Homemade wine can be part of a PEI wedding only where it is given away and the event does not run under a liquor licence or a Special Occasion Permit. In practice, that means a reception on private property. The PEI Liquor Control Commission does not allow homemade wine at events held under a Special Occasion Permit, and its policy for licensed businesses says homemade wine may not be taken into a licensed premises under any circumstances.
Where can homemade wine be served at a PEI wedding?
It depends on where the reception is held and who holds the licence or permit.
| Where the reception is | Homemade wine? | What the PEI Liquor Control Commission says |
|---|---|---|
| A licensed venue, such as a restaurant, hotel or licensed hall | No | Homemade wine is never to be taken into a licensed premises. |
| A hall or tent event under a Special Occasion Permit | No | Homemade liquor is not allowed at a permitted event, and all liquor must be bought from the commission. |
| A reception on personal private property, with the wine given free | Confirm first | No permit is needed for an event on personal private property when the liquor is given and not sold. |
The commission's ban covers wine made in a shop as well as wine made at home: its permit rules name ferment-on-premises products, such as U-Vin, as homemade. For a reception on private property, confirm the details with the PEI Liquor Control Commission before making wine for it.
Can homemade wine be sold at a wedding?
No. Under the federal Excise Act, 2001, wine an individual makes for personal use cannot be sold or put to a commercial use. Personal use does include wine that others drink at the maker's expense. Homemade wine can be poured for guests free of charge, or given to the wedding party as thank-you bottles, but there can be no cash bar for it.
How much wine do you need for a wedding?
Work it out from your own guest list. Canada's standard glass of wine is 142 mL (5 oz), so a 750 mL bottle pours about five glasses, and a Winexpert kit makes about 29 bottles.
- Count the guests who will drink wine.
- Multiply by the number of glasses you expect each to have.
- Divide by 5 for bottles.
- Divide the bottles by 29 for kits, and round up.
With made-up numbers, 60 guests drinking wine at about three glasses each comes to 180 glasses. That is 36 bottles, so two kits, perhaps one red and one white. Rounding up leaves about 22 bottles for the toast, gifts or the family afterwards.
When should you start making wine for a wedding?
Start at least two to three months before the wedding, and earlier for the longer kits. Count back a month for the wine to rest in the bottle, then the kit's weeks to bottle.
For a made-up July 18 wedding, a six-week Reserve kit needs to be bottled by about June 18 and started by about May 8. Starting in late April leaves room for the extra 7 to 14 days of clearing that Winexpert's instructions allow if the wine is not yet clear.
Should you make wedding wine at home or have the shop make it?
Either works, but two or more kits at once take two or more sets of equipment at home. With on-site wine making, Island Wine Experts makes each kit in the shop for $81.50 plus HST, and you choose "Make it here" on the kit's page. Just for the final stage: bring your bottles in for bottling.
To plan the kits for a wedding, call Island Wine Experts at 902-628-8886 or visit the shop at 238 University Ave, Charlottetown, Tuesday to Friday 10:00 to 4:00 and Saturday 9:00 to 1:00.
Related guides: How Long Does a Wine Kit Take to Make? and What Does It Cost to Make Your Own Wine on PEI?.