Winemaking is not a new form of art, in fact, you might be wondering how can you make your own wine, like the lively goddess you are?
Maybe you are planning your next gorgeous dinner party and want that hand-crafted drink feel, the elegance, and the community, the whole sha-bang (trust me, I've been there).
The vibe needs to be right, the drinks need to be... hand made.
Something truly special happens when we craft with our hands. It's like creating magic out of thin air (or in this case, out of grape juice!).
My goal is to show you how you can harness that godly gift of creation to craft your own hand-made wine for your next dinner party.
Impress your friends, have amazing conversation starters, and get intoxicated with the vibe.
Here you will dive into what it means to make wine (and beer) like an ancient goddess, tapping into the ancient secrets. Actually, the 5 timeless techniques that will completely rock your next dinner party.
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This post is all about how can you make your own wine.
One night I was laying in bed and just cracked open the book Uncorking the Past by Patrick McGovern. Of course, I had my glass of red wine, my fuzzy blanket, and twinkle lights on.
The vibe was there. What felt like 2 pages into the book, I slammed it closed and realized something:
Winemaking and homebrewing used to be an ancient practice used in ceremonies, feasts, and other gatherings.
The question looms in my mind...
If ancient traditions presented these beautiful fermented drinks, why can't we simulate that experience at dinner parties to become closer to ancient practices, build community, and explore our self-expression, just like the Egyptians?
Well, we can...
Ancient Traditions of Making Your Own Wine
The oldest evidence of winemaking came from Georgia in an 8,000 year old village. They fermented in large clay pots, their pottery was decorated in grape vines...
Sooo, they must have been the earliest wine lovers!
If you are new to fermentation check out our fermentation for beginners guide to get started the right way!
People living in the Gadachrili Gora village produced wine at a large scale in 6,000 BC.
To give you context, that is when humans relied mostly on stone and bone tools!
Techniques as unique as "kvevri winemaking" (also known as qvevri) were practiced in Georgia. Kvevris are very large egg like structures that were placed underground!!
They were used for winemaking, aging, and storing of wines. Check out the photos of these kvevris here.
The egg shape and and method using kvevris is unique to Georgian tradition, though it has evolved into neighboring regions.
The author of Uncorking the Past, Patrick McGovern has been a trailblazer in this field (thank you Patrick!).
To think that our winemaking processes and techniques have evolved, and started, back around 6,000 BC??
We must be able to harness those ancient secrets...
The Kvevri & Community
It blows my mind the adoration and honoring these older civilizations gave to winemaking and fermented drinks.
The winemaking process in this region was done by family members, neighbors, and friends. Everyone engaging in the art of winemaking to build community around this Godly creation.
RELATED POST: 11 Traditional & Beautiful Fermented Drinks from Around the World
In these other traditions, the wine cellar was known as the "holiest place in someone's home".
Let that sink in for a moment...
These cultures honored the wine so highly for it's ability to bring people together, share celebrations, etc, that it is noted as "Godly".
Do you see your wines as Godly?
Ask the question, why aren't we simulating this respect and honor to wine today? The world now is giving liquor a bad rap:
- Going out to bars and getting drunk with your friends
- Binge drinking in college settings
- Viewing drinking as a negative health practice
And more has shown, and taught, us that liquor and drinking is a negative thing. But, what if we could flip the script?
Making Your Own Wine
How can you make your own wine? How can we flip the script of drinking and making wine?
With your long yellow skirt blowing in the wind and pouring a glass of your finest...
Uh, yes!
During my time with learning winemaking and homebrewing, I get a blast to the past of how people must have made wine without the tech-savvy equipment.
I mean the natural elements of wine and beer come directly from Mother Nature.. soooo...
We'll call it a divine creation.
Making your own wine requires us to see it as such, an honorary craft that deserves respect and will be the gift that keeps on giving...
So, you're having a dinner party and ready to whip up some of your finest.
Well, we aren't necessarily digging up pits in our backyard and using handmade pottery to ferment wine...
But, we can still engage in ancient fermentation practices to enlighten a dinner party like a frickin badass.
Let's see the hidden techniques to get us there.
5 Timeless Techniques to Make Your Wine Everyone Will Obsess Over
A bit of a disclaimer: winemaking needs TLC, it needs the labor of love. That is what makes it divine.
So, we take our time with it, we breathe, and know that wine is crafted through love and attention not speed and agitation.
RELATED POST: 15 Powerful Winemaking at Home Tips & Tricks to Make Unbeatable Wine
When we are getting ready for a gathering or a dinner party, the best way to make your own wine is to make it simple!
We are going to:
- Make wine simple
- Make wine easily
RELATED POST: Explore Exotic Tastes with Wild Fermented Wines
1. Use natural yeasts
In ancient times, that is all winemakers could do: use natural yeasts! They did not have production facilities that could make dried yeast packets... Obviously.
So, what does that mean?
Natural wine is a huge topic, what is it? How is it made? How do we know when a wine is natural?
Essentially, natural wine is made from the yeast that live on the grape skins!
But, for home winemaking, we would use a yeast starter....
RELATED POST: How to Make a Yeast Starter in 8 Easy Steps
Serving up your own wine on its own is already an amazing point of conversation. But, to add on the process of natural fermentation just takes it to a whole other level.
Use wine, homemade or not, to build relationships and community within your area.
2. Keep it simple
Like I already mentioned, wine is a bit needy and demands some TLC. But, there are tricks we can implement to keep it simple.
You don't have time to make wine, get food ready, pick the outdoor decorations, have the perfect dress, etc when you are planning a party.
Make it simple and follow a straight forward guide on how can you make your own wine easy, affectively, and elegantly!
RELATED POST: Uncomplicated Guide to Easy Wine Making in Minutes
Use already made grape juice, fruit juice, or a winemaking kit!
Your best option for the bulk winemaking process is going to be a straight forward winemaking kit, or using fruit juice, honey, and your yeast starter.
Additionally, fermenting with honey brings natural flavors forward, also known as "honey wine" or "mead".
But, if that is a bit advanced then keep it simple with a basic winemaking kit!
4. Add herbs
Does anything else scream "elegant goddess" than herbs?
Check out Mountain Rose Herbs for the highest quality herbs to align with your winemaking!
Many practitioners today utilize the healing power of herbs to craft elegant meads, ciders, and wines.
Connect with the divine powers of herbs and spark up conversations at dinner. Even create a beautiful center piece highlighting the herbal aspects of your wine.
Popular herbs to consider:
- Yarrow
- Mugwort
- Elderberry
- Meadowsweet
- Lemon Balm
- Dandelion Root
5. Ferment air tight, but serve with clay
Last, but honestly my favorite...
Fermentation vessels started in clay pots. Though, that is tricky to replicate, especially as a beginner, so instead serve in a clay pot!
Serving wine in a clay pot, or any other ritualistic container adds so many kudos in a dinner party!
RELATED POST: 11 Soulful Wellness and Wine Tips to Transform Your Spiritual Lifestyle
Let's talk about it.
Fermentation back in ancient Egypt, Georgia, or Mesopotamia all fermented "openly".
Meaning they did not have the fancy airlocks you see now on home brewing equipment.
That is expert level fermenting! I would not recommend that to beginners because it is soooo easy to contaminate your batch.
So, instead just serve in the ritualistic container that symbolizes the heart of traditional winemaking practices.
Overall, the top tips to answer how can you make your own wine are:
- Use natural yeast for natural fermentation
- Keep it simple
- Add herbs
- Serve in clay pots, but ferment air tight
Let's view our wine cellar as the holiest place in our home. Ferment like a goddess for your next gathering and feel the power of fermentation.