How to Make Wine Out of Mustang Grapes

Mustang grapes are common in Texas. They grow wild both there and in all the nearby states as far as Alabama. They even grow in Mexico. The vines can reach great size and produce a lot of fruit, but they are also strongly acidic and make for terrible eating. However, that very acidity means that--with a little care--Mustang grapes lend themselves well to making a dry red wine.

Things You'll Need

• Acidity testing kit
• Sugar
• Spring water
• Campden tablets
• Winemaking sulfur
• Plastic vats for primary fermentation
• Containers for secondary fermentation (glass or plastic water jugs will do)
• Winemaking air locks
• Strainer
• Yeast

Instructions

1. Harvest your grapes. Mustang grapes should be ready for picking between late June and early July. Keep in mind that you will need to start making wine the same day you harvest your grapes.

2. Remove the stems. Wash the grapes. Crush the grapes.

3. Pour the crushed grapes and juice, now called a "must," into a vat for primary fermentation. Add 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of sugar and 5 to 6 pints of water to the must for every 6 to 8 pounds of grapes you crushed. Do this to balance the high acidity. Do not add more sugar than this in an effort to make the wine sweeter, or you may retard fermentation with too much sugar.

4. Add a Campden sulfur tablet to kill unwanted bacteria. Stir. Cover for 24 hours.

5. Add yeast.

6. Return twice a day to push down and stir the "cap" that your must will form. This is made of foam and grape debris. It should not be removed. Continue this process for roughly one week.

7. Strain the fluid to remove the cap debris.

8. Reduce the acidity to 7 parts per thousand (p.p.t.) tartaric or less. This can be done with calcium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, or simply by adding water. Diluting with water is the least desirable method.

9. 

   Pour into your secondary fermentation containers, stopping them with wine making airlocks. Leave in place for three weeks.

10. Return and redistribute the wine to top up the containers. Use a little sulfur to kill bacteria. Restore the airlocks. Leave them as is for three months.

11. Bottle and store. Mustang wine will require about 3 years of aging in the bottle to mellow it properly.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear big rubber gloves while working with Mustang grapes. They are acidic enough that they can cause skin irritations, and making wine from them will mean a lot of contact with the juice.

Resources

• E.C. Kraus Wine Making Supplies
• Grapestompers Wine Making Supplies