Wagner Ice Wine Recipe

Wine Making Instructions

1. 1

   Harvesting Grapes

   Select ripe grapes, ideally harvested after the first frost to ensure high sugar content. Aim for around 20 lbs of grapes.

2. 2

   Sanitizing Equipment

   Sanitize all winemaking equipment, including fermenters, bottles, and any utensils, by dissolving 1 tsp of potassium metabisulfite in warm water.

3. 3

   Crushing Grapes

   Crush the grapes gently to release their juice, and place them into a fermenter.

4. 4

   Adding Water and Sugar

   In a separate container, mix 4 cups of water with 1 cup of sugar until dissolved. Pour this mixture over the crushed grapes in the fermenter.

5. 5

   Adding Yeast

   Sprinkle 1 tsp of wine yeast over the grape mixture and gently stir to combine.

6. 6

   Fermentation Process

   Cover the fermenter with a clean cloth and allow it to sit at room temperature (around 65-75°F) for 1-2 weeks. Stir the mixture daily to encourage fermentation.

7. 7

   Pressing the Wine

   After fermentation is complete, press the mixture to separate the liquid from the solids. Use a wine press or a clean cloth to extract as much juice as possible.

8. 8

   Secondary Fermentation

   Transfer the pressed juice into a clean fermentation vessel, ensuring airlock is attached. Allow it to ferment for another 4-6 weeks.

9. 9

   Back Sweetening (Optional)

   After the secondary fermentation, taste the wine. If you prefer a sweeter wine, add up to 1 cup of additional sugar, dissolving it in a small amount of wine before adding it back to the batch.

10. 10

    Bottling the Wine

    Once fermentation is complete and the wine has cleared, siphon the wine into sanitized bottles, leaving some space at the top. Seal with corks.

11. 11

    Aging

    Store the bottled wine in a cool, dark place for at least 6 months to a year to allow flavors to develop.