Grape Juice Concentrate For Wine Making

PROS:

• AVAILABILITY: Easily found year-round, regardless of local grape season.

• CONCENTRATION: Higher sugar content means quicker fermentation and higher final alcohol levels.
• CONSISTENCY: Controlled sugar levels and lack of variable fresh grape characteristics can produce more consistent results.
• STORAGE: The packages are compact and shelf-stable, requiring minimal space and preserving well.
• VARIETY: Different concentrates (red, white, specific varietals) offer flexibility in creating desired wine styles.

CONS:

• FLAVOUR PROFILE: This may lack the complexity and nuance of fresh grapes, resulting in more straightforward, less characterful wines.
• NUTRITION: Concentrates can be stripped of nutrients and yeast-friendly elements in fresh juice.
• ADDITTIVES: Some concentrates may contain preservatives or added enzymes, requiring additional attention during wine-making.

Here are some factors to consider when using grape juice concentrate:

• TYPE OF CONCENTRATE: Choose red, white, or a specific variety based on your desired wine style.
•  QUALITY: Opt for concentrates from good quality grapes, preferably organic or with minimal additives.
• INSTRUCTIONS: Follow the concentrate manufacturer's instructions for rehydration, nutrient additions, and yeast selection.
• SUPPLEMENTATION: Consider adding extra nutrients and yeast to compensate for potential deficiencies in the concentrate.
• EXPERIMENTATION: Don't be afraid to experiment with different concentrates and techniques to find the best for you.

Remember, using grape juice concentrate is a valid approach to home wine-making, but it's essential to manage expectations and consider the potential limitations compared to fresh grapes. You can still produce delicious and enjoyable wines from concentrate with careful selection, preparation, and practice.

By crushing and pulping grapes into a liquid grape juice is obtained. The fluid is often sold in packets or bottles in supermarkets, or it is fermented and made into wine, brandy, or vinegar.  Grape juice can also be pasteurised, which will remove any naturally occurring yeast, the resulting liquid will not ferment if kept sterile, and therefore contains no alcohol.  When making wine, grape juice that contains 7–23% of pulp, skins, stems and seeds is referred to as "must".