How Long Does It Take To Make Wine?
- Eric R. Mentzer
- Jan 18, 2014
- 2 min read
One of the more common questions I am asked by beginning winemakers is, how long does it take to make wine? And most often they begin to show signs of excitement after I explain to them that it does not take nearly as long to make as they think. In fact, it is very possible to have a wine bottled within a month from the time you begin the process.
Once the wine has been bottled there are some benefits to aging, but a remarkable amount of the improvement can be obtained within the first 30 to 60 days of bottle aging, so it is possible for you to have a very delectable wine within 2 to 3 months from the time you start making wine.
How long it actually takes to make wine depends on what you are using to make the wine. Packaged wine making juices tend to make wines faster than making wine using fresh fruits. This is primarily because there is no pulp or skins involved in the former. The concentrated juices clear up much faster, allowing the wine to be bottled much sooner.
Here is an overview of what to expect based on what is being used to make the wine:
Winemaking Ingredient Kits:
If you are making a wine from one of the winemaking ingredient kits you will be bottling your wine in about 4 to 8 weeks, depending on which brand of wine making kit you are using.
Winemaking Concentrates:
When using winemaking can concentrates such as SunCal, Alexander or Country Fair, you will be bottling your wine in 6 to 10 weeks.
Fresh Fruits:
Because of the pulp involved, it takes longer to make wine using fresh fruits than it does using packaged juices. Aging can take a little more time as well because of the higher level of tannins and other proteins that are typically in the wine must. You can expect to be bottling your wine in about 8 to 12 weeks from the time you started the batch, and also anticipate needing to bottle age the wine at least 3 to 4 months, and sometimes up to a year, depending on the fruit.
The amount of time it takes to make a batch of wine can vary somewhat based on the scenario, but all in all, the time needed is usually less than expected. Start off with one fof the California Connoisseur ingredient kits, and you'll be drinking wine in 28 days.
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