It takes a special kind of person to want to make wine. Loving wine itself is not enough. You must love the science behind the art. Do you have the heart of a winemaker?
A winemaker is someone who is:
1. Passionate about wine.
If you don’t love every aspect of wine and what goes into it then this is the wrong direction for you. Without passion winemaking is just too technical and too slow to keep your interest.
Those with a passion for wine will be smitten by talk of malolactic fermentation, debating the best oak blends, and waging war in the great battle of corks versus screw-caps. Do you have the passion? Who’s side are you on?
2. A little nerdy.
Let’s face it wine makers play with hydrometer, worry about titratable acid, and obsess over micro-organisms. Neglecting any detail could be the difference between creating the elixir of life and rancid grape juice. Sound like you?
3. Patient as hell.
It’s true, to put it bluntly. Waiting one to two weeks between each step of the winemaking process is hard enough. Once you’re done making the wine then comes the aging. Heaven help you if you’re making a tannic red wine or a mead, it can take years before that stuff is ready for consumption.
There are many proponents of making your own wine that would have you believe this is for anyone. True, most anyone has the skills to make wine. It is simple in that respect. However, to see the transformation of grapes into a truly amazing, nay, magical wine takes something more.
Do you have that something? Is there an alchemist lying dormant in your subconscious? If so, then I dare you to take the plunge, you won’t regret it! Challenge yourself and reap the rewards.