediment on the bottom of the carboy.
Cork the bottles using a corker.
After corking, bottles should be stored upright for 1 day. Bottles should then be stored on their sides to keep the corks moist. Although your wine is drinkable now, it will benefit from ageing.