wine 101: questions?

Well, I realize that having question day over Thanksgiving break might not have been a good idea. Like me, I'm sure everyone is just sitting around relaxing and spending time with family instead of reading the internet. But I'll pretend I received a few questions anyway and answer accordingly. Feel free to ask any real questions whenever you want.

Q: I want to put my fermenting must in a cabinet to keep it out of the way while it's fermenting. Does the lack of light cause any problems?

A: Light is not necessary for the fermenting process to happen, but warmth is, and warmth usually comes with some light. But if your cabinet is warm, it shouldn't matter.


Q: I followed your process, but my wine doesn't taste like "real" wine. Why?

A: There are two big reasons. First, it's "fruit wine," which tastes significantly different than "grape wine." Second, the fact that my process doesn't use chemicals to end the second fermentation means the wine comes out tasting a little yeasty, or with the "homemade flavor" I think I mentioned earlier. To make it lose that flavor, let your wine sit and age for at least six months.