Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Destem Grapes for Wine
How to Destem Grapes for Wine. Stems in grapes can provide extra tannins when you are fermenting your wine, but they can also alter the flavor in undesirable ways. De-stemming your grapes helps to avoid this problem, and also allows you to closely examine your grapes before fermentation. That way, you can easily discard any imperfect grapes....
Stems in grapes can provide extra tannins when you are fermenting your wine, but they can also alter the flavor in undesirable ways. De-stemming your grapes helps to avoid this problem, and also allows you to closely examine your grapes before fermentation. That way, you can easily discard any imperfect grapes. De-stemming is not difficult, but it is time consuming. Consider inviting friends over and offering them some of the finished product if they help you de-stem your grapes.
Things You'll Need
Grapes
Gloves
Bowl or large container
Pick up your grapes and gently pull them, one at a time, from their stems. Make sure the entire stem comes away from the grape when you pull. Do not allow tiny pieces of stem to remain.
Place the grapes in a bowl or other large container to be processed in winemaking. Discard the stems, either in the garbage or through composting.
Wear gloves when handling more acidic grape varieties, such as scuppernong. Take care with all grapes, as continued exposure may irritate skin, especially with very acidic varieties.
Tips & Warnings
In commercial wineries, industrial de-stemming and crushing machines are used. However, these are not practical for most home winemaking operations due to size and cost considerations.
Grapes can stain, so make sure to wear clothes you do not care about when working with your grapes. Also, try to avoid squeezing the grapes very hard while you are de-stemming, particularly if you are interested in whole-berry winemaking. Whole-berry winemaking relies on whole, undamaged grapes to create light, fruity wines.
Discourage friends from snacking on the grapes as they de-stem. Many grapes used in winemaking are not particularly good for eating.
If you want a small amount of extra tannins in a particular wine recipe, consider only de-stemming a portion of the grapes you are using. Ratios of stemmed to de-stemmed grapes can vary based on your recipe, experience and personal preference.
