Why Muscadine?
Muscadines are native to the American southeast and differ from traditional winegrapes in several interesting ways.
Muscadines have two more chromosomes (40 vs. 38), produce much larger berries on smaller, looser clusters, and have thicker skins. From a viticultural perspective, Muscadines are much more resistant to diseases and insect pests and are often grown without the use of pesticides, conventional or organic. From a winemaking perspective, muscadines tend to have higher acid and lower sugar at maturity.
Muscadines also have higher concentrations of potentially healthful polyphenolic compounds like resveratrol and ellagic acid. The North Carolina Muscadine Grape Association has some excellent references on this subject. It should be noted, however, that any health benefits from muscadine grapes or muscadine grape extracts should not be assumed to necessarily translate into wine made from those grapes, and the preceding statements should not encourage you to drink or increase your alcohol consumption for health reasons.
As this is a new endeavor, and one that some may think is beyond the capability of the humble muscadine, a clear set of objectives informed by a detailed understanding of what it means for a wine to be considered a fine wine are in order.
Why Muscadine?
Muscadines are native to the American southeast and differ from traditional winegrapes in several interesting ways.
They have two more chromosomes (40 vs. 38), produce much larger berries on smaller, looser clusters, and have thicker skins. From a viticultural perspective, Muscadines are much more resistant to diseases and insect pests and are often grown without the use of pesticides, conventional or organic. From a winemaking perspective, muscadines tend to have higher acid and lower sugar at maturity.
Muscadines also have higher concentrations of potentially healthful polyphenolic compounds like resveratrol and ellagic acid. The North Carolina Muscadine Grape Association has some excellent references on this subject. It should be noted, however, that any health benefits from muscadine grapes or muscadine grape extracts should not be assumed to necessarily translate into wine made from those grapes, and the preceding statements should not encourage you to drink or increase your alcohol consumption for health reasons.
As this is a new endeavor, and one that some may think is beyond the capability of the humble muscadine, a clear set of objectives informed by a detailed understanding of what it means for a wine to be considered a fine wine are in order.
There exist several useful and interesting definitions of fine wine. Two of my favorites are the Areni Global definition of Fine Wine, and the Nine Attributes of Greatness according to Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible: Distinctiveness, Precision, Balance, Complexity, Beyond Fruitness, Length, Choreography, Connectedness, and Ability to Evoke an Emotional Response. With these as a general starting point, I propose five straight-forward objectives for creating Fine Muscadine Wines:
1. Embrace the unique aroma characteristics and acid profile of muscadine grapes
2. Exhibit balance and complexity
3. Elevate the cuisine and culture of the regions where muscadines are grown
4. Differentiate themselves from the traditional (sweet/flavored) style of muscadine wine in the way they express alcohol, sweetness, and acidity
5. Have the ability to age well
This set of objectives could apply to any type of Fine Muscadine, be it still, sparkling, Port-like, or anything else.
It’s very exciting to be working in largely unexplored realm of winemaking! Efforts to-date have focused on exploring the impact of traditional old-world winemaking techniques on muscadine grapes. Thus far, my trials have been limited to the Carlos (a white grape) and Noble (a red grape) varieties of muscadine. Winemaking techniques that have been or are currently being evaluated include: sparkling winemaking (both Charmat and traditional), fermenting and aging on seeds, carbonic maceration, and barrel aging. The results thus far have been both interesting and inspiring! They have confirmed for me that Fine Muscadines are not only possible, but worthy of a place at the dinner table!
Our Story
Much of modern winemaking in the United States seeks to achieve (or perhaps exceed?) standards-of-type long established in Europe. Indeed, American wineries often incorporate other facets of European culture like cuisine, music, and even architecture. While we can’t deny European influence on American culture, we can create our own unique and fully-integrated wine experiences that aren’t simply attempts to duplicate those found in Europe. Crafting fine wines from muscadine grapes is a first step to that end.
Muscadines are native to the American southeast and differ from traditional winegrapes in several interesting ways.
They have two more chromosomes (40 vs. 38), produce much larger berries on smaller, looser clusters, and have thicker skins. From a viticultural perspective, Muscadines are much more resistant to diseases and insect pests and are often grown without the use of pesticides, conventional or organic. From a winemaking perspective, muscadines tend to have higher acid and lower sugar at maturity.
Muscadines also have higher concentrations of potentially healthful polyphenolic compounds like resveratrol and ellagic acid. The North Carolina Muscadine Grape Association has some excellent references on this subject. It should be noted, however, that any health benefits from muscadine grapes or muscadine grape extracts should not be assumed to necessarily translate into wine made from those grapes, and the preceding statements should not encourage you to drink or increase your alcohol consumption for health reasons.
As this is a new endeavor, and one that some may think is beyond the capability of the humble muscadine, a clear set of objectives informed by a detailed understanding of what it means for a wine to be considered a fine wine are in order.
There exist several useful and interesting definitions of fine wine. Two of my favorites are the Areni Global definition of Fine Wine, and the Nine Attributes of Greatness according to Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible: Distinctiveness, Precision, Balance, Complexity, Beyond Fruitness, Length, Choreography, Connectedness, and Ability to Evoke an Emotional Response. With these as a general starting point, I propose five straight-forward objectives for creating Fine Muscadine Wines:
1. Embrace the unique aroma characteristics and acid profile of muscadine grapes
2. Exhibit balance and complexity
3. Elevate the cuisine and culture of the regions where muscadines are grown
4. Differentiate themselves from the traditional (sweet/flavored) style of muscadine wine in the way they express alcohol, sweetness, and acidity
5. Have the ability to age well
This set of objectives could apply to any type of Fine Muscadine, be it still, sparkling, Port-like, or anything else.
