We here at the Juntoboys do not always agree with everything, but we do agree on some of the more important things. Lower-taxes, less government, more poker, cuter girls, and of course the delights of a fine Brew or glass of wine.
Over the past several months I ha
ve been diligently researching and trying out several different recipes for both Beer and Wine. But today's blog entry I will dedicate exclusively to the subtle art of wine making. From the time of the ancient Greeks (and possibly long before) man has enjoyed the fermented beverage.
ve been diligently researching and trying out several different recipes for both Beer and Wine. But today's blog entry I will dedicate exclusively to the subtle art of wine making. From the time of the ancient Greeks (and possibly long before) man has enjoyed the fermented beverage. To the left, is a lithographic rubbing of an ancient Greek wall depicting the god Dionysus and the making of wine. Wine is actually quite easy to make. Yeast, is a living organism that is found growing naturally on every variety of grape in the known world. All one has to do is simply crush the grapes, let sit covered for a week or so, then siphon off the liquid, and val-la! You have wine. Wine is easy. Good wine is hard.
My first couple of batches were sour and rather vinegary. I kept reading about what to do and what to add. And the chemistry of wine-making. The chemical formula for alcohol is CH3CH2OH. Other ingredients of a typical glass of wine is: Water: 250g, Ethyl Alcohol: 25gGlycerine: 3gPectins: 1gAcids: 1gPolyphenols: 500mg traces of flavor elements such as oak, chocolate, etc.
Well after a few more batches I finally got the levels right and the wine went from sour mash unfit for consumption to a smooth mellow delightful wine that is wonderful on the palate. Thusly I proudly present my first wine: Summer Sunset. This is a light blush wine made with Muscadine Grapes. Muscadine's are a native grape to the Southeastern U.S. I'm hoping to use some seasonal fruit to make a different kind of wine year round. I'm using the last of the Muscadines to make a nice Merlot. I'll keep you posted. Next up, "The Art of Beer Making."
3 comments:
I thought Bacchus was the god of wine? At the Bacchus Mardi Gras parade, krewe members used to throw purple beads to celebrate wine. Maybe Bacchus is the Roman equivalent. I think there was a Dionysius parade too.
Beautifully presented and with photos.
Great find on the muscadine grape. I made a speech in Mississippi recently and they sent me a Mississippi gift basket as thanks which included the local delicacy muscadine grape jelly. I had never heard of the muscadine grape. It had a delightful mellow taste just as you describe.
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