While many people who make their own wine prefer to make wine that is suitable for everyday drinking with meals, there may be times when we you wish to make something more special that would be suitable for special occasions and parties. The obvious choice is sparkling wines. If you have considered making sparkling wines but have been intimidated by the thought because it seemed too complicated, rest assured that it is not nearly as complicated as it might at first seem.

The term sparkling wine refers to wine that has been carbonated. Many people think of sparkling wine as champagne; however, the word champagne is used to refer to sparkling wine that is produced in the Champagne region of France. In Spain, this version of sparkling wine is known as Cava and in Italy it is known as Prosecco.

Regardless of the different names that are used to refer to sparkling wine, the same age-old process can be used to make sparkling wine at home. The basic process calls for beginning with white wine and adding sugar and yeast to the mixture. The wine is then corked so that carbon dioxide will begin to build up. Since the bottle is corked, the bubbles will then become forced back down into the wine.

The process really is quite simple and there is no reason why you cannot begin producing your own version of sparkling wine at home with a few bottles, some sugar, a lemon and some yeast along with your own white wine. Remember that your bottles will need to be sanitized first. While the bacteria that may grow in bottles that have not been sanitized will not necessarily hurt you, it will definitely affect the taste of your wine and could ruin the entire batch.

The first step in the process is to make your white wine somewhat more acidic. The acidity of the wine will give it a texture that is more flavorful and overall crisper. To do this, add the juice of one lemon per twenty-five ounces of white wine.

The next step is to add in the yeast and the sugar. Both of these items are necessary in order for the carbonation to occur. You must make sure that your measurements are exact; however, when you add the sugar into the wine. If you use too much sugar the result will be too much carbonation. This can actually cause the bottles to explode so you want to make sure you use only one teaspoon of sugar per twenty-five ounces of wine.

After you have added the sugar into the wine, you will then need to add in the yeast. You will only need to add ¼ teaspoon yeast into the wine and sugar mixture. Make sure that you sprinkle the yeast carefully into the wine; do not just dump it into the wine. Now, using a large spoon, stir the mixture to be sure the sugar and yeast become well combined. You may even note that the carbonation process has already begun to occur.

Now, it is time to bottle the mixture. To achieve successful results, the mixture must be properly bottled. The biggest mistake in making sparkling wines is to pour the mixture into a bottle and stick in a cork. Many home brewers prefer to use what is known as swing cap bottles that contain a metal rod attached to the cork. Once the cork has been inserted into the bottle, the rod can be locked into place. This works to pressurize the contents inside the bottle. You can purchase these types of bottles at most home brew stores as well as online.

When you pour the wine, be sure to leave about two inches of space in the neck of the bottle. This will allow plenty of room for the pressure to build as the carbonation process occurs. If you do not leave enough space, the pressure will have nowhere to go and you could end up with exploding bottles. Once the bottles have been filled, they should be placed in a location that is cool and dry. Generally, they should remain there for between one and two weeks. When you are ready to drink the wine, do make sure that you chill it first.

For more than 20 years, Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards – the first sparkling wine house in the Sonoma Carneros region – has invited visitors to discover cool-climate wines served with warm Spanish hospitality. Uncorked, a tv series hosted by Ted Allen, follows Gloria Ferrer through the process of producing and crafting sparkling wine. The segment covers the traditional “méthode champenoise” process of making sparkling wines. www.gloriaferrer.com

If you compare your home refrigerator and a wine refrigerator, some differences will become apparent. A food refrigereator is kept well below 50 degrees fahrenheit, much too cold for a wine refrigerator. Wine should be stored at around 55 degrees. Another difference between the two refrigerators is the the one for food is opened multiple times during a day. Opening a wine refrigerator that many times would make it very hard for the refrigerator to maintaing the correct temperature.

The Size of a Wine Refrigerator

You may wonder which size of wine refrigerator to choose. There are a number of models and choices. Some wine refrigerators hold 6 bottles while other models hold 20 or more bottles. The six bottle units sit nicely of your counter top while you will need some floor space for the bigger models. One of the advantages of the bigger wine refrigerators is the individual cooling compartments. This allows you to put red, white or rose in the wine refrigerator and each type of wine will have its own section.

What Temperature Should I Store My Wine?

Storage of wine can be critical to the final product in your glass. Too warm and the wine will age to fast but too cold is just as harmful as the colder temperatures don’t allow the natural aging process to continue. Different wines have different temperature tolerances. If you are a fan of blush, rose or dry white wines or even light red wines, then that dial for temperature should be set to between 40 and 52 degrees. Don’t put your champagne or other sparkling wines in the wine refrigerator. The temperature for full-bodied wine should be stored at temperatures in the 52 to 60 degree range. These temperatures in your wine refrigerators makes for a much better end product.

The Difference between a Wine Cellar and a Wine Refrigerator

Basically the difference relates to the amount of wine that can be stored. Obviously the wine cellar will hold more bottles and is much more expensive since it usually takes up one or more rooms in your house. These rooms are usually in a basement that gets litte light and essentially acts like a big refrigerator with different “temperature zones” for different wines that you’re storing. While the idea of a wine cellar may be very attractive to the wine enthusiast, they had better have deep pockets. They are quite a bit more expensive than even the best wine refrigerator.

Where to Purchase a Wine Refrigerator

Purchasing a wine refrigerator can seem like a daunting task but it really need not be that hard. There are several places you can purchase them. Online, you may want to check out a specific manufacturers web site. Offline you can go to home improvement stores or appliance dealers. Just be sure to compare prices when you decide you want a good wine refrigerator. Learn about the different models and their features. That way you won’t be talked into a model that you either can’t afford or one that has features that you don’t need. You will see and taste the benefit of a good wine refrigerator in your glass.