# Can you reuse wine skins



## derunner (Jul 3, 2013)

I currently have 2 Cellar Classic Winery Series kits in primary. A Merlot an a Super Tuscan, both have grape skins. They are dry in less than a week. Can I take those skins and use them in a WE mezza luna red kit? I am thinking to use both bags of skins for 5-6 days until SG is about 1.010 and then transfer to secondary and add raisons to secondary.

Can the skins be used twice like this or will they start deteriorating and cause issues?

Thanks.


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## vernsgal (Jul 3, 2013)

a few years back someone told me at RJS that you can remove the grape skins, freeze them and use again. It obviously is weaker but I have used the skins a second time and have never had any issues


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## jswordy (Jul 3, 2013)

Seems to me to be the same deal as a "second pressing" wine from fresh grapes.


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## djrockinsteve (Jul 3, 2013)

Yes you can but it will not be as strong.

I typically will remove the skins @ 1.040-1.050 and from a 6 gallon batch make a 3 gallon batch of a rose' type wine. Simply add inverted sugar water, and additional nutrients.

We have come up with some really good wines this way.


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## derunner (Jul 3, 2013)

Thanks all for the comments. I have made the WE Mezza Luna Red before and it was OK, but thin/watery. I am hoping for some good improvement with these skins and the raisins.


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## jswordy (Jul 3, 2013)

derunner said:


> Thanks all for the comments. I have made the WE Mezza Luna Red before and it was OK, but thin/watery. I am hoping for some good improvement with these skins and the raisins.



This is interesting because my mezza luna has not turned out that way. I'm pretty partial to this kit as the least expensive kit I have found that I can make straight up with genuine dry flavor. But maybe I have low standards. 

You might try withholding 10% of the volume by reducing the amount of water added, or making a 5-gallon batch out of the 6-gallon kit. (I know that people say it will mess up all kinds of very important readings. Scary. )

You could also try increasing the tannic content by using oak in the carboy as well as the oak provided for the fermenter to add structure, and/or increasing the amount of oak chips in the bucket.


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## derunner (Jul 3, 2013)

Yeah, I thought it was good enough to try again and it is a lower priced kit. I guess, better wines seem to coat the glass when you swirl them. Is that body? mouth feel? that is what I meant by thin/watery. I thought the taste was good. I am hoping the skins/raisins help with this aspect.


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## Pumpkinman (Jul 4, 2013)

I've used the skins twice, froze them in a freezer bag.
You can also find "All Grape packs" made by Mosti Mondiale at M&M in CT, these are made by they are just under 8 or 9 lbs for $19.99.


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## Rocky (Jul 4, 2013)

jswordy said:


> Seems to me to be the same deal as a "second pressing" wine from fresh grapes.


 
Ah, yes, Jim. "Second wine." My Grandfather used to do that trick to get more wine and the second wine was for not so good friends, people who stayed too long drinking the good stuff or people who did not appreciate good wine. He would ferment the grapes in the working barrel, drain out the juice only to a fermenting barrel, leaving all the skins behind. He would then dump a large quantity of sugar in the fermenting barrel and add water and go through the fermenting cycle again.


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## Rocky (Jul 4, 2013)

Pumpkinman said:


> I've used the skins twice, froze them in a freezer bag.
> You can also find "All Grape packs" made by Mosti Mondiale at M&M in CT, these are made by they are just under 8 or 9 lbs for $19.99.


 
Tom, I have been to their website and I cannot find where they offer grape packs. When was the last time you saw grape packs at M&M? Thanks.


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## Pumpkinman (Jul 4, 2013)

Rocky,
I bought 2, 4 kg packages (just under 9 kb each) of All Grape Packs last month, when I purchased the Chilean juice buckets. 
Their website wasn't designed as a retail web site. ..lol...it's a little challenging. ..to say the least!
They told me that they were in the process of updating their website. 
I might just call them to see if they have any in stock.
A word of advice. ... buy a few large muslin bags to put the skins into....you will wish you had!


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## derunner (Jul 4, 2013)

Pumpkinman said:


> Rocky,
> I bought 2, 4 kg packages (just under 9 kb each) of All Grape Packs last month, when I purchased the Chilean juice buckets.
> Their website wasn't designed as a retail web site. ..lol...it's a little challenging. ..to say the least!
> They told me that they were in the process of updating their website.
> ...



Is 9lbs too much for a 6gal batch? I think the kits have 2 jars so I am thinking that is closer to 4-5 pounds per kit.


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## Pumpkinman (Jul 4, 2013)

Not at all! Look at it this way...How many pounds of skins are there when making wine from fresh grapes? I added one to my cab sav and one to my malbec.


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