Muscadines!

[DrHenley]

We had a very early vine. Kind of a weird vine at that. It went up about 10 ft then went horizontally over to a limb on another tree, then hung down to the ground. Grapes were mostly within reach from the ground. Standing in the back of the pickup I was able to get to the highest ones.

For the members across the pond, muscadines are native grapes in the U.S. that have a thick skin and grow wild. The seeds are in a sack in the middle of the grape, and between that seed sack and the skin is a cavity filled with juice. When you bite into them, the sweet tasty juice squirts into your mouth. The juice has an intense grape flavor and is a bit tart. Most aren't much good for making wine but this particular variety which is small do make good wine and are cultivated for that purpose.

Oh man are these good! Usually they are in bunches of no more than three or four...this is actually three or four bunches close together looking like a big bunch. I apparently caught them right before they started dropping, because nearly all were ripe, but none were on the ground yet. I've been eating them for two days now.

 

[SheilaT.]

Lovely! I bet they'd make some fantastic raisins, if you have a dehydrator. We don't have wild Grapes and our climate isn't the best for growing Dessert Grapes(although wine varieties do very well)
I love free and foraged food.

 

[Brent S]

We had a very early vine. Kind of a weird vine at that. It went up about 10 ft then went horizontally over to a limb on another tree, then hung down to the ground. Grapes were mostly within reach from the ground. Standing in the back of the pickup I was able to get to the highest ones.

For the members across the pond, muscadines are native grapes in the U.S. that have a thick skin and grow wild. The seeds are in a sack in the middle of the grape, and between that seed sack and the skin is a cavity filled with juice. When you bite into them, the sweet tasty juice squirts into your mouth. The juice has an intense grape flavor and is a bit tart. Most aren't much good for making wine but this particular variety which is small do make good wine and are cultivated for that purpose.

Oh man are these good! Usually they are in bunches of no more than three or four...this is actually three or four bunches close together looking like a big bunch. I apparently caught them right before they started dropping, because nearly all were ripe, but none were on the ground yet. I've been eating them for two days now.

I’ve been picking my Concorde grapes for while now, but none of my muscadine are near ripe yet. All these were cultivated varieties that produce a lot more than the wild ones. I sure wish they could make a seedless variety as the flavor is fantastic. I have a lot of different vines now, and the white ones are my favorite for picking and eating. Anyways, my winemaking hobby is still alive and well.

 

[DrHenley]

Brent, the flavor and acidity on these are just begging for being made into a rich red wine. Unfortunately, it's just one small vine and not nearly enough muscadines.

There is another vine of the same variety that consistently bears heavily, but they are all still green. This is over at the place in the Mississippi Delta, so it's not like I can just pop in whenever I want to check on the vines. Fortunately, they are usually ripe right when dove season opens, and I go over there to dove hunt then. That vine goes way up on an oak tree and the ground is usually carpeted with muscadines when they drop.

I'd love to try a batch of wine from them if I can harvest enough.

 

[DrHenley]

Lovely! I bet they'd make some fantastic raisins, if you have a dehydrator. We don't have wild Grapes and our climate isn't the best for growing Dessert Grapes(although wine varieties do very well)
I love free and foraged food.

Sally, the skins are very thick, leathery even. I don't know how tough the raisins would be. And the seeds are large. The raisins may very well be extremely tasty, but would be a challenge to eat!

They are sometimes sold seasonally in farmers markets, but due to the thick skins and seasonal nature, aren't normally sold at supermarkets. One very positive thing in their favor is that they are very hardy and resistant to most grape diseases and parasites. Even though they have the potential to make a fantastic wine, there are a number of challenges to making wine commercially from them, and so muscadine wine is hard to find in the wine shops (and believe me I've looked!)

I took a tour of a muscadine winery back in the 1980s and they went into all the specifics of cultivating, harvesting, and winemaking and the challenges involved. Sad to say that winery went out of business.

 

[SheilaT.]

Sally, the skins are very thick, leathery even. I don't know how tough the raisins would be. And the seeds are large. The raisins may very well be extremely tasty, but would be a challenge to eat!

They are sometimes sold seasonally in farmers markets, but due to the thick skins and seasonal nature, aren't normally sold at supermarkets. One very positive thing in their favor is that they are very hardy and resistant to most grape diseases and parasites. Even though they have the potential to make a fantastic wine, there are a number of challenges to making wine commercially from them, and so muscadine wine is hard to find in the wine shops (and believe me I've looked!)

