# Recipe suggestions for Norton/Cynthiana grapes



## Bobp (Aug 25, 2011)

I have been looking for reccomendations for a good set of recipies to use with Cythiania/Norton Grapes... I have about 85 pounds after desteming and washing ready, to begin the process, but have never worked with grapes. So would like to see some recipies that have been sucesful with these grapes. Given the acid issues i have read about , i don't want to be to hasty but really think i need to move soon. 
My previous winemaking experiences have been great, fruit wines and combinations, all have been very good... but this has me worried..


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## jenobandito (Oct 2, 2011)

*Cynthiana*

I know this came too late, as your post was a month ago. I am curious how you made your Cynthiana wine? I just made my second batch, and am afraid I put too much tannin it. Can you give me your protocol so we can compare? 

I divided 110# and used RC212 and 71B. I added nutrient; pectic; Uvitan Soft and FT Rouge. The juice is very tart at this point. Just racked it off the gross lees. I am concerned I added too much tannin or at the wrong time. 

How is your progressing?


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## Bobp (Oct 3, 2011)

Currently it's doing great... looks good and is clearing fine...
I tried unsucessfully to find a recipe or anyone who could help so, I basicaly, followed the concepts of most red wine recipes.. I had Jack Kellers Dago Red and "any red wine" recipes printed out as a guideline but really went with my gut...

Day 1 : 
desteming by hand- this was a big task.
put all destemed grapes in a sanitized large round plastic tub
disolved 7 campbden tabs in warm water pored over whole grapes
made a "masher" with 2x4s, mashed until my shoulders hurt..
2 hours later mashed again, and again every 2 hours 4 more times
covered with 6 layers of cheesecloth when not activly working in must
took SG reading before adding anything..SG 1.078
brought to boiling 2 1/2 gallons of water put 7 lbs of sugar in it to disolve, then cooled and added to must
dissolved 6 campbden tabs poured over must and stirred 
added 5 Tsp pectic enzyme, 5 Tsp yeast nutrient
stirred covered with cheese cloth , started a Red star Montrachet yeast culture in a Qt mason jar with cheesecloth rubber banded over it and went to bed 10 pm
Day 2: 
8 am hand squeezed must stirred and pitched yeast culture
Days 3-5 : 
stirred 4-5 times a day thouroughly so no hard ap formed yeast working very activly..
Day 6: 
Used large 10" round stainless strainer spoon (bought for our fryer from bass pro shops, worked great) to remove all solid must into a sanitized 6 gallon bucket with a nylon straining bag in it.
poured juice from tub into second bucket with nylon bag. Dumped solids from 2nd bag into 1st bag, squeezed down by hand, tied off bag.
Re-sanitized tub, dissolved 6 campbden tabs poured into tub, placed nylon bag with must into tub and went to work squeezing as much as possible, even enlisting my boys to help.. put juice from buckets back on must, covered back up with cheesecloth.
Day 7: 
stirred and squeezed bag, Yeast slowing down visably
Day 8: 
stirred and squeezed took SG reading SG 0.992 - racked into 5 gallon sterilized glass carboy, after adding 1/2 Tsp K-Meta dissolved in warm water added airlock Tasted it -it was horrible.. burning sensation on tounge, not good at all..(see left over juice below)
2 weeks later: i racked off lees into sterilized carboy. SG 0.0991..Tastes softer than before. I plan on racking again 2nd week oct..

I had 2 1/2 gallons left over juice at initial racking. I put it into another 5 gallon carboy... but was unsure of what to do with it. 
My wife said can you make it taste like purple passion? LOL
I ended up having my wife get me 5 jugs of welches concentrate and after dissolving 10 LBs of sugar in 8 QTs of heated juice i added it to the left over juice... tasted it.. added 5 lbs more sugar dissolved topped with juice..Tastes fine..
SG 1.090, dry pitched red montcrete 
racked 2 weeks later SG 1.068 seems slow to me, probably too much sugar??
will rack again next week.. but no apparent bubbles or activity exist..


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## Abrnth3 (Dec 20, 2012)

Someone is not keeping up with this forum, sorry


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## Bobp (Dec 24, 2012)

I don't understand what you mean.

The cynthiana i have has been racked every 30 days to the year mark in August... Then racked once more at 15 mo... I plan on waiting to the 2 yr mark to bottle..


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## waterlee (Jan 11, 2020)

Bobp said:


> I don't understand what you mean.
> 
> The cynthiana i have has been racked every 30 days to the year mark in August... Then racked once more at 15 mo... I plan on waiting to the 2 yr mark to bottle..


you wait 2 yrs to bottle?


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## waterlee (Jan 11, 2020)

waterlee said:


> you wait 2 yrs to bottle?


imade a recipe of 6gal in sept 19 and it is tasting good jan 10


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