Winexpert Private Reserve Instructions

IMPORTANT: Ensure that your primary fermenter is large enough for the juice bladder, with space for foaming during fermentation.

The number of weeks required to make your wine is indicated on the front of your kit box.

SPECIFIC GRAVITY (S.G.) BY STAGE
WINE KIT DAY 1 S.G. DAY 14 S.G.
4 Week 1.070 - 1.097 < 0.996 
6 Week 1.080 - 1.100 < 0.996 
8 Week 1.080 - 1.100 < 0.996 

STEP 1 DAY 1 - PRIMARY FERMENTATION

  1. Clean and sanitize equipment to be used, bring all kit components up to room temperature.

  2. Pour 2 L of hot tap water into the bottom of the primary fermenter and stir in Bentonite, mix well.
    It is normal for Bentonite to not fully dissolve in water.

  3. Pour contents of the juice base bag into the primary fermenter. Rinse bag with water and add to primary fermenter.
    If there are two bags, use the larger one now. The reserve (small bag) is not added at this step.

  4. Top primary fermenter up to 23 L mark with good quality, cool drinking water.

  5. Add Grape Skins if included otherwise skip this step.

    To do this, sanitize the included muslin bag by dipping it into your sulphite solution, the included sulphite/sorbate packet is not used for this purpose.
    Rinse thoroughly. Line a clean/sanitized 5 L container with the muslin bag. Open the grape skin cap or cut along the bottom of the bag and squeeze grape skins into the muslin-lined container.
    Rinse out grape skin bag with 250 ml of water and add to container. Pull the sides of the muslin bag up and tie with a single knot.
    Place the bag of grape skins in the primary fermenter along with any juice left in the container.

  6. If your kit contains Oak Chips or Granular Oak, stir in now. If your kit contains oak cubes, they will be added at a later stage.

  7. Stir well. Use a hydrometer to measure and record the Day 1 Specific Gravity (S.G.) in the chart provided in these instructions.

  8. Sprinkle Dry Yeast on top of juice base (if your kit contains two packages of yeast, add both now).

  9. Place a loose fitting lid, or primary lid with airlock filled halfway with sulphite solution, on the primary fermenter.
    The included sulphite/sorbate packet is not used for this purpose.

  10. Keep the fermentation area warm (20 °C to 25 °C) for the entire winemaking process.

    GRAPE SKIN BAG MUST BE PUNCHED DOWN (SUBMERGED) DAILY UNTIL STEP 2

STEP 2 DAY 14 - STABILIZING/DEGASSING

  1. Check chart for required S.G. reading. Measure the S.G. If wine is not in range, check again in 48 hours. If in range, record the number.

  2. Using sanitized spoon carefully remove the grape skins bag from the fermenter. Gently press the juice out of the bag and into the fermenter. Discard bag

  3. Using sanitized equipment carefully syphon (rack) wine into a clean/sanitized carboy leaving sediment behind. 2.4 Add Sulphite/Sorbate directly into the carboy of wine.

  4. Add contents of Potassium Metabisulphite/Potassium Sorbate directly into the carboy of wine.

  5. Agitate wine using a sterilized stirring spoon. Vigorously stir wine, changing direction intermittently, for 10 minutes.
    Alternately, wine can be degassed using a drill with degassing attachment for 2-4 minutes at medium speed, reversing direction every 30 seconds.

  6. Stir in Kieselsol. If your kit contains two, add one package now. The other will be added at a later stage.

  7. Fit an airlock filled halfway with sulphite solution into the neck of the carboy and leave for 24 hours.

STEP 3 DAY 15 - CLEARING

  1. Stir in package Chitosan(s).

  2. If your kit contains a second Kieselsol, stir in one hour after Chitosan addition.

  3. If your kit contains Oak Cubes, stir them in now.
  4. Stir the contents of the Reserve(s) into the carboy, if included.

  5. Replace airlock and leave wine to sit in a warm (20 °C to 25 °C), undisturbed area away from direct heat and light.

  6. After 5 days, give the carboy a twist (without lifting) to allow any sediment stuck to the walls of the carboy to drop.

  7. Continue clearing process according to the chart below.

    Topping up the carboy during the clearing process is not required. If choosing to top up, use a similar style of wine, water is not recommended.
CLEARING TIMETABLE
WINE KIT POLISHING RACK DAY BOTTLING DAY
4 Week 26 28
6 Week 40 42
8 Week 54 56

STEP 4 DAY 26-54 - POLISHING RACK/AGEING

  1. Wine should be perfectly clear. If not, leave wine another 7-14 days to finish clearing.

  2. Carefully rack wine off of sediment (and oak cubes if present) into a clean and sanitized carboy fitted with a solid bung.

  3. Leave wine to sit undisturbed a minimum of 2 days to allow settling.

    Optional Steps:

    a) If aging your wine longer than 3 months, add 1.5g (1/4 tsp) of potassium metabisulphite to the wine at this time to help preserve flavour and colour.

    b) If filtering wine, do so at this stage. NEVER FILTER CLOUDY WINE.

STEP 5 BOTTLING (CLEAR WINE ONLY)

  1. Carefully syphon your wine into clean and sanitized bottles.

  2. Cork bottles and leave upright for 3-5 days, allowing cork to expand. Invert or store on side to keep cork moist. Store wine at 11 °C to 18 °C.

    If choosing to carboy age wine, top-up with a similar style wine and fit with a solid stopper. Bottle ageing is the preferred method.

Shop for Winexpert Private Reserve Wine Kits and homemade wine kits

For the best wine kits available we have a selection of limited edition kits that are released seasonally and feature unique blends and flavours.