Make Your Own Wine With Fresh Grapes From Chile or California

Island Winery offers a unique opportunity to learn the art and science of winemaking while doing all the steps yourself. You make and bottle your own wine using our equipment and expertise. No experience is required!  Here is how it works:

Crushing the Grapes

 

Four Easy Steps

Order your grapes

Let us know what type of wine you would like to make. If you need help deciding, please visit our winery between 12:30 -3pm (closed Sunday’s) to taste the different wines. You do not need to make an appointment, just tell the tasting room attendant you are interested in the wine school. You can make any of wines on the list, singly or in any combination/blend.

Crushing the grapes 

Sometime in May for the Chilean grapes and October for the California grapes, the grapes arrive at the winery (exact timing is hard to predict) The actual work for this step takes about 30-40 minutes to complete, but since we offer complementary appetizers and you may purchase bottles of our wine to drink at a 10% discount, you may linger longer.

Pressing the Grapes

 After your grapes have been crushed and the yeast has converted the grapes to wine, it is time to press the grapes; this occurs typically one to two weeks after you crush the grapes. You simply load the grapes into the press and then pump the wine into a tank or barrel. Again you will be offered complimentary appetizers and may purchase wine at a discounted price. 

Bottling the Wine

 Wines will be ready to bottle 9-18 months later, depending on the type of wine.  This step is a lot of fun and you also get the rewards of sipping your finished product!  Again, after you complete the bottling, we invite you stay and enjoy some appetizers.

How to Sign Up

Contact us at any time by telephone (843-842-3141) or email (islandwinery@gmail.com).

 

Wine Making Prices

 One Barrel (20 Cases) - $2500 plus tax 

1/2 Barrel (10 Cases) - $1350 plus tax

Prices include everything but labels.

Too much wine? Remember, you can go in on your barrel with as many people as you wish.