About Orillia's Wine Experience
We offer you an opportunity that is normally only available to very few people. Making wine can be a long, complex and time-consuming process that requires a lot of space. However in Ontario you can make your own wine even if you live in an apartment. You don't need expensive equipment or any storage space - we take care of everything.
We have been serving Orillia wine-lovers since 1998, most of that time at our former location in the Fittons-West Plaza at 425 West St. North. In November, 2008 we moved to our new, larger premises at 117 Norweld Drive where we have more room to store and bottle your wine.
You may want make wine in order to same money (and you will) or because you want to be more environmentally friendly (you will be). Whatever the reason we think you will be more than pleasantly surprised at just how good inexpensive, eco-friendly wine can taste.
Our owners & staff
Our staff
Owners Don and Lori Corrick, along with Lori T. (yes there's two), Laura and Jane are here to help you chose your wine, prepare it and bottle it.
The back room: Where your wine ferments
The Process
We do everything right here on our premises. All you do is pick the wine you want, add the yeast to the carboy and then wait. In about four to six weeks your wine is ready to bottle. Bottling takes less than half an hour and is not only easy, it's fun.
The bottling area: Where you start
First you need to wash and sterilize your bottles (you can bring your own or we'll supply them). You just place your bottle over the handy injector that squirts a mild disinfectant and put it on the drying rack for a few minutes. Then we fill the bottles with our siphoning machine.
The corking machine is to the left - you just place the bottle on the stand, close the door and it does the rest automatically
Corking machine, filler and drying tree
Then finally you put on the labels and the top seal. Rotate it in the heating coil for a few seconds to shrink-wrap the seal and you're done!
The finish: Label and seal the bottles
Most kits make about thirty 750 ml bottles of delicious wine. While you can drink it right away, you should wait at least a month for best taste. Our premium red wines will keep improving for six months to a year after bottling.
Bottling tips
When you bring your bottles of wine home you should leave them standing upright for about a week. After that they should be laid on their side in a cool, dry place with as consistent a temperature as possible.
When you've finished enjoying a bottle you should rinse it out immediately. The labels peel off easily after a quick soak. Then put the empty bottle back in a box upside-down, this ensures there is no moisture left in the bottle to form mould.