I have been looking for this recipe for a long time. When I got this house the vine were already here. Thank you.

I've used this recipe for a few years now, it is amazing. In response to a few of the posts below:

1. Lid doesn't have to be air tight, just enough to keep out gnats and flies.
2. I used a water bath canner, but it cannot have any rust or damaged coating, must be very clean.
3. Steel cut oats can be purchased at Wal-mart or ordered from Quaker Oats
4. If you refrigerate after bottling, you can seal it, but still good to wait a couple days after refrigerating before sealing. You may want to wait a couple months before drinking. I made a batch last year using red muscadines, it has been in refrigerator almost a year and it is incredibly smooth now as compared to right after bottling it.

This is our 3rd year using this recipe, always good. We used Carlos bronze scuppernongs the last 2 years but this year not only the Carlos bronze but mixed in a few Muscadines to create our "blush" Very smooth, sweet and potent!!! Eastman, Georgia

How many gallons does this recipe make?

About 2 1/2 gallons.

First time making this wine... Couldn't be easier! Love it!

My first year making wine. My father planted grapes on his farm many years ago. He was sick for 8 years and the grapes were bird and bee food during those years. He died in June and now, of all times, I decide it is time for me to put his beautiful grapes to use. I am on the count down to 28 days. I looked at a lot of recipes. Anyone know why this one uses potatoes and steel cut oats?

Hi Patti, I am a Ga. boy. So sorry to hear about your Dad. I believe this is an adaptation of a famous Ga Muscadine Nursey recipe, where they used 2 or 3 sliced Irish potatoes in the wort. Will try to get hold of Nursey, see if they still have it. The man who owned the place has also since passed away. Will try to get it and post here. I would like to try this one with the oatmeal, sounds yummy. it certainly looks like it going to be a good year for Muscadines. Cheers! Kenneth.

Kenneth... Thanks for the info on the origins of this recipe. If you find out more, let us know. My first wine making adventure will be ready for bottling in the next couple of days. I was afraid it would have the house smelling of rotting grapes but no odor in the house at all... until I remove the lid and stir and then all i smell is alcohol :-) I hope it isn't too strong. I'll let you all know how it turned out soon. If it's good then I'm going to try the same recipe using pears. I have canned pears all week! I figure what the heck... something new to try with pears, right?

I have never made wine before and this looks like a really great easy recipe. any tips on first time wine making?

Dalton, Georgia

Just put up a small batch (1/4) of this recipe. So excited. Thinking I will bottle it and allow it to ferment with a bubbler and rubber cork until it is done. Thoughts? This is my first time making wine, advice graciously accepted!

Made this last year and it was fabulous. It is a great recipe and much less hassle than others I have seen. The only thing is that I would like to try to make the wine a little less sweet. Has anyone ever tried to cut the sugar?

I just put everything in the crock for the Muscadine wine. I was wondering if someone could answer a couple of questions. First time I have made this and looking forward to the 28 day wait, reviews were very helpful. How long will the wine keep after the 28 days and should it be refrigerated? The recipe says "do not seal" is just putting a cork on the best way to preserve after putting in the bottle? Thanks

When your wine is making you want it to off gas the co2 that is produced as a by product of fermentation. Cover container opening with a cloth or lid but do allow air to escape to prevent vessel rupture. When bottling sill tightly until ready to consume. Good luck. I too will be trying this recipe for the first time.

What is steel cut oatmeal and where can you buy it or potato meal? Any common substitutions that your local grocer may carry?

I would like to know if it needs to be air tight... I have put a saucer over the crock with a heavy lid, and the juice is running up in the saucer... Also what does the potato and steel cut oats do?

Can I boil old wine bottles just as I do mason jars when canning? If yes, Do the wine bottles have to sit upright in the pot?

Just decided at the last minute to make wine. Over abundance of grapes this year. What can I use besides a crock? Does it have to be sealed tight or can I cover with plastic? Any help and advice would be appreciated.

My wine turned out surprisingly good! I went in with low expectations :-) But I'm really happy with the way it turned out! I used my enamel pot that I use to boil mason jars for canning for the grapes to ferment and it worked great. I've read on line where others use plastic storage boxes but I thought the fermentation might cause the plastic to eek into my wine. I've read stainless steel works too. This recipe made 6.5 bottles of wine, too! I'm going to make another batch of grape and a batch of pear wine next. Fun stuff!! Way easy recipe. Works really well!!

I am a vintner and I have a similar recipe, passed down to me orally by an Alabama grandma who said it was the first time she ever knew of it being written down. I believe it is quite old. I have not made it yet. Mine uses 1 cup cornmeal tied in cheesecloth, instead of steel cut oatmeal. If you are looking for steel cut oatmeal Bob's Mills makes it and it should be available in any large grocery store. The potato and the meal are used as yeast nutrients and also to counter acidity. BTW, the recipe I was given says that by the time the grapes extract, the total yield of this recipe should be about 2 1/2 gallons with one gallon of water added. That's 12 or 13 750 ml bottles. Looking at the high sugar levels, alcohol by volume ought to be about 18-20%, high for a wine. I plan to make this using a bucket for the first week of primary fermentation, then a carboy (water jug) for secondary fermentation, and then rack the wine off the sediments until it clears and then into bottles. If you want to preserve and stabilize the wine to age it long-term in bottles, go to a winemaking store or obtain online potassium sorbate and potassium metabisulfate and use according to label directions prior to bottling. They are cheap insurance. Cheers!