Home Distiller

Hi all

Moved to a new house in May and on the porch there were 2 old wines growing. Even though the wify hated it and deemed it to be something only pensioners would have, I persuaded her to let it live.

Did a quick count yesterday and it seems I have about 400 clusters of grapes. They are starting to gain their red color and from the neighbors, it seems they are not sweet grapes. Could also have something to do with the fact that grapes love more sun and more heat, than we have in Scandinavia

They are also not as big as I would hope - but that may come and it seems we are getting more rain soon ( draught index have been high though out the spring and early summer ).

So the big question is:

What should it do with them?
Know absolutely nothing about grapes - the only ones I have had contact with is the sweet ones from the supermarket.

Smash 'em, add some sugar and yeast, distill and drink ? or buy a barrel and age it ?

I found myself in that situation many years ago. After three years of trying to make wine out of them, I gave up on that and made brandy and grappa, which was far more successful. What you can do with yours depends on the varieties, but if they are not suitable for the table or for wine, I suggest grafting them with your desired varieties rather than destroying valuable rootstocks and starting fresh.

Hi Chris

The varieties are unknown - I know they where planted before ' 95 and they give off tons of grapes.
Perhaps brandy or Grappa would not be such a bad thing to do each year ..

Is there a specific grape for Brandy, or could I just use what I have ? I think they will be ready in september

Some are better than others, but start with what you've got. If you can't make those work, graft onto them with the best you can find. Ask your local producers what they use and try to get grafting wood from them. I don't like your chances, but there is no harm in asking.

Chris,

Have you tried Gewurztraminer brandy?

The cool climate in New Zealand is ideal for the production of aromatic grapes, that is not over cooked.

A couple of distilleries (Clear Creek and Ransom, Willamette Valley, OR) produced a limited amount some years ago. Needless to say it was fantastic!

I'm too far north for that variety, but if you have a source at a reasonable price I'd love to try them.

I'm in the same boat...lots of grapes that are not good for wine. They are Concord grapes... The vines are 45+ years old and produce year after year. I've crushed and pressed this years harvest and pulled off about 15-17 gallons of grape juice from about 230lbs of grapes. I've never added sugar or yeast. The juice are down to .999 I'll put them through the still in the near future...

If you don't have fantastic brandy grapes, take the early and late jars off in small volumes and then try prospective blends to find something you like.

I do that, then do a sugar wash using the backset , pomace and trub, distilled with the feints, to use with products that benefit from lightly flavored grape spirit, like Absinthe, Ouzo, gin, etc..

I also got hold of a load of concord grapes. Interested to know what sort of brandy it makes because I have a hunch the wine isn't going to be fantastic.

Farside--- yeah....not great for wine.... good for juice.... add yeast and distill.

when life gives you grapes - make grappa!