I just picked about 50lbs of Concord grapes. This is about as late in the season as possible, and there have been several nights of frost already. Grapes are *very* ripe and sweet.
I am aware that making straight Concord wine as from wine grapes is discouraged because of low sugar content, high acid content, and weird flavours in the skins. I crushed a pressed enough to check the SG of the juice and it's sitting around 1.085-1.088 (hard to read due to foam from fresh-pressed juice), which is higher than most Concord wine recipes had said to expect -- shouldn't need to add much. Not as acidic-tasting as normal Concord juice either, although this is subjective. Juice is viscous and a very deep purple.
I'm new to whole fruit wine generally, and this grape in particular. So, I need some recommendations: press the juice and then ferment, or ferment with skins in as with a normal red? add sugar to 1.095 and ferment to dry, or add more and go for sweet? sweeten with grape concentrate or syrup? dilute to reduce acidity? (titration kit first?) any other additives I need compared to a basic kit wine? anything else I might be missing?
I am aware that making straight Concord wine as from wine grapes is discouraged because of low sugar content, high acid content, and weird flavours in the skins. I crushed a pressed enough to check the SG of the juice and it's sitting around 1.085-1.088 (hard to read due to foam from fresh-pressed juice), which is higher than most Concord wine recipes had said to expect -- shouldn't need to add much. Not as acidic-tasting as normal Concord juice either, although this is subjective. Juice is viscous and a very deep purple.
I'm new to whole fruit wine generally, and this grape in particular. So, I need some recommendations: press the juice and then ferment, or ferment with skins in as with a normal red? add sugar to 1.095 and ferment to dry, or add more and go for sweet? sweeten with grape concentrate or syrup? dilute to reduce acidity? (titration kit first?) any other additives I need compared to a basic kit wine? anything else I might be missing?