This Homemade Old-Fashioned Muscadine Wine Recipe Will Take You Back (2024)

Learn how to make homemade muscadine wine—all you need is some simple ingredients and a little time!

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Diana Rattray

This Homemade Old-Fashioned Muscadine Wine Recipe Will Take You Back (1)

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

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Updated on 02/26/24

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This Homemade Old-Fashioned Muscadine Wine Recipe Will Take You Back (2)

Prep: 2 hrs

Cook: 0 mins

Fermentation Time: 1,008 hrs

Total: 1,010 hrs

Servings: 25 servings

Yield: 1 gallon

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Sweet, tart and tasty muscadine grapes are native to the United States, but if you've never heard of them, that's probably because muscadine grapes aren't commercially farmed like other grapes, and their wine isn't currently as sought after as wine from other varieties. That's a shame because learning how to make muscadine wine will not only give you serious DIY cred, but it will also give you delicious wine to drink and share with family and friends.

Our recipe for muscadine wine makes a sweet, old-fashioned wine that's ready to enjoy after about eight weeks of fermentation. Read on for everything you need to know about the process of making and fermenting the best muscadine wine.

What Exactly Are Muscadine Grapes?

Muscadine grapes are still cultivated in the South, mainly because they do well in warm, humid climates and because that's where they were originally found. The grapes range in color from green and bronze to deep purple, are larger than other grapes used for making wine, and have tougher skins and seeds. They mature in late summer and early fall and have worked their way into the culinary repertoire of the South in the form of jams, jellies, fruit butter, pies, juice, and especially wine.

Are Muscadine and Scuppernong Grapes the Same?

Thescuppernongis a variety of muscadine named after a river in North Carolina, but it is not the exact same as muscadine. Both grapes grow wild and are now domesticated in the southeastern United States. Scuppernongs are usually greenish bronze, while muscadines are typically dark bluish purple. Technically, you can call any scuppernong grape a muscadine, but you can't call a muscadine grape a scuppernong.

Many people use scuppernongs interchangeably with muscadines, but in addition to thecolor,the flavor is different. Muscadines are sweeter than many kinds of grapes, more similar to Concord grapes. Scuppernongs are tarter. Muscadines and scuppernongs both have thick skins and don't grow in bunches like traditional grapes but instead, in clusters like blueberries.

Why Muscadine Grapes Are So Great for Making Wine

Muscadine grapes yield both white and red wines, and they're famous as sweet wines because, in the past, a lot of sugar was added to resemble the flavors of other types of grapes. Now that processes are changing, the production of muscadine wine is shifting and giving birth to bottles of refreshing and medium-bodied wines that, although typically sweeter than other wines, are wonderful accompaniments for dessert and great as post-dinner caps.

Since this recipe will strain the liquids from the solids, it's not necessary to remove the skin and seeds from the grapes before mashing them. The recipe calls for 1 quart of mashed grapes; you'll need about 4 pounds of grapes to produce that amount. This kind of process can also be done with regular grapes or blackberries.

Tips for Making the Best Muscadine Wine

  • Sanitize your tools, containers, measuring cups and spoons, and bottles—It's imperative to sanitize everything you'll use for making and fermenting your wine to prevent bacteria and mold from growing. You can use a sanitizing solution such as Star San or use the sanitize setting on your dishwasher (if you have one). While for home fermentation projects you only need to sanitize, not sterilize, if you prefer to go the extra step or don't have sanitizing solution, you can sterilize containers and other implements for at least 10 minutes and then allow them to air-dry before use. We also recommend choosing implements that stand up to sanitizing solution or can go in the dishwasher, such as silicone spoons over wooden spoons.
  • Mash the grapes well—Before you turn your grapes into wine, you'll need to mash them. You can simply use a potato masher to crush them until they are well mashed.
  • Skip the sulfites—Sulfites are additives that help preserve foods and beverages, and without them, products don't last as long. While you can add sulfites to homemade wine to extend its shelf life, it's not necessary. The clean bottles guarantee that there will be no bacterial growth or mold, but the lack of sulfites does shorten the shelf life so be sure to consume your homemade wine within three to six months, and discard it if you see or smell any signs of mold or spoilage.
  • Opt for filtered water—We recommend using filtered water rather than water right out of the tap to make your wine. Not only does filtered water make for a better tasting wine, but tap water contains chlorine that can kill the yeast used to make this wine.

What You'll Need to Make This Muscadine Wine Recipe

Ingredients

  • 6 cups granulated sugar

  • 3 quarts filtered water

  • 1 quart mashed muscadine grapes

  • 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast (7 grams)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a large, cleaned, and sanitized gallon-sized glass container, dissolve 6 cups granulated sugar in 3 quarts filtered water.

  3. Add 1 quart mashed muscadine grapes to water and sprinkle 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast over top, but don't stir. Cover container with a clean cheesecloth or kitchen towel and place in a dark and cool area, ideally between 68 F and 72 F. Let mixture rest for 24 hours.

  4. Once a day has passed, stir mixture well and cover again, returning it to a dark and cool area. From this moment on, you need to stir mixture every day at the same time, for a full week.

  5. After seven days of stirring and resting, strain liquid into another clean and sanitized gallon container with an air lock.

  6. Fill with additional filtered water to come up to the top of the gallon container. Let wine ferment for six weeks in a cool and dark place.

  7. After six weeks, strain liquid again and place it in a clean galloncontainer. Cap lightly for three days to allow for any more fermentation to cease.

  8. Pour wine intobottles with an airtight cap and store in a cool, dark place.

How Much Alcohol Is In Muscadine Wine?

