New Customers

Introduction

If you have never made a batch of wine before at a Ferment-On-Premise operation you will probably have a few questions about the whole process. Below, we have provided the basic information that you will need to know when you are making a batch at Peninsula U-Brew Winery. Please feel free to contact us with any other questions you may have.

New Customer Gift

All new customers may choose one of the following welcoming gifts; a full set of new bottles for the first batch of wine made, or 10% off the first purchase, or a 15 bottle pine box, or a 30 bottle wine rack.

Choosing a Batch to Make

Often, choosing a batch to make is the most daunting part of the whole process for first time customers. The good news is that it’s actually quite easy if you have some ideas about the kind of wine you would like to make. Is it red or white? Merlot or Shiraz? Quick to drink or worth extended aging? We have a wide variety to choose from but once we narrow it down a bit you will be able to pick from a few good matches.  We’re also here to help!  We can help you pick a wine based on your flavour preferences.

Volume of Wine in Each Batch

Most batches will yield 29-30 bottles if using 750ml bottles. Batches of port, sherry and icewine will yield about 15 bottles if using 750ml bottles or 29-30 bottles if using 375ml bottles although they can be made into double-sized batches as well.

Starting the Batch

Once you have decided what you would like to make, you are only a few minutes away from starting your wine. You will pay for the ingredients and any On-Premise service fees that apply and then pitch the yeast. In B.C. it is the law that you must first purchase the ingredients and then add the yeast in order to initiate fermentation.

We do All the Hard Work

Once you have started your batch we take over. The wine will be fermented and carefully maintained following our winemaking process until it is ready to bottle. You will bottle the wine yourself but of course we are always on hand to help you in any way you require. All of the preparation for bottling and clean up afterwards is taken care of by us.

Bottling Appointment

On the day you start your batch you will be given an approximate ‘ready’ date for bottling. When the batch is ready to bottle we can email you, if you like, with a reminder that you should contact us to set up a bottling appointment. Each batch only takes about 30 minutes for one person to bottle and a few extra minutes to apply labels and caps to the bottles, if desired. Of course, if two people are bottling a batch the work goes even faster. Once the wine is bottled it must be removed from our premises.

When to Bottle

It is important to bottle promptly once the wine is ready. The reason for this is simple; we are not allowed, by law, to store finished wine for customers for more than 30 days with one exception – oak barrel aging. If you would like to have some wine with a good head start on the aging process before it is bottled then barrel aging is an excellent option for you.

Another good reason to bottle promptly is that we are not set up for bulk aging wine in carboys. There is a good chance of a wine losing some of its quality if not bottled within a reasonable amount of time (ideally no more than 1 month) due to the large amount of airspace in the carboy. If left for several months the wine can spoil. With the exception of barrel aging, wine bottles are the best place for your wine.

Bottle Aging

One of the most common questions we are asked is, “When is this wine ready to drink?” The simple answer is “Whenever you are ready to drink it!”. However, the answer we prefer to give is “After an appropriate period of bottle aging.”

For guidelines on bottle aging your wine please click here.

Barrel Aging

Barrel aging is a traditional and well proven way to improve your wine. For information on the benefits of barrel aging your wine please click here.

Customer Rewards

We appreciate your business and we appreciate your referrals! For more information on how we show our appreciation please click here.

Our Guarantee

All batches made On-Premise are 100% guaranteed for quality. If you are not satisfied with your batch it will be replaced.