Grape wine

Compo

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Oct 11, 2006, 2:41:28 PM10/11/06

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If I make wine with grapes rather than fruit or veg do I need to add
anything other than yeast, please?

--
Cheers,
Compo

gr...@testengineering.info

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Oct 11, 2006, 3:35:04 PM10/11/06

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Maybe. The chemistry needs to be right. It's best if you can check the
specific gravity, the PH, and the acidity before you pitch the yeast.
In a good year, vinifera (European) grapes will be spot-on. Other grape
varieties or other than ideal conditions will require the addition of
sugar or acid to the must.

William Frazier

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Oct 11, 2006, 9:48:48 PM10/11/06

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http://www.geocities.com/lumeisenman/
Compo - Making grape wine is a big subject. I suggest reading some of Lum's
excellent on-line winemaking book.

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas USA

"Compo" <co...@norabattys.stockings> wrote in message
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Madalch

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Oct 11, 2006, 10:24:38 PM10/11/06

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Compo wrote:
> If I make wine with grapes rather than fruit or veg....

Reminds me of a cartoon in one of my inherited winemaking books.

A fellow is sitting in a restaurant, looking at the wine list with
shock and horror:

"GRAPE!? Haven't you got any PROPER wine?!"

(As an aside, I note with pleasure that my local wine store is has
started to stock some "proper" wine, vinted on Quadra Island, just a
ferry's throw from here. Their sparkling raspberry is quite
acceptable- I need to see if they give tours and/or tastings.)

Cheers,

marco...@verizon.net

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Oct 12, 2006, 8:52:28 AM10/12/06

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you dont absolutely NEED to do anything. Many wine makers, much of them
Italian and Portuguese immigrants dont even add yeast, they let the
naturally existing yeast do the work. They've been making wine like
this sine there has been wine. The issue is that all the fancy
chemistry and microbiological additives will help to make the wine
"better" to commercial standards, and also protect it so that it has a
better chance of surviving. It is about your taste, mostly, and your
nerve to rely soley on nature or, to help things along for safe
keeping. I've done it both ways, and certainly the more sciency way is
more involved. So keep in mind that as people post suggesting that you
alter your aidity, and add yeast nutrients, etc, that these things can
help a situation, but at the end of the day you are likely to still
have wine whether you do them or not. It is the refinement of the
result that will differ.

Compo

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Oct 12, 2006, 3:33:39 PM10/12/06

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The message <1160657548.0...@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>
from marco...@verizon.net contains these words:

> So keep in mind that as people post suggesting that you
> alter your aidity, and add yeast nutrients, etc, that these things can
> help a situation, but at the end of the day you are likely to still
> have wine whether you do them or not. It is the refinement of the
> result that will differ.

Many thanks for all the replies. I am hoping to have a large enough
crop to make two batches next season, if so I shall try both with and
without additives to see what difference it makes. Meanwhile I will
search out some recipes and give them some thought before choosing one
to use as the alternative to 'grapes only'.

--
Cheers,
Compo - Caithness, Scotland.

Markus

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Oct 12, 2006, 8:03:04 PM10/12/06

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Hi there Compo

I'm just starting out, so don't know much - pretty much all of what I know
comes from books.

One of my books says that you adjust the acidity *after* fermentation as the
fermentation proccess changes the acidity - so you don't really know what
you're going to get until after fermentation.

So I'm interested in how adjusting the acidity *before* fermentation works.

Do you adjust it down to the 3.4pH area right from the get -go (and adjust
again post-fermentation if neccesarry?)

If you only adjust post-fermentation does it mean that you're more open to
microbial spoilage during fermentation?

Cheers mate

-Markus

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Lou

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Oct 12, 2006, 10:12:29 PM10/12/06

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Dear Compo,
Get a wine making book and read it.

"Compo" <co...@norabattys.stockings> wrote in message
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Paul Simonite

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Oct 13, 2006, 3:03:01 PM10/13/06

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The message <egml48$d5f$1...@news-01.bur.connect.com.au>
from "Markus" <pleaseremov...@seastoneataaptdotnetdotau.net.au>
contains these words:

> So I'm interested in how adjusting the acidity *before* fermentation works.

> Do you adjust it down to the 3.4pH area right from the get -go (and adjust
> again post-fermentation if neccesarry?)

> If you only adjust post-fermentation does it mean that you're more open to
> microbial spoilage during fermentation?

> Cheers mate

> -Markus

sorry, I'm a novice myself but I'm sure there is someone on here that
can advise.

Cheers
Compo.

Dave Allison

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Oct 13, 2006, 9:56:57 PM10/13/06

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Browsing this site may teach you a lot. Suggest the top website for
recipes and advice:
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/

good luck. DAve

Richard Kruse

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Oct 16, 2006, 11:45:09 AM10/16/06

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To me it all depends on what "grape "you are referring to. And what kind of
"wine" you wish to achieve.

http://www.connoisseurwines.com/html/botanically_speaking.html

The above site gives a lesson

Dick

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