I took a tour of a muscadine winery back in the 1980s and they went into all the specifics of cultivating, harvesting, and winemaking and the challenges involved. Sad to say that winery went out of business.

That's a shame, it sounds like they would have made a fantastic raisin. I would have a go freeze/thawing to make wine it might make the fruit easier to process, if I was into making wine.
Or maybe just one of those things to be enjoyed seasonally. There are a few things over here I look forward to. Outdoor grown English Strawberries, The first Asparagus and Jersey Royal New Potatoes.

 

[DrHenley]

Yes, I've thought about making a sort of ice wine with them. Most people add a bunch of sugar when making muscadine wine, which makes the wine too sweet for me. Without adding sugar it is extremely dry. The high tannin content of the skins is one of the challenges to making good wine with them. It probably needs to age 20 years, but I'm not waiting that long LOL.

 

[Brent S]

Sally, the skins are very thick, leathery even. I don't know how tough the raisins would be. And the seeds are large. The raisins may very well be extremely tasty, but would be a challenge to eat!

They are sometimes sold seasonally in farmers markets, but due to the thick skins and seasonal nature, aren't normally sold at supermarkets. One very positive thing in their favor is that they are very hardy and resistant to most grape diseases and parasites. Even though they have the potential to make a fantastic wine, there are a number of challenges to making wine commercially from them, and so muscadine wine is hard to find in the wine shops (and believe me I've looked!)

I took a tour of a muscadine winery back in the 1980s and they went into all the specifics of cultivating, harvesting, and winemaking and the challenges involved. Sad to say that winery went out of business.

Habersham winery in Helen Ga specializes in muscadine wines. Actually up here there are at least a dozen small wineries that make, sell and ship it. It is by far my favorite grape for wines. My biggest like of them is they are a tough vine that takes very little maintenance to grow. I had one that died for some unknown reason, but considering I have about 70 I’d say those are pretty good odds.

 

[Brent S]

Yes, I've thought about making a sort of ice wine with them. Most people add a bunch of sugar when making muscadine wine, which makes the wine too sweet for me. Without adding sugar it is extremely dry. The high tannin content of the skins is one of the challenges to making good wine with them. It probably needs to age 20 years, but I'm not waiting that long LOL.

The pioneers ages ago that started making wines had a lot of trial and error to learn from. Now the science behind making great wines is easy, you just need to buy a few tools. You can learn everything online now days. I’ve made a few batches that I didn’t like but the vast majority have turned out really good. It’s pretty easy, but patience is required as it isn’t an instant reward.

 

[Brent S]

Brent, the flavor and acidity on these are just begging for being made into a rich red wine. Unfortunately, it's just one small vine and not nearly enough muscadines.

There is another vine of the same variety that consistently bears heavily, but they are all still green. This is over at the place in the Mississippi Delta, so it's not like I can just pop in whenever I want to check on the vines. Fortunately, they are usually ripe right when dove season opens, and I go over there to dove hunt then. That vine goes way up on an oak tree and the ground is usually carpeted with muscadines when they drop.

I'd love to try a batch of wine from them if I can harvest enough.

Remember, even though I rarely make less than 5 gallon batches at a time, you can always make a one gallon jug. I did a few of those when I first started playing with this. The grocery has a lot of one gallon glass jugs of wine. You can enjoy it from them and then make your own with the bottle for years afterwards.

 

[DrHenley]

I actually have a double magnum bottle I have been saving for that purpose. I think it's called a "Jereboam" or something like that. Not quite a gallon though, about .8 gallons but it looks just like a regular wine bottle, just HUGE (and heavy).

It's tinted very dark.

 

[Danil54grl]

Id be making Muscatine jelly out of them. I've tried Muscatine wine before but found it very sweet, almost raisin tasting. I was not a fan but each to their own

 

[Brent S]

Id be making Muscatine jelly out of them. I've tried Muscatine wine before but found it very sweet, almost raisin tasting. I was not a fan but each to their own

You can make it as sweet or as dry as you like, depending on the amount of sugar added. I like semi sweet wines the most. As far as liking wines, well, when you really think of it you are drinking something that has ‘turned’.....
I guess it’s an acquired taste.