{"id":971,"date":"2009-11-15T18:05:03","date_gmt":"2009-11-16T01:05:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.washingtonwinemaker.com\/blog\/?p=971"},"modified":"2009-11-15T18:05:03","modified_gmt":"2009-11-16T01:05:03","slug":"how-to-make-bland-wine-use-grocery-store-grapes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/washingtonwinemaker.com\/blog\/2009\/11\/15\/how-to-make-bland-wine-use-grocery-store-grapes\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Make Bland Wine: Use grocery store grapes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
Click here for a larger image and technical details about the shot<\/a><\/caption>\n
\"Wine<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

I like to experiment. It’s a great feeling when a crazy idea turns into an enjoyable wine. Crazy ideas are unpredictable, though, sometimes they work out and sometimes they don’t. The wine I made from store-bought tables grapes<\/a> falls into the “don’t” category. What went wrong? Nothing. \u00a0I got a balanced dry wine with no faults or off flavors. But its so bland I don’t want to drink it. Sometimes sweetening can tease out a little fruitiness in a wine. I tried that and wound up with sweet bland wine that I still don’t want to drink.
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Make Welch’s Wine Instead<\/h2>\n

If you’re looking for winemaking ingredients at the grocery store, go to the freezer section and buy concentrated frozen grape juice. It’s easier to make wine from frozen concentrate<\/a> because you don’t have to process the grapes. It’s cheaper too:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Cost of table grape wine<\/caption>\n
Item<\/td>\nQuantity<\/td>\nUnit Cost<\/td>\nTotal<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Grapes<\/td>\n20 lb<\/td>\n$0.88\/lb<\/td>\n$17.60<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sugar<\/td>\n20 lb<\/td>\n$0.50\/lb<\/td>\n$17.60<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Corks<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n$0.35<\/td>\n$2.10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n$17.60<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

I got six bottles, so that works out to just under $3\/bottle for bland wine that I don’t like compared to under $1\/bottle for a lively, enjoyable Welch’s wine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Improving table grape wine<\/h2>\n

I know that some people regularly make wine from Thomson Seedless (Sultana) grapes, and they often cold soak to extract more flavor. If I make this again, I’ll probably do that. Fermenting on the skin, like a red wine, might be worth a try too. Another approach is to add flavorings: vanilla and chocolate extract come to mind. Have you had better luck making wine from grocery store grapes? I’d love to hear about it.<\/p>\n

About the label<\/h2>\n

The best thing about this wine is the label, and I want to thank Mark Hammergren<\/a> for letting me use his The Truckstop<\/a> artwork. The idea for putting Lost’s Dharma logo on the wine came to me after I realized I couldn’t rescue this batch. Mark’s take on it combined femininity, humor, and a new Dharma station concept that’s perfect for this wine – thanks Mark! <\/p>\n

Update 12\/3\/2009 – Can I fix it by making mulled wine?<\/em><\/h2>\n

If the problem is bland flavor, then maybe mulling spices will liven it up. Using spices like cinnamon, cloves, and citrus zest (ok, I don’t think zest is technically a spice) in wine, then serving it warm goes back a long way. I’ve never made mulled wine<\/a> before, so I’m really excited about it – might be a new Christmas tradition for me!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wine from supermarket grapes is bland, so use frozen concentrate like Welch’s instead. It’s easier, cheaper, and tastes better.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[48],"class_list":["post-971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tasting","tag-nad"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t