A very exclusive label

Personal winemaking offers a creative outlet and a party theme

Khan Lau discovered personal winemaking at Wine The Experience the way most people do -- by word of mouth. He decided to host a birthday party at the Kapahulu store about a year ago, and he and his fiancee, Loretta Ng, have ordered a barrel every quarter since. Their most recent endeavor? Port with a dash of orange liqueur.

It's not a new concept. Remember what people did during prohibition?

Now that it's legal, the concept has enjoyed a renaissance of sorts. Personal wineries are emerging across the country, increasing from two to an estimated 40 or 50 in the last seven years, indicating that anyone with the slightest interest in wine (expertise is not necessary) can enjoy the process of creating and bottling a custom barrel of their favorite white or red, and sharing it with friends.

You start by tasting some of the 50 to 70 wines and ports available. (Or if you're feeling particularly adventurous, formulating your own unique blend.) Once you've settled on a choice, you mix the fruit, water, yeast, oak chips and other ingredients in a large glass bottle, under the watchful eye of the winery owners. Then you wait eight weeks for your elixir to ferment and plan the party, which takes place when you transfer the wine into the bottles (leaving a few uncorked, of course), and apply custom labels with your friends.

"I think that's what it's really all about," said Lau, an optometrist at LensCrafters. "Everybody gets together and has a great experience bottling."

If you think the wine won't measure up, try it first. Lau, for one, said he's been pleased with the results. "After a couple of glasses," he laughed, "how can you not be?"

Personal wineries

Diamond Head Winery

» Address: 330 Sand Island Access Road
» Hours: Noon to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays
» Call: 841-9463 or visit www.diamondheadwinery.com
» Prices: Custom wines start at $260 per barrel (approximately 24 bottles). Wine-tasting parties start at $20 per person; fondue (cheese or chocolate with wine) parties are $30 per person.

Wine The Experience

» Address: Kilohana Square, 1016 Kapahulu Ave.
» Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays
» Call: 738-0738 or visit www.winetheexperience.com
» Prices: Custom wines start at $330 per barrel (28 to 30 bottles). Prices vary for large or private parties.