Muscadine wine has an average alcohol content of 10 percent ABV.

How to Store Homemade Muscadine

Store your homemade muscadine in a cool, dark place. Properly stored in bottles that were well sanitized, the wine should last 3 to 6 months. However, any faulty smell, the appearance of mold, or any change in texture should be sufficient alarm for you to get rid of the wine. This means that the containers, tools, or bottles were improperly sanitized.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
207Calories
0g Fat
53g Carbs
0g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 25
Amount per serving
Calories207
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 6mg0%
Total Carbohydrate 53g19%
Dietary Fiber 1g5%
Total Sugars 48g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 2mg12%
Calcium 17mg1%
Iron 0mg1%
Potassium 77mg2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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This Homemade Old-Fashioned Muscadine Wine Recipe Will Take You Back (2024)

FAQs

Why is muscadine wine not popular? ›

The sweetness of these wines is not natural, as most Muscadine winemakers add a lot of sugar to help to counteract the natural bitterness of the grape. Many wine lovers are put off by the intense bruised fruit flavors of Muscadine wine. Even the smell can be somewhat overwhelming.

How much alcohol is in homemade muscadine wine? ›

1 - For white muscadines immediately crush & press the grapes to remove the grape skins, pulp and seeds and pour juice into a carboy. Measure the Brix to determine how much sugar to add to bring the potential alcohol up to 10-11%.

How to make muscadine wine step by step? ›

Steps to Make It

Add 1 quart mashed muscadine grapes to water and sprinkle 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast over top, but don't stir. Cover container with a clean cheesecloth or kitchen towel and place in a dark and cool area, ideally between 68 F and 72 F. Let mixture rest for 24 hours.

Is muscadine wine good for your heart? ›

The antioxidants in wine, including resveratrol found in muscadine wine, appear to help significantly reduce the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other conditions that may lead to heart disease. Antioxidants, like those found in muscadine wine, help reduce the number of free radicals in your body.

Are muscadine grapes bad for you? ›

Muscadine grapes are fat free, high in fiber and they are high in antioxidants, especially ellagic acid and resveratrol. Ellagic acid has demonstrated anticarcinogenic properties in the colon, lungs and liver of mice. Resveratrol is reported to lower cholesterol levels and the risk of coronary heart disease.

What is the best yeast for homemade muscadine wine? ›

The wine yeast recommended for the Scuppernong is the Lalvin type: K1V-1116; for the Muscadine the Red Star type: Pasture Blanc is recommended.

Why does my muscadine wine taste like vinegar? ›

If it tastes of vinegar it sounds very much like you have got an infection in the wine. The normal cause is at the end of fermentation something might have got into the brew (like a fly) which will have caused this. This will happen when the wine is hanging around waiting to be degassed, fined, and bottled.

How long should muscadine wine ferment? ›

Allow this mixture (must) to ferment for 5 to 7 days. You should start to see some foaming activity within 24 hours of adding the wine yeast. Typically, 70% of the fermentation activity will occur during this 5 to 7 day period. After 5 to 7 days remove the pulp from the fermenter and discard.

Should you wash muscadines before making wine? ›

One can wash the grapes to remove "detritus from the field" but it is not really necessary unless the grapes are horribly soiled - and then one might ask why one is making wine from them anyway!

Can muscadine wine be dry? ›

Muscadine wine can be red, white or rosé, and be either made still or sparkling. It can be vinified sweet, off-dry or dry.

Can you freeze muscadines for wine? ›

The flavor and color of the juices from frozen stored grapes were accept- able, with no indications of off-flavors or excessive browning. Results indicate that whole muscadines may be frozen for later processing into juice, jelly, preserves, wine, and other products.

How much sugar is in a gallon of muscadine wine? ›

This wine may be sweetened before bottling by stabilizing, waiting 10-12 hours, then adding 2/3 to 1-1/3 cup sugar-water per gallon (2 parts sugar dissolved in 1 part water. May taste after one year, but improves remarkably with age (2-4 years).

What does muscadine do for the body? ›

The muscadine peel is a rich source of antioxidants, dietary fiber, flavonoids, and other beneficial phytochemicals including high levels of resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound reported to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The fruit's other beneficial compounds include anthocyanins and ellagic acid.

Do muscadines raise blood sugar? ›

Muscadine Naturals' supplements contain a high concentration of polyphenols, which are plant compounds that have been shown to have numerous health benefits. These polyphenols can help reduce blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity, making them a potentially valuable addition to a diabetes management plan.

Are muscadines healthier than grapes? ›

Muscadine grapes contain particularly high concentrations of polyphenols as compared to other grape varieties. The highest concentrations of these healthful phytonutrients are in the skins and seeds of the grapes.

Is there a market for muscadine grapes? ›

They can be sold wholesale to wineries and processors or fresh market buyers such as grocery chains.

What's the difference between Moscato and muscadine? ›

The Italian Muscato grapes belong to the species Vitis vinifera. Also known as Muscat, these grapes are grown all around the world. Muscadine grapes are predominately grown in the south eastern region of the United States. They are a different species of grapes known as Vitis rotundifolia.

Is Moscato the same as muscadine wine? ›

Muscadine, not to be confused with Muscat or Moscato, is a grape variety native to America that has been used for making dry wine and port-style wine since the 16th century. The grape's winemaking history started near St. Augustine, Florida, but presently finds its roots all over the southeastern states of America.

Why are muscadines not producing? ›

In a number of fruit crops, having fruit depends on having year-old wood. Blueberries, muscadines, and peaches are examples. If these plants are pruned in a way that removes all growth from the previous season, the plant will not flower and thus will not produce fruit.

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