Home brew recipe

Grape Wine Recipe

18 March 2026

In This Recipe

Ingredients

5–7kg (12–15lb) ripe, healthy grapes
Up to 1–2kg brewing sugar, available for adjustment as required
1 teaspoon pectolase (pectic enzyme)
Yeast nutrient
1 Campden tablet before fermentation, plus 1 after fermentation
Gervin GV1 wine yeast, or another suitable wine yeast
Fermentation stopper / potassium sorbate, used at the recommended dose after fermentation
Wine finings, optional

Shop the ingredients

Gervin GV1 Wine Yeast

Fermentation Stopper

Equipment

Shop the equipment

6-Bottle Wine Starter Kit

10 Litre Fermentation Bucket

One gallon glass demijohn for grape wine

1 Gallon Glass Demijohn

Demijohn Bung

Bubbler Airlock

Wine & Beer Hydrometer

Plastic Trial Jar

Large Coarse Straining Bag

40cm Brewing Spoon

Syphon Tubing

No-Rinse Sanitiser

Green Wine Bottles – 15 Pack

Premium Wine Corks

Hand Corker

Preparation

Choose and prepare the grapes

Wine grapes tend to have thicker skins, more seeds and a more concentrated balance of sugar, acidity, colour and flavour than typical table grapes. Use ripe, healthy fruit wherever possible. Under-ripe grapes can produce a sharper, more acidic wine and may contain less fermentable sugar, while damaged or rotten fruit can spoil the batch.

Discard fruit showing signs of rot or disease. Remove the grapes from the stems, rinse them under cold water to remove dirt and debris, then allow them to drain. Removing the stems also helps avoid extracting excessive harshness into the wine.

Red wine or white wine?

The main difference in this recipe is how long the grape skins remain in contact with the juice. For white grape wine, remove the skins and pulp before fermentation. For red grape wine, keep the skins with the must during primary fermentation, then remove them when you rack the wine into the demijohn.

This skin contact helps extract more colour and flavour into red wine.

Before you begin

Sanitise after cleaning

Cleaning removes dirt. Sanitising reduces unwanted microbes. Thoroughly prepare everything that will touch the grapes, must or wine.

Write down every reading

Record the date, temperature, starting gravity and later hydrometer readings so you can follow the fermentation properly.

Trust the hydrometer

Do not rely on airlock bubbles alone. Hydrometer readings tell you when to adjust the sugar and when fermentation has actually finished.

How to Make Wine from Grapes at Home

Clean and sanitise the equipment

Thoroughly clean and sanitise anything that will touch the grapes, must or wine. This includes the fermentation bucket, demijohn, spoon, hydrometer, syphon, straining bag and bottles.

Sort the grapes

Choose ripe, healthy fruit and discard any grapes showing signs of rot or disease. Good fruit gives you the best starting point for a clean homemade wine.

Remove the stems and rinse

Remove the grapes from the stems, then rinse them under cold water to remove dirt and debris. Avoid leaving a large amount of stem material in the must because it can contribute excessive harshness.

Crush the grapes gently

Put the grapes into the sanitised fermentation bucket and crush them enough to split the skins and release the juice. Clean hands, a potato masher or another sanitised tool can be used.

Try not to crush the seeds, as this can introduce unwanted bitterness. A large coarse straining bag can make the skins and pulp easier to remove later.

Add the pectolase

Add around one teaspoon of pectolase for the 1-gallon batch. It helps break down pectin, supports juice extraction and can help the finished wine clear.

Add the Campden tablet

Crush one Campden tablet, sprinkle it over the must and stir gently so it is evenly distributed.

Leave the must for 24–48 hours

Cover the fermentation bucket and leave the must before adding the yeast. The original recipe recommends allowing around 48 hours after the Campden tablet before pitching the yeast.

Take the first hydrometer reading

Take a sample of the juice and measure the specific gravity with a hydrometer. For this recipe, aim for a starting gravity of around 1.070–1.090.

Adjust the sugar gradually

If the reading is too low, dissolve a small amount of brewing sugar in lukewarm water, stir it into the must and check the gravity again. Repeat gradually until the reading reaches the target range.

As a general guide, around 17g of sugar per litre of juice can increase potential alcohol by approximately 1%. Treat this as a guide rather than a fixed addition because the natural sugar content of grapes varies.

Set the skin contact for red or white wine

For white grape wine, remove the skins and pulp before fermentation. For red grape wine, leave the skins with the must during primary fermentation so they can contribute more colour and flavour.

Add yeast nutrient and wine yeast

Add the yeast nutrient, then pitch your chosen wine yeast. Gervin GV1 is a versatile option for both red and white wines.

Run the primary fermentation

Keep the fermenter at a steady temperature of around 18–22°C. Primary fermentation is usually around 7–10 days in this recipe.

Rack the wine into a demijohn

After primary fermentation, carefully syphon the wine into a clean, sanitised demijohn and leave the sediment behind. If you are making red wine, remove the grape skins and do not transfer them into the demijohn.

Continue fermentation under airlock

Fit a bung and airlock and allow the wine to continue fermenting and clearing for around 7–14 days. Give it longer if the hydrometer shows that fermentation has not yet finished.

