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Make Your Own Wine In 6 Easy Steps


1. Visit your local winemaking retailer at least 3 months prior to your wedding date.

Your winemaking retailer takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks to make your wine. We also recommend another 1 to 2 months for aging for optimal taste and complexity.

2. Choose your wine.

Winemaking retailers are experts in wine and winemaking and can help you select the wines that are best for you and your guests or check out our wine section for ideas.

3. Decide how much you will need.

One wine kit makes approximately 30 bottles of wine. On average you need two five ounce/150ml servings of wine per person. For 150 guests that equals 60 bottles of wine or two wine kits.  [What's a wine kit?]  Check out our Servings section or talk to your local winemaking retailer to fully calculate how much you should make.                                                                       

4. Start your wine.

All you need to do is sprinkle yeast (provided in your wine kit). That’s it! Your winemaking retailer does everything else to actually make your wine. Looking for the ultra-DIY experience? Try making your own wine at home. Find out how.

5. Bottle it.

This part is fun! Come back 4 – 6 weeks later (your retailer will tell you) and bottle your wine. This means filling and corking your bottles using your winemaking retailer’s equipment. It’s easy, fun and takes about 30 minutes depending on how much you made. Bring your wedding party along for even more fun (you can sample a bit of wine too!)

6. Label it.

Choose a wine label available from your retailer or design your own. Check out our label gallery for ideas. Make sure to choose a shrink (the foil that covers your cork) that compliments your wine label and use your winemaking retailers equipment to put it on for a professional finish.

Serve & Enjoy!


Wine Storage Tips

Here are some wine storage tips to ensure top quality wine:

Do:

  • Store your wine upright for the first 3 to 5 days. After that, store your wine on its side in order to keep the cork moist.
  • Store your wine in a cool, dark place.
  • Your wine should be stored where the temperature is CONSISTENT… Bright light, movement, and temperature fluctuations can negatively affect the quality of your wine.

Do Not:

  • Do not constantly turn your wine.
  • Do not store your wine directly on a cement floor. Put a thick piece of wood under your wine storage boxes.
  • Do not store your wine on heated floors.

Serving Wine At Your Wedding

• Currently, the only 2 provinces that allow custom made wine to be served (not sold) at weddings, with a Special Occasion Permit, are British Colombia and Ontario. However, custom made wine can be used in any province as wedding favours and can also be served at home in any province for an engagement party, rehearsal dinner, gift opening or any other gathering before or after the wedding.

• In order to serve custom made wine at your wedding in BC or Ontario, you will need to obtain a Special Occasion Permit prior to the event. Talk to your provincial Alcohol/Liquor & Gaming Authority for more information. Your winemaking retailer can also guide you in this process.

• Always check with your reception venue. They may have certain rules and regulations regarding serving custom made wine at their establishment.