Wine Finishing

Usually I've already bottled the grape wine by this time of year, but since I was 9 months pregnant when the wine should have been bottled, I put it off till now.

Thankfully, the extra time in the fermenter didn't seem to have affected it.  Unfortunately the strawberry wine didn't turn out, but I suspect that was more due to the fact that the fruit was over ripe when I mixed it than the delayed bottling period.

This year I didn't have any red wine.  I can't remember why I didn't make any.  Pregnancy brain perhaps?  Oh well, at least I was able to bottle a very tasty 36 bottles of white grape!

Bottling the wine takes me about two hours, because I have to ensure the jars are sanitized (if I'm using donated bottles from a restaurant, there are labels to scrub off and some times metal rings to remove), then I have to fill the jars, add the corks, put on the heat shrink tops, and then affix the labels.  The latter two things are time consuming, but I like the bit of pizzaz they add to the finished look.

 At least once I've finished I have something tasty to look forward to!

 

(If you're interested in how I make home made wine, I have a tutorial which you can view here)