Grape Wine Recipe

[LAgreeneyes]

I started a batch of grape wine this weekend. I searched high and low for an "easy" recipe but they were all confusing to me. So, I did the best that I could. I only had 4 lbs of grapes. They were on sale at our local store.

Does anyone had a simple grape wine recipe that I can follow next time? The one on Jack Keller's site was long and confusing to me. Perhaps I'm looking for an easy way out of going through all of the steps. Perhaps if I had gotten some sleep, I wouldn't be so lazy and wouldn't be looking for an easy recipe. LOL

 

[jswordy]

Did you use table grapes? If so, prepare to blend it after stabilization with a fruit concetrate or other flavoring. Table grapes make a featureless wine, but that's OK if you use it as the base for a fruit blend. Table grapes ferment the base for wine coolers.

I don't see how much simpler or easier you can get than the Moonshiner's Muscadine recipe in my sig. It will work for any grapes. I know the photos are gone. I will replace them soon.

 

[Wiccan_Lager]

I attached a document with a bunch of different types of blends. I tried one recipe from it last year and it was outstanding. Try them out.

In terms of yeast, I am a big fan of Lallemands yeast and web site. You can pick your grape on the top of the screen and see what yeasts will bring out what flavors. Details discription as well of all the yeasts.

http://www.lallemandwine.us/cellar.php

Check that one out and I hope this helps.

View attachment Wine_Blends.pdf

 

[LAgreeneyes]

Did you use table grapes? If so, prepare to blend it after stabilization with a fruit concetrate or other flavoring. Table grapes make a featureless wine, but that's OK if you use it as the base for a fruit blend. Table grapes ferment the base for wine coolers.

I don't see how much simpler or easier you can get than the Moonshiner's Muscadine recipe in my sig. It will work for any grapes. I know the photos are gone. I will replace them soon.

Table grapes? Not sure what that means.

I will check out the recipe that you mentioned.

 

[LAgreeneyes]

OMG!! I just thought about something that I FORGOT!!!!!!!!!!!!! I forgot to put in the sugar last night. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DUMB ME !!!! How could I forget the sugar. I hope that I didn't mess anything up yet.

 

[LAgreeneyes]

Ok. Got home and added the sugar. Here are my readings. Sugar is 30. 16% alcohol. Specific gravity is 1.120. Is that good or bad?

 

[saramc]

Ok. Got home and added the sugar. Here are my readings. Sugar is 30. 16% alcohol. Specific gravity is 1.120. Is that good or bad?

You may stress your yeast, so be sure to use staggered nutrient addition as it drops. 16% ACV is a high alcohol level for a grape wine, so just be ready for potent wine. As far as table grapes, they are not the same as wine grapes, different acidity, etc...these are common grocery store grapes.

 

[LAgreeneyes]

You may stress your yeast, so be sure to use staggered nutrient addition as it drops. 16% ACV is a high alcohol level for a grape wine, so just be ready for potent wine. As far as table grapes, they are not the same as wine grapes, different acidity, etc...these are common grocery store grapes.

Stress my yeast? What about stressing me? LOL. Just joking. Will the high ACV mess up the wine besides making it potent? What is staggered nutrient and how do I do that?

And yes, I have the common grocery store grapes. Not sure if I ever saw wine grapes before. That would be something different to try.

 

[saramc]

Providing this link (my apologies for forum jumping) because I have never found a sticky dedicated to SNA-staggered nutrient addition here on WMT, I am sure the topic has been discussed a countless number of times though. http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f30/sticky-mead-making-faqs-83030/

You should make some phone calls, see if anyone has wine grapes available to the public, ask sellers at farmer's markets, etc. Any wineries near you, do they grow their own grapes? Nothing is prettier to me than a field full of grapevines, all lush and green. Harvest time is getting closer and closer to starting up here & will run to October/November. Yippee!

The higher ACV does not harm your wine, it may need a bit more aging than a batch that is say 12%, but then again maybe not. May take some backsweetening to round it out, maybe not.