Most neutral grape?

[franc1969]

I'm looking for the most neutral grape, either as concentrates or buckets of juice next year. What would I add to fruit, spice, or floral wines as background, with very little impact on flavor? I don't want to use raisins, or rely too much on sugar and nutrients to make a must.
I have heard that Thompson Seedless is nothing but sugar for alcohol. I can get that in buckets in season, I think. Also that Chardonnay can be bland. I have used too many adjuncts and yeasts with character, I guess. Sadly did not think to pull out a gallon before fermentation this fall, I had chardonnay and chablis labeled juices. How bland can kits be? I have never used one. I think the cheapest is an 'On The House' kit from Morewinemaking. I also want to use a kit as general juice addition - the 1 liter 'white grape' I can buy is twice the cost instead of buying the cheapest 6 liter kit.

 

[sour_grapes]

Perhaps it could help us if your were to explain WHY you want a neutral grape? I, for one, don't understand this sentence: "What would I add to fruit, spice, or floral wines as background, with very little impact on flavor?"

 

[NorCal]

Grenache would be my choice.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Commercial wineries will add a low aroma (deodorized) concentrated white grape juice to build up the sugar/ potential alcohol yet not add cane sugar. For home wine makers this would equate to adding 100% white grape juice from the grocery store. Organic concentrate may be needed get away from having added fructose or apple juice in the product.

 

[franc1969]

Perhaps it could help us if your were to explain WHY you want a neutral grape? I, for one, don't understand this sentence: "What would I add to fruit, spice, or floral wines as background, with very little impact on flavor?"

For example, I don't want to add raisins/dried grapes where they are called for in recipes. I don't know what they are, and an oxidized raisin taste would not be what I am after in a delicate dandelion wine, a ginger wine. I also don't want a noticeable grapey taste, so no niagara or concord. I made a shiso/basil extract in vodka, what is the equivalent in wine? Something to keep the yeast happy and healthy, but add no more than a background 'wine' flavor. And if I am buying concentrate to use wherever, which is the most neutral to use instead of the generic white/red liters. I don't know what that is, either , or if deodorized as Rice_Guy says.

 

[VinesnBines]

Perhaps it could help us if your were to explain WHY you want a neutral grape? I, for one, don't understand this sentence: "What would I add to fruit, spice, or floral wines as background, with very little impact on flavor?"

Wines like ginger and dandelion need an additive for body; usually raisins or golden raisins or a neutral white grape juice. I've used raisins and white grape concentrate in both dandelion and ginger without noticing any flavor difference. Nevertheless, I'm growing Baco Blanc for the purpose of blending and adding body to ginger and dandelion wines. That doesn't help franc 1969 now. I have used bottled store juice and calculated the amount of water I would have if I reconstituted the concentrate and adjusted the water in the recipe. Like Rice_Guy mentioned, I tried to go organic.

I've been thinking the same thing about the wine concentrates. A lot of the online dealers have concentrated wine base of Niagara; I know franc 1969 doesn't want to go with Niagara. I have thought of Chardonnay and Pino Grigio concentrates as a base. I haven't tried either but probably will do something this winter for my next ginger batch. The grocery stores are no longer carrying frozen concentrates and the bottle stuff is often dosed with sorbate and not labeled properly.

Chardonnay may be a good choice. I was significantly topping up my jalapeno wine with a very bland Chardonnay (2 or 3 bottles to a 3 gallon carboy) and I was extremely pleased with the results.

 

[balatonwine]

Perhaps it could help us if your were to explain WHY you want a neutral grape?

To naturally adjust sugar, acidity and nutrients without commercial chemicals. And not overly impacting the original characters of the grapes (or other primary sources) of concern.

It is simply another form of wine making.