Select ripe Zinfandel grapes, ensuring they are free of rot or mold.

Harvesting Grapes

Place the grapes in a fermentation vessel and crush them to release the juice. You can use your hands or a grape crusher.

Crushing Grapes

Pour 2 cups of water into the fermentation vessel with the crushed grapes. Add 1 cup of sugar and mix well until dissolved.

Sprinkle 1 tsp of wine yeast over the mixture and add 1 tsp of potassium metabisulfite. Stir gently to combine.

Cover the fermentation vessel with a clean cloth and let it sit for 24 hours to allow the yeast to activate.

After 24 hours, seal the fermentation vessel with an airlock to allow gases to escape while preventing contamination.

Let the mixture ferment for 1-2 weeks, stirring daily. Monitor the fermentation progress with a hydrometer.

Once fermentation is complete, use a siphon to transfer the wine into clean bottles, leaving sediment behind.

Fill the bottles, leaving about an inch of headspace at the top. Seal the bottles with corks.

Store the bottles in a cool, dark place to age for at least 3 months before tasting.