Muscadine Terminology
Scuppernong is the original variety of bronze muscadine discovered growing in the wild. Today even though improved bronze varieties such as Carlos and Magnolia have been developed for commercial plantings, most southerners still refer to any bronze muscadines as Scuppernongs. Purple or black varieties are commonly called muscadines.
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Muscadine Grapes
The common Muscadine Grape, botanically any one of a number of varieties of Vitis Rotundifolia, grows wild throughout the southeast United States, from Louisiana and Arkansas to the Atlantic. It looks very similar to the Mustang Grape and a dozen other wild southern grapes, but--like the Vitis Munsoniana--it has simple (not forked) tendrils. Muscadines are terrific climbers and reach up high into trees, cover brush and run along fences, growing up to 50 feet per year. The grapes themselves form in small bunches, are extremely acidic and tend to drop from the vine as they reach maturity. They require lots of sugar and positive acid reduction measures to make a decent wine. Like the Mustang, the Muscadine is wonderful for jelly but not the best wine grape. However, it's readily available and free to boot, so it certainly has advantages over purchased grapes. For best flavor, be prepared to allow it to age 3 or 4 years. Lots of people drink it young and think nothing of it, but if they'd only stash away a couple of bottles for 3-4 years, they'd never drink it young again.
One other precautionary warning. The high acidity in Muscadines can cause severe skin irritation until the acidity is corrected. For that reason, wear rubber gloves when picking, handling and squeezing these wild grapes. It will make the whole experience much more enjoyable.
I believe you could also use a Scuppernong recipe with your Muscadine grapes also.
MUSCADINE GRAPE WINE #1
Boil the water and dissolve the sugar in it. While sugar-water is cooling, wash, de-stem and crush the grapes, being sure to wear rubber gloves. Pour crushed grapes into nylon straining bag, tie securely, and put in primary. Pour water over grapes, add crushed Campden tablet and yeast nutrient, and cover primary securely. After 12 hours add pectic enzyme. Wait additional 12 hours and measure both specific gravity and acid. S.G. should be 1.100 to 1.103; acidity no higher than 7 p.p.t. tartaric. Correct S.G. if required by adding additional sugar, acid by using one of three methods described below following recipes, if required. Add yeast, re-cover primary, and squeeze nylon bag lightly and stir must twice daily for about 6-7 days or until S.G. drops to 1.030. Press pulp well to extract liquid. Pour into secondary fermentation vessel, fit airlock, and let stand 3 weeks. Rack and top up, then rack again in 2 months and again after additional 2 months. If wine has cleared, bottle. If not, wait until wine clears, rack again and bottle. This wine may be sweetened before bottling by stabilizing, waiting 10-12 hours, then adding 2/3 to 1-1/3 cup sugar-water per gallon (2 parts sugar dissolved in 1 part water. May taste after one year, but improves remarkably with age (2-4 years).
MUSCADINE GRAPE WINE #2
Wash and destem the grapes, being sure to wear rubber gloves. Run grapes through a grape crusher or crush in crock primary using a sterilized 4X4 or other suitable device in an up-and-down action. Meanwhile, bring water to boil. Add sugar to grapes and pour boiling water over grapes and sugar. Stir well to dissolve sugar. Add crushed Campden tablet and yeast nutrient and cover crock. Wait 12 hours and add pectic enzyme. Wait 12 additional hours and measure both specific gravity and acid. S.G. should be 1.100 tp 1.103; acidity no higher than 7 p.p.t. tartaric. Correct S.G. and acid by using one of three methods described below following recipes, if required. Add yeast, re-cover primary, and stir must 2-4 times daily, knocking down "cap" of skins and seeds each time. Check S.G. daily until it drops to 1.040. Strain pulp well to extract liquid and discard pulp. Recover primary and continue fermenting as before until S.G. reaches 1.030. Siphon into secondary fermentation vessel, fit airlock, and ferment 30 days. Rack and top up, then rack again every 30 days until wine has cleared. Wait additional 30 days, stabilize, and rack again. Sweeten to taste and bottle. Allow to age at least 18 months before drinking. Improves with additional aging.
Acid Reduction Procedures
Acid Reduction with Calcium Carbonate:
For juices with acid levels of 10 p.p.t. or more, calcium carbonate is traditionally used to reduce acid through precipitation. A measured 2.5 grams of calcium carbonate will reduce the acidity of one gallon of wine or liquor by one p.p.t. For best results, split the liquor into two equal portions and add the calcium carbonate to one while stirring vigorously. Carbon dioxide will be given off and cause foaming. Chill the treated liquor several days and then siphon it off the lees of calcium carbonate into the untreated portion. The addition of a teaspoon of yeast energizer may be required to reactivate fermentation after treatment.
Acid Reduction with Potassium Bicarbonate:
For fruit juices with acid levels of 8 to 10 p.p.t., potassium bicarbonate treatment can be used to reduce acid through precipitation and neutralization. A measured 3.4 grams or 0.1 oz. of potassium bicarbonate will reduce the acidity of one gallon of wine or liquor by one p.p.t. The compound is stirred directly into the full batch, then chilled to facilitate precipitation of potassium bicarbonate lees. The addition of a teaspoon of yeast energizer may be required to reactivate fermentation after treatment.
Acid Reduction through Water Dilution:
This is the least desirable method, because the Grape flavor will be diluted and the resulting wine will suffer in flavor. The acid is inversely proportional to the volume of liquor, so the steps in reducing acidity from 10 p.p.t., for example, to 7 p.p.t., are: (1) 7 / 10 = 0.70 (2) 100 / 0.70 = 1.428 (3) 1.428 x 128 (oz. per gallon) = 182.784 total oz. required (4) 182.784 (total required) - 128 (oz. per gallon) = 54.784 (oz. per gallon required to be added).
Good Luck and Happy Wild Grape Wine Making!
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