Popular White Grapes for Home Winemakers
Ever consider making white wine at home but needed some advice on what grapes to use? Here’s the list of the most popular white wine grapes you’ve been looking for to help you get started.
Try these four white wine grapes:
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Muscat
Riesling
Why these grapes? Here are some reasons for choosing these white grapes to try in your home winemaking cellar:
• Chardonnay – One of the world’s most popular grapes and ages for 5-10 years made in a wide range of styles from lean, sparkling to rich, creamy white wines aged in oak. It’s primary flavors include: yellow apple, pineapple, vanilla and butter with a taste profile that makes it a dry, medium bodied wine with medium acidity and 13.5–15% ABV
• Sauvignon Blanc – Loved for its “green” herbal flavors and racy acidity; ages 3-5 years and has primary flavors of gooseberry, honeydew, grapefruit, white peach and passion fruit and makes a dry medium to light bodied wine with high acidity and 11.5–13.5% ABV
• Muscat – This grape is available in many styles, from dry to sweet to still, sparkling, and fortified, ages 3-5 years with primary flavors including orange blossom, Meyer lemon, Mandarin orange, pear and honeysuckle that produces an off-dry light bodied white wine with medium to high acidity and under 10% ABV
• Riesling – An aromatic white variety that can produce white wines ranging in style from bone-dry to very sweet; ages over 10 years. Its primary flavors include lime, green apple, beeswax, jasmine and petroleum and produces an off-dry wine with a light body, with high acidity and under 10% ABV
Which white wine grape will you try this season? We’d love to hear your experience with these popular grapes.
Email sales@juicegrape.com or call 877-812-1137 to order or discus making wine from home!
Sources
Written by Michelle Griffis aka the Nutmeg Nose from MWG
1ST WHITE WINE GRAPES TO BE HARVESTED AUGUST 30TH
(Pictured above Albarino from King’s River Ranch at 20.5 Brix)
Albarino, French Colombard, Muscat, Fiano, Sauvignon Blanc, and Vermentino will be some of the first white wine grapes coming off the vine very soon. Coming in at Brix 22.5 – 24.0, they should be harvested around August 30th and in Hartford, CT by September 7th.
This season’s wine harvest is fast approaching. Download our Harvest Menu to check out what we will be offering this season. Please email sales@juicegrape.com or call 877-812-1137 to order.
Sauvignon Blanc Paired with Mexican 7 Layer Dip Recipe
Who doesn’t love a good Sauvignon Blanc? Whether it’s from California, France, Chile, South Africa, or New Zealand you can always count on it being fresh and crisp. The perfect pairing with Ashley’s favorite 7 layer bean dip recipe. It’s the ultimate combination of Mexican flavors including refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, tomatoes, green onions and black olives. It’s super easy to make and can be made ahead of time, stored in the refrigerator and served cold or at room temperature.
What you’ll need:
- Refried beans
- Taco seasoning
- Guacamole
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Tomatoes
- Black olives
- Green onions
- Lime
- Salt & Pepper
How to do it:
- In a bowl, mix the refried beans and taco seasoning together.
- Spread the refried beans onto a casserole dish.
- On top of the bean spread, add your layer of guacamole. Add some salt & pepper and squeeze a lime over to get the extra flavor packed in.
- Add a layer of sour cream.
- Add a layer of diced tomatoes.
- Add a layer of sour cream.
- Top with your sliced olives and green onions.
- If you’d like the extra kick, add some chopped jalapeños.
- Cover and pop in the fridge! Easy peasy.
- When it comes to serving, it can be served chilled or at room temperature with a bowl of tortilla corn chips.
As always, adding wine make everything 10 times better – A gutsy, grassy white wine like Sauvignon Blanc will go with the crunchy corn tortillas, while the melted cheddar cheese will harmonize with an easy going wine like Grenache.
Notes from our Winemaker Frank Renaldi about the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc: Primary Fermentation
Notes from our Winemaker Frank Renaldi about the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc:
Primary Fermentation
“Wine fermenting for 7 days slow and steady. Down to 4 brix. Nice nose and color as we wind down. Wine did get near 65F. I wet a bed sheet twice a day with cold water and wrapped around stainless tank. This helped keep the temp at 60F – nice and cool for a white wine. Too hot and you will blow off the nose.”
Don’t forget to sign up for the Spring Bootcamp with winemaker Frank Renadli! Learn how to make great wine at home in just 5 weeks!
Notes from our Winemaker Frank Renaldi about the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc: After the Press
Notes from our Winemaker Frank Renaldi about the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc:
After the Press
“Adjusted Brix to 21.5 (11.8% alcohol). Adjusted with Tartaric Acid to get pH = 3.24 and TA = .60. Will have to acidify after fermentation. Could have adjusted further, but ta would still be low (desired .7 – .9). Used Vin13 yeast – Very slow start. Took over 24 hours to get started. Still at 58 degree with a slow cool fermentation. No big nose yet. Looking forward to reporting more on the results once fermentation has completed.”
Don’t forget to sign up for the Spring Bootcamp with winemaker Frank Renadli! Learn how to make great wine at home in just 5 weeks!
Notes from our Winemaker Frank Renaldi about the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc
Notes from our Winemaker Frank Renaldi about the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc
“Good day, Grapes looked really good. No mold, clean, juicy. Let set with enzyme for 5 hours. Good press. Tomorrow will measure, adjust and add goodies and pitch yeast.” – We are sold out of the white grapes but still have some reds grapes and white & red juices available Give us a call at the office to secure your order!
Don’t forget to sign up for the Spring Bootcamp with winemaker Frank Renadli! Learn how to make great wine at home in just 5 weeks!
White Wine Grapes from Chile
Hello Winemakers!
Below are the Brix numbers for the White Wine Grapes from Chile. We received Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier early this morning. We are looking forward to you all picking up and enjoying the white wine grapes of Chile! It looks like it’s going to be a great vintage!
Chardonnay: 22.5
Pinot Grigio: 23.5
Sauvignon Blanc: 23.0
Viognier: 22.5
The reds should be arriving in early May, we will keep you updated as soon as the grapes clear customs! Keep an eye on our blog, harvest tracker, and social media platforms.
Brix (°Bx) is a way to measure the potential alcohol content of a wine before it’s made by determining the sugar level in grapes. Each gram of sugar that’s fermented will turn into about a 1/2 gram of alcohol. (description via Wine Folly)
*Please keep in mind these numbers are only sample of what arrived from Chile. Please make sure to take your own Brix readings when you receive your grapes for the best possible fermentation outcome.
Thank you and Happy Winemaking! 🙂
Yeast Pairings for Chilean Wine Grapes
Yeast Pairings for Chilean Wine Grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon: BM45, BM4X4, D80, RC212, D254
Cabernet Franc: BM45, RP15, D254, D80, BDX
Petite Verdot: BM4X4, D80, D254
Chardonnay: QA23, VIN13, D47, COTE DES BLANCS
Pinot Grigio: 71B, VIN13, QA23, R2
Sauvignon Blanc: VIN13, QA23, R2, D47, V1116
Which yeast will you use? 🙂
Also, don’t forget to watch our Youtube Video on “Yeast & Stuck Fermentation”
Cheers! And Happy Winemaking!
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