White wine does not necessarily come from white grapes (which are actually more green, yellow or pinkish than actually white). Instead, it comes from grape juice separated from the seeds, skins and stems. To make wine from grapes, you must follow the four basic steps: preparation, fermentation, maturation and bottling.
Instructions
1. Prepare the grapes to make into white wine by cleaning and pressing them. You should use a winemaking press, separating the juice from the skin as quickly as possible. You may also purchase a destemmer or crusher to aid you in the process.
2. Transfer the juice to a fermentation tank or oak barrel. For the best white wine, try to add as little solid matter as possible. You can buy plastic and stainless-steel fermentation tanks from a store that sells winemaking equipment.
3. Add yeast to the grape must. You can buy yeast from any store that sells winemaking supplies. You should choose a low-foaming yeast for white wine.
4. Cool the juice, called must at this point, to about 64 degrees F. While fermenting, the juice should be kept at a level temperature.
5. Allow the grapes to ferment for about 3 weeks. Check the juice daily to gauge the fermentation process. You want to avoid having the juice turn to vinegar.
6. Remove crystals that have formed in the white wine mixture using cold stabilization. This process is optional, as it causes only a cosmetic enhancement to the wine. To remove crystals, the wine must be frozen for about 3 days after fermentation is complete. The crystals will stick to the side of the container when the wine is poured out.
7. Age the wine in an oak barrel until it is mature. With white wine, you may wish to bottle it immediately, without aging, or allow it to mature for up to 1 year.
8. Bottle the wine for immediate serving or additional aging. White wine usually tastes best shortly after bottling.
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