📋Concord Grape Wine Fragolino

Concord grape wine (Fragolino in Italian) is a unique marvelous wine for those who have the fortunate chance to taste it. It is a red wine with an intense natural strawberry flavor distinctive to the Concord grape, called Uva Fragola in Italian, strawberry grape. Unfortunately, it has been banned in Europe and cannot be produced commercially. You can only produce for personal consumption, but it is not easy to make.

Course Drinks

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Concord grape wine, Fragolino wine, red strawberry wine

Prep Time 1

150

Total Time 151

Servings bottles

Calories 120kcal

Author Laura Tobin

Equipment

Wine making kit

Ingredients

22 lb Strawberry grapes - Concord grape
0.08 oz Yeasts for winemaking Check quantity on lable
0.03 oz Sulfur dioxide or metabisulphite Check quantity on lable
2.85 quart fresh water
4.4 lb caster sugar
1 pinch Additional pinch of Potassium Metabisulfite (for bottling) (read carefully directions and limitations)

Optional

2.2 lb caster sugar
0,07 Yeast nutrient

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preparation

Remove the grapes from the stems carefully and wash them to ensure they are clean.
Dissolve the dehydrated active yeast in ¼ cup of lukewarm water, cover the mixture, and let it sit for 30 minutes to activate.
Crush the grapes thoroughly to release the pulp and juice—using a potato masher works perfectly for this.
Dissolve 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of sugar in 1.350 liters (1.43 quarts) of water in a separate container to create a syrup.

Fermentation

Add the sugar syrup, the activated yeast mixture, (optional yeast nutrient), and potassium metabisulfite to a fermentation tank containing the crushed grapes and mix everything well.
Attach a lid equipped with an airlock tube filled with liquor or wine to seal the tank.
Place the fermentation tank in a location where the temperature stays between 25°C and 30°C (77°F - 86°F) and wait for fermentation to start, which usually happens within 24 hours.
Stir the grape skins and juice regularly to prevent oxidation as long as the skins remain in the tank.

Racking and Clarification

Remove the grape skins from the tank after about 25 days, when fermentation is almost complete.
Filter the wine to remove impurities.
Add the optional 500 grams (1.1 lbs) of sugar and mix thoroughly.
Re-seal the tank with the airlock and observe; if fermentation is slow or does not restart, the sugar will remain to sweeten the wine.
Transfer the wine to a new container after two days, discarding the sediment that has settled at the bottom.
Seal the container with an airtight lid again.

Bottling

Transfer the wine a second time after another two days, using a pump to discard any remaining sediment.
Add a pinch of Potassium Metabisulfite to stabilize the wine before bottling.
Bottle the wine and wait another 15 days before drinking it.

Notes

Important Note on Metabisulfite: Do not skip this ingredient; it is essential to kill the wild yeasts found on Concord grape skins and prevents the wine from oxidizing or turning into vinegar. However, use it with caution: strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding dosage limitations. Exceeding the recommended amount is dangerous, so never "eyeball" the quantity.

Nutrition