--Grape Classifications
For the purpose of wine making you can classify grapes into
three
distinct groups:
Native Wild Grapes (Vitis Muscadina):
These are grapes such as Muscadine (Scuppernong), Fox and
Frost
grape. They are extremely sharp tasting due to their high
acid
content and have a strong assertive to pungent flavor and
aroma.
They are also lower in sugar than other grapes. This class
of
grape can be distinguished from others by the fact that
they do
not grow in clusters, but rather, as separate berries.
Native Wine Grapes (Vitis Lambrusca):
These are grapes such as Concord, Catawba, Niagara and
Delaware.
They are indigenous to the North American continent. While
their
flavor and aroma are not excessive like that of the wild
grapes,
their acidity level can be a little on the high side making
the
juice slightly too sharp tasting. Their sugar level is also
much
higher than that of wild grapes.
European Wine Grapes (Vitis Vinifera):
These are grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot
Noir,
Pinot Chardonnay and many others that were brought over
from
Europe. Hybrid grapes such as Reliance, Foch, Chambourcin
and
Vignoles are also considered to be in this group. Only on
occasion are these grapes too sharp or acidic in flavor and
their
sugar content is generally higher than that of native wine
grapes
and much higher than that of wild grapes.
-- It's All About The Grape
How you go about making wine from grapes depends on the
class of
grape you are going to use. Some grapes will require only a
little dilution with water to get its sharp acidic flavor
under
control. Others will require none at all. Then there are
some
that may require as much as three gallons of water for
every 5
gallons of wine, such as in the case with many wild grapes.
Not
only does the high acid level of the wild grapes require
dilution
but their excessive, strong flavor demands it as well.
Sugar may need to be added to the juice in some cases.
Sugar is
what the yeast ferments to make alcohol. When the
fermentation is
done the sugar is gone. When there is not enough sugar for
the
yeast, there will not be enough alcohol in the wine.
Certainly in the case of wild grapes sugar will be in short
supply and marginally so with some native wine grapes.
Sugar will
need to be added to these mixes. But, in the case of
European
wine grapes only rarely is sugar needed.
The point here is that making grape wine is not necessarily
about
following a recipe, but rather, going through a procedure
of
adjustments based on the juice that is at hand. The
situation can
vary dramatically based on the grape so to apply a recipe
to all
grapes or even a class of grape is not practical.
-- Getting The Right Mix
Now the question comes, how do we know when water and/or
sugar
needs to be added to the juice, and if so, how much do we
need to
add?
This question is really not that hard to answer. For
measuring
and controlling acidity you can use an Acid Test Kit and
for
measuring and controlling sugar levels you can use a
Hydrometer.
Both come with complete directions and are relatively easy
to use.
Edited by: Hippie
