unconventional country wine style

[robert81650]

Where are you located?

 

[montanarick]

Where are you located?

We're in Somers, MT above northwest corner of Flathead Lake, South of Kalispell and about an hour from Glacier Park. How about you?

 

[robert81650]

In Boaz,Alabama....Half way between Huntsville and Birmingham.

 

[robert81650]

I have about 60 Muscadine vines and have already pruned them...It will be putting out new grow in a few weeks.............

 

[Mead Maker]

I’ve had problems pressing muscadines in the past. The inside of the grapes didn’t want to give up their juice.

I solved that problem by freezing them and grinding them when they’re slightly thawed. The process gives you a tasty “grape ice” which when totally thawed will let you press out every drop.

 

[robert81650]

Yea that’s what I finally learned.....they really give up the juice that way along with some pectin enzyme.

 

[user 32114]

I make mainly fruit wines, kits and real southern muscadines, both red and white. Muscadines are my favorite wines, good flavor and last as long as grape wines. I live in Alabama and the grapes here where I live are not much. So therefore I have a friend that has about 800 muscadine vines and he keeps me well stocked.

I stepped back on your bladder press question, because i have no clue, but as always the members with knowledge step right up to guide you, i am from northeast Arkansaw, in the instep of the boot heel, i've never done a kit, nore any grape, i grew up with muscadines and elderberry, i got 2 old vines i leave alone, one about 7 inches thru the other 5 inch thru, both tree at least 4 foot thru or bigger,, that is shooting low, i have some land and dad has some land with muscadines everywhere, same with blackberries, bunch of elderberries a old pear thee better then 40 foot tall, the neighbors bring me a lot of fruit from very big fruit trees, living way out in the woods , i supply all my neighbors with free farm fresh eggs year round for free but i get dallors on the penny, i tell em so, but they see i get fruit and berries, , done mead for a year, not for me, i like from semi-sweet to sweet countrywines, but after a few short 8 years 2 before i joined here, i've fermented bout everything i could get my hands on, but i have settled on my fav's, apple/pear blend, blackberry, blackberry/elderberry mix, strawberry, sour cherry, , apple, peach, skeeter pee port, i have several sargents yellow crab apples bushes i use kinda like a tanning, for a popping finish, so maybe next year would you consider a 3 or 4 bottle sampling swap, i've done a few on here over the years, when ready there's at least 3 i owe care packages,,,
Richard AKA Dawg,,,

 

[robert81650]

Thanks for your background. I do mainly Muscadines and a few kits. I would love to swap some wine with you. I have never tasted anything but what I make a few Muscadine wines that I
get when traveling in North Georgia and North Carolina. Most are pretty good but I like mine better. I go for Semi to sweet wine myself because I cannot stand the drys. Just let me know when
you want to swap some and I'll be glad to. I live in North Alabama, about half way between Huntsville and Birmingham on Sand Mountain out in the country. The little town I live in is Sardis
and we have about 50 acres with 17 cows. I have a tractor that I feed the cows with in the winter time. Just a good old country boy that loves making wine. I am retired with nothing to do.
Robert

 

[garymc]

"i have settled on my fav's, apple/pear blend, blackberry, blackberry/elderberry mix, strawberry, sour cherry, , apple, peach, skeeter pee port, i have several sargents yellow crab apples bushes i use kinda like a tanning, for a popping finish" Does this mean muscadines didn't make the cut for your favorites?

 

[robert81650]

Yes it did.....You should try some good white muscadine before you list...........

 

[Maynard123]

I stepped back on your bladder press question, because i have no clue, but as always the members with knowledge step right up to guide you, i am from northeast Arkansaw, in the instep of the boot heel, i've never done a kit, nore any grape, i grew up with muscadines and elderberry, i got 2 old vines i leave alone, one about 7 inches thru the other 5 inch thru, both tree at least 4 foot thru or bigger,, that is shooting low, i have some land and dad has some land with muscadines everywhere, same with blackberries, bunch of elderberries a old pear thee better then 40 foot tall, the neighbors bring me a lot of fruit from very big fruit trees, living way out in the woods , i supply all my neighbors with free farm fresh eggs year round for free but i get dallors on the penny, i tell em so, but they see i get fruit and berries, , done mead for a year, not for me, i like from semi-sweet to sweet countrywines, but after a few short 8 years 2 before i joined here, i've fermented bout everything i could get my hands on, but i have settled on my fav's, apple/pear blend, blackberry, blackberry/elderberry mix, strawberry, sour cherry, , apple, peach, skeeter pee port, i have several sargents yellow crab apples bushes i use kinda like a tanning, for a popping finish, so maybe next year would you consider a 3 or 4 bottle sampling swap, i've done a few on here over the years, when ready there's at least 3 i owe care packages,,,
Richard AKA Dawg,,,

I was just reading that you made some Mead and didn’t really like it, I did a batch 17yrs ago and didn’t think it was very good. But I can’t seem to throw anything away so I put it away and forgot about it for about ten years and one day I was moving stuff around and tried a bottle. I thought it was much better but I wouldn’t say it was that good. I had put it in the small coke bottles and capped with beer caps. I gave some away to people who told me they liked it. So about a month ago I came across a couple more bottles and opened one and man it was good. I wish I had kept more now, so if you still have any try it in a few years it definitely gets better with time.

 

[user 32114]

I was just reading that you made some Mead and didn’t really like it, I did a batch 17yrs ago and didn’t think it was very good. But I can’t seem to throw anything away so I put it away and forgot about it for about ten years and one day I was moving stuff around and tried a bottle. I thought it was much better but I wouldn’t say it was that good. I had put it in the small coke bottles and capped with beer caps. I gave some away to people who told me they liked it. So about a month ago I came across a couple more bottles and opened one and man it was good. I wish I had kept more now, so if you still have any try it in a few years it definitely gets better with time.

i got most of a case, and it is 6 or 7 years old, i stuck it back where i had lost it several years ago, i'll wait a few more years, i do know that after 3 years it had change to the worse, but this last time i could take it or leave it, you gave wise advice,and i am already taken t,,,
Dawg