Step 1 - Step 2 - Step 3 - Step 4 - Home Chambourcin Fermentation Step 3 At home we get the fermentation tub to a secure place in the winemaking area. Next due to the colder temperatures, the bucket is wrapped with towels and a Brew Belt heater is secured around the bucket about mid-way. Brew Belt heaters add a gentle warmth to bucket safely and evenly. The bucket has also been placed on a plywood base so as not to be in contact with the cold cellar floor. Close up of the Must. On day 1 after the must was brought home sulphite was added to kill off any wild strains of yeast that may be growing on the skins of our grapes. It has been noted that some 130 different stains can be found on the skins of fresh picked grapes. For this reason we want to kill off these strains. Wild yeast may result in unwanted or unknown end results. The "CAP" on the must needs to be punched down about 3 to 4 times a day during the fermentation process. This is an important step to insure the colors, tannins, and flavors are extracted as much as possible to insure a quality wine. Also note: the cap that forms on the surface of the fermentation buck or vessel will dry out if left unattended. This is another vital quality assurance step that needs to be in place. So when considering making wine from grapes please keep in mind someone will need to be available at various intervals throughout the day. Punching down the must cap requires some sort of tool or instrument, preferably something similar to a large potato masher. Of course there are specific tool in the winemaking supply houses. However I have found that the tool shown here (available through us online) works the best. It is made of a solid hard wood handle with a stainless steel end. Always sanitize the tools before and after each use (contact with the must). Over the next 5 to 6 days the punch downs will occur at regular intervals 3 to 4 time daily. The SG or Specific Gravity needs to be checked for the proper dryness. The reading we are looking for will be somewhere around .996 to .994, this will give us the correct dryness that full bodied red wines possess. After the third day the SG (specific gravity) starts to drop, we are now at the 1.015. The must is coming along very nice, and in a few days we should be ready to press the remaining skins to juice for further fermentation. Shown above are now two buckets with must split up. This was done as the must became too much for the original 12 gallon container, when the cap formed at the top of the bucket, it was time to either transfer the must to a larger bucket or split the must up into two containers. Shown above is a close up shot of the cap or the skins that rise to the surface. Must doesn't look real pretty, but the final end product will be a winner. It has to with all this tender loving care. When making wine the vintner has to nurture and care for the wine as if a child is raised.