DeFalco's Wild Grape Wine Recipe (Mustang and Muscadine)

MINIMUM EQUIPMENT:
INGREDIENTS: For each gallon of wine to be made
1 gallon of MASHED grapes
6 cups sugar (or specific gravity -1.090)
7 pints of water
1 1/2 campden tablets (or 3/16 tsp. sodium metabisulfite)
1 tsp. yeast nutrient (e.g. Super Ferment)
5 drops liquid pectic enzyme or 1/2 tsp. pectic enzyme powder
1 pkg. wine yeast (for up to five gallons)
1/2 tsp. Potassium Sorbate (after fermentation!)
PROCEDURE:
1. Pick, wash, and mash only VERY ripe grapes. Green grapes will cause
the wine to be very sour. Remove the large stems from the mashed grapes.
ALWAYS WEAR RUBBER GLOVES WHEN HANDLING THE GRAPES to protect your hands
from the acid found in the skins of the grapes. If you are using a nylon
straining bag, you may want to put the mashed pulp into the bag immediately
and tie it up.
2. Add the water (cold), yeast nutrient, pectic enzyme, sugar, and the
campden tablets (crushed and dissolved in warm water). DO NOT ADD THE
YEAST (or potassium sorbate) YET!! Stir until all ingredients are dissolved.
3. Cover the primary fermenter with plastic sheet or lid. Stir the mash
every 4 hours for one day. At the end of this first day, dissolve the
yeast in a small quantity of lukewarm water for 10 minutes and pour this
"starter" on to the must. Cover the fermenter.
4. For the next 5 days, stir the must 2 or 3 times a day. Make sure the
floating pulp (the "cap") is submerged. Fermentation temperature
should be between 60° - 80°..
5. At the end of this 5 day period, remove the pulp from the primary fermenter.
Strain and discard the pulp. Syphon the juice remaining into the sterilized
glass jug(s). Attach the fermentation lock and place in a cool dark area.
Action should stop in a few weeks.
6. When fermentation is complete (S.G. 1.000 or less), "rack"
(syphon) the wine into sterilized jugs, being sure to fill them into the
neck with liquid. Attach fementation lock. Allow to stand in a cool dark
place until clear and stable. Repeat this "racking" procedure
once a month for several months.
7. Stabilize the wine with potassium sorbate (1/2 tsp. per gallon). After
48 hours you may sweeten the wine with a simple syrup (2 parts sugar to
1 part boiling water). For a "fruitier" finish, substitute fructose
for household sugar. Sweeten to taste. Bottle the wine, cork, and allow
to stand upright for 4 days. Lay wine on its side and allow to age for
at least 3 - 6 months. The wine will improve with age.
NOTE: Equipment should be well washed and sanitized with a solution
of sodium metabisulfite before use.
Wild Grape Wine Recipe