Have you heard about muscadine grapes? Most people have never heard of this type of grape. Why? Muscadine grapes are not commercially farmed, making their wine less sought-after than others. However, don't let that stop you from making classic wine recipes with these grapes. If you want to try a lesser-known variety of grapes, here's your chance with this muscadine wine recipe.
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What Are Muscadine Grapes?
These grapes are primarily found in the South, thriving in warm, humid climates. Muscadine grapes range in color from deep people to light green. They are larger than other grapes but have tougher skins and seeds.
Muscadine grapes often mature in the late summer to early fall. Southern cuisine is filled with delicious dishes featuring these grapes, inducing jellies, jams, juice, pies, and wine.
Muscadine grapes can make both red and white wines. How do they taste? These wines will have a slightly sweeter taste because sugar is added to the recipe. However, many people have changed up the wine-making process, shifting to more medium-bodied wines. These wines are the perfect accompaniments for a post-dinner treat or dessert. On average, muscadine wine has an alcohol content of 10% ABV.
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If you want to make an old-fashioned wine, look at this classic recipe for muscadine wine.
Classic Recipe for Muscadine Wine
Before you start making the recipe, you need to gather the right ingredients:
- 6 cups granulated sugar
- 3 quarts of filtered water
- 1-quart mashed muscadine grapes
- 1 (1/4-ounce) packet of active dry yeast (7 grams)
Here are some notes to keep in mind for these ingredients
If you are debating whether to use fresh or dried muscadines, always choose those fresh ones. This recipe will not develop the same taste when using dried grapes. Fresh grapes will have a sweet profile. During the fermenting process, these grapes will continue to maintain their flavor. The same cannot be said for those dried grapes.
While not on the list, you might want to use a Campden tablet. These tablets will alter the growth of wild yeast in the bacteria. If you want, add this table during the bottling process to help eliminate chlorine from your water source.
Pectic enzyme is used for fruity beers and ciders. You can add it to the wine to clear the beverage and break down any pectins in the fruit. Potassium sorbate is another type of wine stabilizer you may want to consider.
Along with that, think about your sugar usage. What happens if you have more or less of these grapes? Typically, 3 lbs of muscadine will need about 2.5 lbs of sugar. Finally, you should use filter water to remove any impurities.
Related: Types of Wine Grapes & Grape Varieties
After you have all those ingredients, you can move on to the muscadine wine recipe.
Steps:
You will need to dissolve the sugar in the water in a large, sanitized, and cleaned gallon-size glass container.
After that, you can add the mashed grapes to the water. Sprinkle some of the active dry yeast over the top of the mixture, but you don't want to stir it.
You can cover the bottle with a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth. Place the container in a cool and dry area, between 68 F and 72F. Make sure to allow the mix to rest for at least 24 hours.
When 24 hours have passed, you will want to stir the mixture and re-cover the container. Return it to the cool and dark area. You need to stir the mixture every day for about a week at this stage.
Once a week has passed, strain the liquid into another clean and sanitized gallon with an airlock. Fill the bottle or container with more water to come up to the top. Store the container in a cool and dark place for about six weeks.
After six weeks, you will want to strain again and place the liquid into a clean gallon container. Cap the bottle or container for three days to allow the fermentation to stop. Once that is done, you must pour the wine into bottles with an airtight cap and store it in a refrigerator.
That's it! Now you can enjoy the classic taste of muscadine wine.