Mustang Wines, Sherries, and/or Meads

• 1 quart Mustang Grape juice
• 3 quarts water
• 1-3/4 lb granulated sugar
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 packet Champagne or Montrachet wine yeast

Dissolve sugar in water and add juice and yeast nutrient in primary fermentation vessel. Check Specific Gravity with hydrometer to ensure it is at least 1.090. If shy of this number, add additional sugar as required (see http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/hydrom.asp for table). Sprinkle yeast on top of must (do not stir into liquid) and cover with a clean cloth. Stir into liquid when evidence of fermentation is obvious. Ferment until S.G. drops to 1.020 or lower (6-7 days). Siphon off sediments into secondary and fit airlock. Rack every 30 days until wine clears, topping up each time. When wine clears, wait another 30 days, rack and bottle. If you want to sweeten the wine, stabilize before final racking, wait additional 10 days, rack, sweeten to taste, and bottle. This wine will be drinkable right away, but like all red wines it will improve with age. I would let it sit at least a year before drinking. [Author’s recipes]