Check whether fermentation has finished

Use the hydrometer again. The recipe aims for a final gravity of around 1.005–0.995. More importantly, the reading should remain unchanged over two consecutive days before you move on.

Degas the wine

Fermentation leaves dissolved carbon dioxide in the wine. Agitate the wine carefully by stirring or swirling it in the demijohn. This may need to be repeated over a few days. Avoid unnecessary splashing because excessive oxygen exposure can harm the finished wine.

Stabilise the finished wine

Once fermentation is complete and the wine has been degassed, add one crushed Campden tablet and the recommended dose of fermentation stopper / potassium sorbate.

Allow the wine to clear

Leave the wine for at least 24 hours after stabilising before bottling. If it is still cloudy, allow more time to clear naturally or use wine finings if required.

Check that it is ready to bottle

Make sure the hydrometer reading is stable, the wine has been degassed and stabilised, and it is reasonably clear before you prepare the bottles.

Syphon into sanitised bottles

Carefully syphon the clear wine into sanitised wine bottles without disturbing the sediment. Minimise splashing while transferring it.

Cork the bottles

Seal the bottles with suitable wine corks or closures. Prepare the corks and corker according to their instructions.

Let the wine mature

The wine can continue to improve with time in the bottle. The original recipe recommends at least one month of bottle ageing for white wine and around two months or more for red wine.

Beginner's grape wine timeline

Approximate time	What to do	What decides the next step
Brew day	Prepare and crush the grapes; add pectolase and Campden	The fruit is sound, the equipment is sanitised and the must is covered
24–48 hours later	Check the gravity, adjust sugar as required, then add nutrient and yeast	Final starting gravity is around 1.070–1.090
About days 1–7/10	Primary fermentation	Fermentation progresses and the wine is ready to be racked
About day 7–10	Syphon into the demijohn; remove red grape skins	Continue under airlock
Following 7–14 days or longer	Continue fermentation and clearing	Hydrometer reaches around 1.005–0.995 and stays stable over two consecutive days
Once fermentation is complete	Degas and stabilise	The wine is fully fermented and degassed
At least 24 hours after stabilising	Allow to clear, then bottle when ready	The wine is stable and reasonably clear
After bottling	Mature before drinking	At least one month for white wine and around two months or more for red wine

The calendar is a guide, not a bottling instruction. The hydrometer and the condition of the wine take priority over the date.

Final bottling checklist

The hydrometer reading is unchanged over two consecutive days.
The wine has been degassed.
The wine has been stabilised with Campden and fermentation stopper.
The wine is reasonably clear and the sediment can be left behind.
The bottles, syphon, corks and corker are prepared correctly.

Common Problems

The airlock has stopped bubbling

Do not assume fermentation has finished. Take a hydrometer reading and compare it with another reading on the following day. The gravity needs to be stable before you move on.

The wine is still cloudy

Give it more time to clear before bottling. Pectolase helps with pectin, and wine finings can be used if required.

The wine tastes harsh or bitter

Remove stems before fermentation and avoid crushing the grape seeds. Both can contribute unwanted harshness or bitterness.

The starting gravity is too low

Dissolve a small amount of brewing sugar, stir it into the must and retest. Work gradually until the gravity reaches around 1.070–1.090.

The starting gravity is already high

Do not add brewing sugar simply because the recipe has it available. The natural sugar in ripe grapes varies, so the hydrometer reading decides whether more sugar is needed.

The red wine lacks colour

For red grape wine, keep the skins in contact with the must during primary fermentation. This skin contact is what helps extract more colour and flavour.

FAQs

How many grapes do I need to make 1 gallon of wine?

This recipe uses approximately 5–7kg (12–15lb) of ripe grapes for a 1-gallon batch.

How much sugar should I add to grape wine?

There is no single fixed amount because ripe grapes already contain natural sugar. Measure the specific gravity first, then add dissolved brewing sugar gradually until the must reaches around 1.070–1.090.

How do I know when grape wine has finished fermenting?

Use a hydrometer rather than relying only on the airlock. This recipe aims for a final gravity around 1.005–0.995. More importantly, the reading should remain stable over two consecutive days before you degas and stabilise the wine.

How long does homemade grape wine take?

Primary fermentation is usually around 7–10 days in this recipe, followed by approximately 7–14 days of secondary fermentation and clearing. The wine may need longer if fermentation or clearing has not finished. After bottling, allow at least one month for white wine and around two months or more for red wine to mature.

Should grape skins stay in during fermentation?

For red wine, keep the skins in during primary fermentation to extract colour and flavour. For white wine, remove the skins and pulp before fermentation.

Which wine yeast should I use?

Gervin GV1 is a general-purpose wine yeast suitable for both red and white wines. The original recipe also lists Gervin GV2 for fuller-bodied Burgundy-style red and white wines, Gervin GV5 for dry or sweet white table wines, and Gervin GV8 for dry red table wines and Bordeaux-style wines.

Browse our wine yeast range if you need a strain for your batch.

Why use pectolase in grape wine?

Pectolase helps break down pectin. In this recipe it supports juice extraction and can help the finished wine clear more easily.

How strong will the wine be?

A starting gravity of around 1.070–1.090 should produce roughly 10.5–13% ABV, depending on the final gravity.

How long should grape wine mature?

The original recipe recommends at least one month of bottle ageing for white wine and around two months or more for red wine.