Creating Delicious Riesling Wine from Grape Concentrate

Introduction to Riesling Wine

Riesling is a beloved white wine known for its aromatic profile and refreshing taste. If you're looking to make your own Riesling wine using grape concentrate, you're in for a treat! This homemade approach allows you to craft a wine tailored to your personal taste, all while enjoying the magic of winemaking. Let’s dive into the simple yet rewarding process!

Ingredients and Equipment Needed

Before you start, gather your supplies. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 Gallon of Riesling grape concentrate

• Water (to achieve desired volume)

• Yeast nutrient such as Fermaid O.

• Wine yeast such as Lalvin 71B

• Potassium Metabisulfite

• Bentonite

• Sparkolloid

• Sugar

Make sure everything is sanitized to prevent unwanted bacteria in your wine!

Step-by-Step Winemaking Process

Now that you’ve got everything prepared, let’s break down the process in simple steps:

1. Mix the Concentrate: In your fermentation vessel, combine the Riesling grape concentrate with enough water to make about one gallon of must. Stir well to ensure even mixing. Make acid adjustments to get pH to 3.5. I like to use citric acid.

2. Add Yeast: Add Fermaid O for yeast nutrient. Hydrate yeast with GoFerm before pitching.

3. Fermentation Stage: Place an airlock on your fermentation vessel. Keep it in a cool, dark area (around 65-75°F is ideal). Fermentation should begin within a few days, marked by bubbling in the airlock.

4. Racking: After about one week rack wine to get off the gross lees. After another week or two when the bubbling slows down, it's time to rack your wine again. Gently siphon the wine off the sediment into a clean secondary vessel. Be careful not to disturb the sediment at the bottom.

5. Potassium metabisulfite: to stop and prevent refermentation at 60ppm.

6. Degassing: Stir the wine multiple times to degas and get the wine flat.

7. Back Sweeten/Bench Trials: Add sugar or flavors to your liking. Can take small samples and make adjustments to them to figure out what you want before adding it to the bulk of your batch.

8. Clarifying the Wine: After racking, add your chosen clarifying agent such as Bentonite and Sparkolloid according to package instructions. This step helps clear up your Riesling, making it visually appealing.

9. Final Racking and Aging: A week later, once clarification is complete, rack the wine again to remove any additional sediment. Do your final racking after an additional week or two.

10. Bottling: When you're satisfied with the clarity and flavor, it's time to bottle. Option to add potassium sorbate for shelf stability. Fill your bottles, cork them securely, and store them upright for a few days, then place them on their sides.

And there you have it! Your very own Riesling wine made from grape concentrate. Enjoy the fruits of your labor, and don’t forget to share with friends and family!

Conclusion and Enjoyment

Crafting Riesling wine from grape concentrate not only satisfies your thirst for a refreshing drink, but it also gives you a rewarding experience from grapes to glass. As your wine ages, you’ll discover its unique flavors and aromas. So pour yourself a glass, relax, and toast to your winemaking adventure!