Aged Concord

[Sailor323]

I had a very pleasant surprise this week. I had a few bottles of Concord languishing in my cellar. The only reason it was there at all is I considered it undesirable or else it would have been consumed years ago. This was wine from grapes I picked in 2001. The original Brix was 15 and acidity was .75. I crushed and left on the skins 14 days then pressed and chaptalized to raise Brix by 6.5 and oaked 2 Tbs Oak-mor granules per gallon. Fermented out to completely dry. Sadly I didn't make tasting notes on it back then, but it was probably not particularly good, I'm guessing a bit raw and acidic. So I tasted it this week and was pleasantly surprised. A bit crisp but quite fruity with a clear taste of Concord grapes. Even my wife liked it and she doesn't like red wine at all.

 

[toadie]

Wow. So you're saying try making some even though everyone says they are too foxy and let them sit!

 

[David Violante]

That's great! I have some concord aging with oak from two years ago. It has definitely changed a bit for the better. I don't know if I have the constitution to wait almost 20 years!

 

[Sailor323]

Wow. So you're saying try making some even though everyone says they are too foxy and let them sit!

"Foxiness" is used pejoratively and is a matter of judgment. It is considered too flavor forward, think grape jelly or grape soda; not necessarily bad but a bit demanding, not in the least complex The term "foxy" comes from the fact that American grapes were called fox grapes. They actually were not and are not suited for winemaking. They are not sweet enough and generally too acidic. I am a bit of a wine snob, weaned on French wines, especially those from the Bordeaux region. I raised French-American hybrids and made quite a bit of wine from them. I made Concord simply because I had them and don't really care for grape jelly. I think the oak was important and think that the fact the wine seems to have survived the 19 year aging is just luck. While it is quite drinkable, I'd rather drink a good Rhône. The Grenache,Shiraz Mourvèdre kits make a decent wine

 

[toadie]

Thanks for the information! As a relatively novice wine maker and brewer this kind of information is extremely helpful. I also have a lot of concord and niagara (and himrod) but have been a little discouraged from attempting to ferment. I actually bought some marquette and vidal vines just as the world started going crazy this year.

 

[Venatorscribe]

I had a very pleasant surprise this week. I had a few bottles of Concord languishing in my cellar. The only reason it was there at all is I considered it undesirable or else it would have been consumed years ago. This was wine from grapes I picked in 2001. The original Brix was 15 and acidity was .75. I crushed and left on the skins 14 days then pressed and chaptalized to raise Brix by 6.5 and oaked 2 Tbs Oak-mor granules per gallon. Fermented out to completely dry. Sadly I didn't make tasting notes on it back then, but it was probably not particularly good, I'm guessing a bit raw and acidic. So I tasted it this week and was pleasantly surprised. A bit crisp but quite fruity with a clear taste of Concord grapes. Even my wife liked it and she doesn't like red wine at all.

Good to hear. I made around 80 litres ( approx 20 gallons) five years ago. I held the wine in bulk for over a year then bottled it. I was not happy with the flavour. Everything seemed out of whack. No mouth feel, acidity too sharp, too dry etc etc... I had also over oaked it. Every now and then I open a bottle. And it is changing for the better. A couple more years and It will be ready ( touch wood).

 

[Handy Andy]

I had a very pleasant surprise this week. I had a few bottles of Concord languishing in my cellar. The only reason it was there at all is I considered it undesirable or else it would have been consumed years ago. This was wine from grapes I picked in 2001. The original Brix was 15 and acidity was .75. I crushed and left on the skins 14 days then pressed and chaptalized to raise Brix by 6.5 and oaked 2 Tbs Oak-mor granules per gallon. Fermented out to completely dry. Sadly I didn't make tasting notes on it back then, but it was probably not particularly good, I'm guessing a bit raw and acidic. So I tasted it this week and was pleasantly surprised. A bit crisp but quite fruity with a clear taste of Concord grapes. Even my wife liked it and she doesn't like red wine at all.

Is this the way all wines mature, assuming nothing bad happens? (ie a following wind and sea all the time
Develop more mouth feel and fruit flavors.
Reduced sharpness.

I have two red wines one which is quite fruity which I oaked during the fermentation stage, and another which is very dry which I oaked after fermentation. How can I expect these to change over time? Any ideas

 

[wood1954]

I have made some decent concord wine. I sweeten it up and give it to friends that like sweet wine. I’ve also had pretty good dry concord from a winery in MissourI, wouldn’t buy it again but it was way better than mine.

 

[Sailor323]

Is this the way all wines mature, assuming nothing bad happens? (ie a following wind and sea all the time
Develop more mouth feel and fruit flavors.
Reduced sharpness.

I have two red wines one which is quite fruity which I oaked during the fermentation stage, and another which is very dry which I oaked after fermentation. How can I expect these to change over time? Any ideas

I think that a well made Concord is very fruity, perhaps too much so. As I mentioned earlier Concord can be a bit fruit forward and that is what puts many people off. As time passes, all wines lose fruitiness.

 

[JeremyK]

"Foxiness" is used pejoratively and is a matter of judgment. It is considered too flavor forward, think grape jelly or grape soda; not necessarily bad but a bit demanding, not in the least complex The term "foxy" comes from the fact that American grapes were called fox grapes. They actually were not and are not suited for winemaking. They are not sweet enough and generally too acidic. I am a bit of a wine snob, weaned on French wines, especially those from the Bordeaux region. I raised French-American hybrids and made quite a bit of wine from them. I made Concord simply because I had them and don't really care for grape jelly. I think the oak was important and think that the fact the wine seems to have survived the 19 year aging is just luck. While it is quite drinkable, I'd rather drink a good Rhône. The Grenache,Shiraz Mourvèdre kits make a decent wine

I've read that slightly higher acidity helps in aging potential. Perhaps that's a factor.
I've made Concord wine with grapes that my father had on his farm. I back sweeten just a bit but not to the point of being sweet. The last bottle I had was about 3 years old and it was noticeably less acidic than I remember. Quite good...for Concord.