Most people appreciate a good glass of vino.

But if you're the type who enjoys one fairly often, possibly with dinner every night, the costs can add up. That is, unless you consider making your own.

At North Vancouver's Cork It Wine Making, customers can do just that, and choose from more than 100 varietals.

Prices range from $100 to $230 for a 23-litre batch -- the higher the amount of concentrate, the higher the cost.

"The 18-litre ones are the high end ones that are from a specific region and they have what's called a grape skin pack," explains Clayton Donohue, director of operations for the company.

"When you ferment it with the grape skin, you get a lot more complexity of a wine and you get a lot more out of the wine."

These are the types of wine that typically age for a long time and take a while to balance with the alcohol and tannins. Packs that are balanced right off the bat make for easier drinking and are good for a pre-dinner drink, according to Donohue, noting that oak cubes and powders can also be added to impart flavour.

Most of Cork It's patrons are older adults who are looking for a convenient way to drink their wine.

"They've got their set pension, they know how much they want to spend on wine and they can just get that 30 bottles and be set," says Donohue.

Popular choices include pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc on the white side and pinot noir and shiraz for the reds.

There are a couple of advantages to making your wine at Cork It, rather than at home. For one thing, everything you own won't smell like fermenting grapes. For another, there's help every step of the way.

"If people want to do it at home they've got to buy all the equipment and then if they mess it up they've got to buy a new kit but if we mess it up, we've got to just make a new kit," says Donohue.

Legally, the customer has to be present when the product is being mixed up and to pour the yeast, but after that they can let it sit at the facility until it's ready to drink. That process can four to eight weeks -- or even an extra month and a half if the wine is barrel aged.

Donohue has been working at Cork It Winemaking since 2006, when he befriended owner David Bataille, who passed away in April due to a heart condition. Bataille opened shop in 2000 and has been making wine in the Seylynn area for 15 years.

"Dave was always a happy guy and it seemed like he really enjoyed his work so it seemed like a good thing to try out," says Donohue.

Cork It Winemaking is located at 1427 Crown St., North Vancouver. For more information go to www.corkitwinemaking.com.