Nottingham or US-05 for wine?

[MBM30075]

I'm just starting to kind of veer off the beer-making path a little and have done two batches of cider (well, one apfelwein, one cider) due to their ease of assembly, no boil, etc...

I've also been told about a Welch's table wine that can be made with Welch's grape juice, table sugar, and a few additions. That seems to kind of parallel the apfelwein I've started, and I was wondering about paralleling the cider in a wine form.

What I mean is this: for my cider, I simply took 5 gallons of apple juice and added Nottingham yeast. My OG was 1.048 and it should ferment out to about 6.5% ABV.

What if I just took some straight grape juice and added Nottingham or US-05? Based on some reading I've done, I would expect straight grape juice to have an SG of somewhere between 1.060 and 1.075. If that fermented down to .995, that would be 8.5%-10.5% ABV. What would the flavor profile be, though? Both of those yeasts are supposed to be fairly clean (I think US-05 imparts less flavor), so how would it work with the wine?

Has anyone tried this?

Thanks!

 

[summersolstice]

Do you like grape jelly? Imagine that without the sweetness.

 

[MBM30075]

Why unsweet jelly?

 

[hcarter]

If you Google Jack Keller, you'll come upon a website with all kinds of recipes like that. Something like this:
* 1 gallon Welch's grape juice (red or white)
* sugar to raise s.g. to 1.095
* 2 tsp acid blend
* 1 tsp pectic enzyme
* 1 tsp yeast nutrient
* 1 pkt Montrachet wine yeast

In a quart jar, activate yeast in ¼ cup of grape juice and ¼ cup of warm water with ¼ teaspoon of sugar and 2 pinches of yeast nutrient dissolved in it. Cover and set aside to develop a vigorous fermentation. Pour grape juice in primary and float a hydrometer in it to determine sugar content. Add sufficient sugar to raise specific gravity to 1.095 (see hydrometer table at Winemaking: Hydrometer) and stir well to dissolve sugar and assist sulfites (sulfur dioxide) in dissipating. Add remaining ingredients except yeast. Cover primary and set aside 12 hours. Every 2 hours add ¼ cup of grape juice to the jar of yeast starter. After 12 hours, add activated wine yeast and recover primary. When active fermentation slows down (about 5-7 days), transfer to secondary and fit airlock. When clear, rack, top up and refit airlock. After additional 30 days, stabilize, sweeten if desired and set aside 10-14 days to ensure refermentation does not ensue. Carefully rack into bottles and age at least 3 months. [Author's own recipe]
Just for clarification, This is Jack's recipe, not my own. I have made it though, and it makes a decent table wine.

 

[summersolstice]

Why unsweet jelly?

Because both grape jelly and grape juice are made from Concord grapes. While sweet jelly and juice may appeal to many people, just as many people don't like this flavor profile in a wine that's been fermented to dryness. Concord is a North American grape variety and, like many N Amreican grapes, it has a distinctive "foxy" aroma and taste that turn many people off when they're used in wines.

 

[malkore]

i dunno, i threw together a batch of wine using tree top grape juice concentrate. 3.5 cans per gallon of must (so add approx 7 pints of water to the 3.5 cans) and that'll get you about 1.085 OG.

a little acid blend...so far even really young its quite drinkable. it was an experiment, and likely will get used for marinades and cooking (since i have a chianti that turned out too tastey to 'waste' on cooking)

 

[mmadmikes1]

If your Concord is done right you will find a fan or 4 among your friends. I make 2x5 gallon batches a year and It all get drank. I think its ok.