Cantina Wine Kit Instructions
Cantina kits need no added sugar — all the fermentable sugar comes from the grape concentrate itself — and are one of our fastest wine kits. If you have a Cellar 7 kit, see our separate Cellar 7 Wine Kit Instructions page — similar process, slightly different volumes and timings. If you have a WineBuddy kit, those need added sugar — see WineBuddy 30 Bottle or WineBuddy 6 Bottle instructions. If you have a Solomon Grundy kit, see Solomon Grundy Wine Kit Instructions.
What's Included
- Grape juice concentrate
- Wine yeast/nutrient sachet (Sachet 1)
- Stabiliser and finings sachets
Equipment Needed (not included)
- 25–33L fermenter — a clear plastic bucket with a large opening works best
- An extendable siphon, for racking off and bottling
- Hydrometer (recommended — the most reliable way to judge when fermentation is over)
- Sanitiser/steriliser
- Quality corks and a twin-lever corker (or serve from a bag-in-box)
Do not add any sugar — this kit is balanced to work from the grape concentrate alone.
It's very important to sterilise bottles and all fermentation equipment before starting.
Getting Started
- Empty the grape juice into your fermenter.
- Top up with lukewarm water (20–30°C) to a total of 21 litres.
- Add Sachet 1 (wine yeast/nutrient) and mix well.
- Fit the airlock, half-filled with water.
- Place your fermenter somewhere safe in case of a leak or if it froths over, ideally slightly above normal room temperature. Fermentation should start within a day — you'll see bubbles in the airlock and froth on the surface. Tip: note the batch number on the box, in case you need it if there's ever a problem.
If you see froth on the surface but no bubbles in the airlock, there's likely a small leak somewhere. It'll still work, but it becomes harder to judge when fermentation has finished — replace the leaking item when you can.
Fermentation — 4 Days
After around 4 days at room temperature (or just above), fermentation should be complete. The best sign is no more foam on the surface and almost no bubbles in the airlock.
Stabilising and Finings — 1 Day
- First, confirm your wine isn't still sweet. A hydrometer reading of 1000 or below is the reliable check; without one, taste the wine to make sure it's dry.
- If the wine is still sweet, do not add stabiliser yet — wait a day and check again. Adding stabiliser before fermentation has actually finished won't stop it properly.
- Once confirmed dry, add the stabiliser sachet and mix thoroughly.
- Follow with the finings sachets as directed on your pack, leaving the stated standing time between each.
Bottling
Once clear, siphon into sterilised bottles or a bag-in-box and seal. The wine is ready to drink but will improve with a little time in a cool, dark place.
Troubleshooting
- Froth but no airlock bubbles: a small leak — fermentation will still proceed, but replace the seal so you can judge progress accurately.
- Wine still sweet after 4 days: don't panic — give it another day or two rather than moving ahead early.
- Accidentally added sugar: stop and don't stabilise — treat fermentation as still in progress and re-check gravity before continuing.