Essential Home Wine Making Supplies

So, you have decided to become the next Ernest (or Julio) Gallo and start making wine. Congratulations! However, the next step in your journey is understanding which supplies are necessary for success.

Start Your Home Wine Making Supplies List with the Following

Here are the supplies you should put on your shopping list:

1. Cleaning products: Cleanliness might be next to godliness in the adage, but it will be an ongoing source of frustration if cleanliness does not take top priority. Stray yeast contamination and less-than-clean equipment are chief culprits in wasted batches of wine. A new adage to consider is that cleanliness saves time, money, and frustration. Make sure you use detergents and bleach on the equipment. Could you use the same detergent used on your dishes? Possibly, but several cleaning products are designed specifically for winemaking. Your local winemaking supply store can offer the best advice.

2. Yeast: No fermentation happens without yeast. You want to use yeast specifically made for winemaking. The yeast used for baking acts differently and produces much different results in terms of fermentation and flavor. Its fermentation process does not provide for the slow, controlled process wine requires. Therefore, always use yeast made for wine. Many varieties of grape yeast and other fruits exist, so choose wisely.

3. Yeast nutrients: Yeast nutrients are helpful but not always used to make wine. However, using yeast nutrients often improves wine. Nutrients can play a valuable role in the process because—like vitamins for people—they provide additional help. Yeast nutrients aid in fermenting and help if the fermentation gets stuck. These nutrients also improve wine quality and stability to the wine.

4. Grapes or other fruit: Are you planning to use actual grapes and other fruits, or opt to use juice concentrates.  You can even purchase preassembled kits to make your own grape wine. These kits include practically everything needed except the water.  The traditional option requires finding a fruit supplier (grape or other) and extracting the juice and skins via a press (see equipment) designed for grapes or non-grape fruit, such as apples.

5. Clarity and preservation: Cloudy wine? That’s usually not a good sign. You also don’t want your wine going bad quickly. Racking is one method of reducing sediment to prevent clear and stable wine. However, your supply list should include Campden tablets or potassium metabisulfate. These tablets assist in stabilizing wine and preserving wine. Fining agents such as bentonite, chitosan, gelatin, and others aid in clarifying the wine.

These are the main ingredients necessary for wine success. Once you master the basics of winemaking, trying other, more exotic ingredients makes sense while also saving $$ at the same time. Having the right equipment for these ingredients is equally crucial. We cover that in the next section.

Until then, ask questions of the people from whom you purchase your supplies or your favorite winery. Both are usually willing to help.