# Zante Currant/Black Corinth/Champagne



## Hi In The Pines (Sep 7, 2005)

Does anyone have a recipe using this type of grape?? I have found a few, but they call for the raisins. I have fresh grapes.


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## Hippie (Sep 8, 2005)

I would just treat them like any other red grape.


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## Hi In The Pines (Sep 8, 2005)

ok, Hippie. Reds they shall be. Thanks.


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## Hippie (Sep 8, 2005)

--Grape Classifications

For the purpose of wine making you can classify grapes into 
three
distinct groups:

Native Wild Grapes (Vitis Muscadina):
These are grapes such as Muscadine (Scuppernong), Fox and 
Frost 
grape. They are extremely sharp tasting due to their high 
acid 
content and have a strong assertive to pungent flavor and 
aroma. 
They are also lower in sugar than other grapes. This class 
of 
grape can be distinguished from others by the fact that 
they do 
not grow in clusters, but rather, as separate berries. 

Native Wine Grapes (Vitis Lambrusca):
These are grapes such as Concord, Catawba, Niagara and 
Delaware.
They are indigenous to the North American continent. While 
their 
flavor and aroma are not excessive like that of the wild 
grapes, 
their acidity level can be a little on the high side making 
the 
juice slightly too sharp tasting. Their sugar level is also 
much 
higher than that of wild grapes. 

European Wine Grapes (Vitis Vinifera):
These are grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot 
Noir, 
Pinot Chardonnay and many others that were brought over 
from 
Europe. Hybrid grapes such as Reliance, Foch, Chambourcin 
and 
Vignoles are also considered to be in this group. Only on 
occasion are these grapes too sharp or acidic in flavor and 
their
sugar content is generally higher than that of native wine 
grapes 
and much higher than that of wild grapes.


-- It's All About The Grape

How you go about making wine from grapes depends on the 
class of 
grape you are going to use. Some grapes will require only a 
little dilution with water to get its sharp acidic flavor 
under 
control. Others will require none at all. Then there are 
some 
that may require as much as three gallons of water for 
every 5 
gallons of wine, such as in the case with many wild grapes. 
Not 
only does the high acid level of the wild grapes require 
dilution 
but their excessive, strong flavor demands it as well.

Sugar may need to be added to the juice in some cases. 
Sugar is 
what the yeast ferments to make alcohol. When the 
fermentation is 
done the sugar is gone. When there is not enough sugar for 
the 
yeast, there will not be enough alcohol in the wine. 

Certainly in the case of wild grapes sugar will be in short 
supply and marginally so with some native wine grapes. 
Sugar will
need to be added to these mixes. But, in the case of 
European 
wine grapes only rarely is sugar needed.

The point here is that making grape wine is not necessarily 
about 
following a recipe, but rather, going through a procedure 
of 
adjustments based on the juice that is at hand. The 
situation can
vary dramatically based on the grape so to apply a recipe 
to all 
grapes or even a class of grape is not practical.


-- Getting The Right Mix

Now the question comes, how do we know when water and/or 
sugar 
needs to be added to the juice, and if so, how much do we 
need to
add?

This question is really not that hard to answer. For 
measuring 
and controlling acidity you can use an Acid Test Kit and 
for 
measuring and controlling sugar levels you can use a 
Hydrometer. 
Both come with complete directions and are relatively easy 
to use.
*Edited by: Hippie *


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## Hippie (Sep 8, 2005)

*WINE MAKING WITH GRAPES*

Whether the grapes come from the local vineyard or your own 
backyard, you can make impressive grape wines with 
remarkable 
flavor, body and character. Tremendous wines that are 
worthy of 
recognition by friends and family.

And what's more, you can create these bottles of wine for a 
fraction of what they would cost you at the store, and if 
the 
grapes are just sitting in your backyard, waiting to be 
picked--then that's a heck of a deal.

So, go right ahead and dive into the interesting and 
rewarding 
hobby of wine making. By doing so you will be joining the 
thousands of happy people who make and enjoy their own 
wines with
pride. 

A very good book on the subject of wine making with grapes 
is 
"From Vines To Wines". Not only does this book cover wine 
making,
but it also covers the vineyard aspect as well. For a 
clearer 
understanding of grape wine making this is the book to get. 

*Edited by: Hippie *


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## Hi In The Pines (Sep 8, 2005)

Thanks Hippie. I get the newsletter and read that already. I guess that with the Zante, they are the more sweeter grape, versus the wild variety. If you were doing this recipe, if you were going to make a 5 gal. batch, how many pounds of these grapes would you use?? I guess normally, when it comes to scratch wines, you would use 2 to 2-1/2 pounds per gallon, right? Should I go with this for these grapes? This iswhere my inexperience is questioning me.


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## Hippie (Sep 9, 2005)

Nope. With winegrapes, the bare minimum is about 15 pounds per gallon of finished wine desired, usually closer to 20 pounds. Compare that to 6 pounds of muscadines per gallon, or 3-4 pounds of blackberries per gallon. You need a way to crush the grapes, then a way to press the skins and pulp after fermentation, and you need a very large primary fermentor.


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## Hi In The Pines (Sep 9, 2005)

ahhh, the season for the zante's is almost over. Now I have to go back to the store to see if there are more...sugar!


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