It’s very exciting to be working in largely unexplored realm of winemaking! Efforts to-date have focused on exploring the impact of traditional old-world winemaking techniques on muscadine grapes. Thus far, my trials have been limited to the Carlos (a white grape) and Noble (a red grape) varieties of muscadine. Winemaking techniques that have been or are currently being evaluated include: sparkling winemaking (both Charmat and traditional), fermenting and aging on seeds, carbonic maceration, and barrel aging. The results thus far have been both interesting and inspiring! They have confirmed for me that Fine Muscadines are not only possible, but worthy of a place at the dinner table!
Why Muscadine?
Muscadines are native to the American southeast and differ from traditional winegrapes in several interesting ways.
They have two more chromosomes (40 vs. 38), produce much larger berries on smaller, looser clusters, and have thicker skins. From a viticultural perspective, Muscadines are much more resistant to diseases and insect pests and are often grown without the use of pesticides, conventional or organic. From a winemaking perspective, muscadines tend to have higher acid and lower sugar at maturity.
Muscadines also have higher concentrations of potentially healthful polyphenolic compounds like resveratrol and ellagic acid. The North Carolina Muscadine Grape Association has some excellent references on this subject. It should be noted, however, that any health benefits from muscadine grapes or muscadine grape extracts should not be assumed to necessarily translate into wine made from those grapes, and the preceding statements should not encourage you to drink or increase your alcohol consumption for health reasons.
As this is a new endeavor, and one that some may think is beyond the capability of the humble muscadine, a clear set of objectives informed by a detailed understanding of what it means for a wine to be considered a fine wine are in order.
Why Muscadine?
Muscadines are native to the American southeast and differ from traditional winegrapes in several interesting ways.
They have two more chromosomes (40 vs. 38), produce much larger berries on smaller, looser clusters, and have thicker skins. From a viticultural perspective, Muscadines are much more resistant to diseases and insect pests and are often grown without the use of pesticides, conventional or organic. From a winemaking perspective, muscadines tend to have higher acid and lower sugar at maturity.
Muscadines also have higher concentrations of potentially healthful polyphenolic compounds like resveratrol and ellagic acid. The North Carolina Muscadine Grape Association has some excellent references on this subject. It should be noted, however, that any health benefits from muscadine grapes or muscadine grape extracts should not be assumed to necessarily translate into wine made from those grapes, and the preceding statements should not encourage you to drink or increase your alcohol consumption for health reasons.
As this is a new endeavor, and one that some may think is beyond the capability of the humble muscadine, a clear set of objectives informed by a detailed understanding of what it means for a wine to be considered a fine wine are in order.
There exist several useful and interesting definitions of fine wine. Two of my favorites are the Areni Global definition of Fine Wine, and the Nine Attributes of Greatness according to Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible: Distinctiveness, Precision, Balance, Complexity, Beyond Fruitness, Length, Choreography, Connectedness, and Ability to Evoke an Emotional Response. With these as a general starting point, I propose five straight-forward objectives for creating Fine Muscadine Wines:
1. Embrace the unique aroma characteristics and acid profile of muscadine grapes
2. Exhibit balance and complexity
3. Elevate the cuisine and culture of the regions where muscadines are grown
4. Differentiate themselves from the traditional (sweet/flavored) style of muscadine wine in the way they express alcohol, sweetness, and acidity
5. Have the ability to age well
This set of objectives could apply to any type of Fine Muscadine, be it still, sparkling, Port-like, or anything else.
It’s very exciting to be working in largely unexplored realm of winemaking! Efforts to-date have focused on exploring the impact of traditional old-world winemaking techniques on muscadine grapes. Thus far, my trials have been limited to the Carlos (a white grape) and Noble (a red grape) varieties of muscadine. Winemaking techniques that have been or are currently being evaluated include: sparkling winemaking (both Charmat and traditional), fermenting and aging on seeds, carbonic maceration, and barrel aging. The results thus far have been both interesting and inspiring! They have confirmed for me that Fine Muscadines are not only possible, but worthy of a place at the dinner table!
Our Story
Much of modern winemaking in the United States seeks to achieve (or perhaps exceed?) standards-of-type long established in Europe. Indeed, American wineries often incorporate other facets of European culture like cuisine, music, and even architecture. While we can’t deny European influence on American culture, we can create our own unique and fully-integrated wine experiences that aren’t simply attempts to duplicate those found in Europe. Crafting fine wines from muscadine grapes is a first step to that end.
Muscadines are native to the American southeast and differ from traditional winegrapes in several interesting ways.
They have two more chromosomes (40 vs. 38), produce much larger berries on smaller, looser clusters, and have thicker skins. From a viticultural perspective, Muscadines are much more resistant to diseases and insect pests and are often grown without the use of pesticides, conventional or organic. From a winemaking perspective, muscadines tend to have higher acid and lower sugar at maturity.
Muscadines also have higher concentrations of potentially healthful polyphenolic compounds like resveratrol and ellagic acid. The North Carolina Muscadine Grape Association has some excellent references on this subject. It should be noted, however, that any health benefits from muscadine grapes or muscadine grape extracts should not be assumed to necessarily translate into wine made from those grapes, and the preceding statements should not encourage you to drink or increase your alcohol consumption for health reasons.
As this is a new endeavor, and one that some may think is beyond the capability of the humble muscadine, a clear set of objectives informed by a detailed understanding of what it means for a wine to be considered a fine wine are in order.
There exist several useful and interesting definitions of fine wine. Two of my favorites are the Areni Global definition of Fine Wine, and the Nine Attributes of Greatness according to Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible: Distinctiveness, Precision, Balance, Complexity, Beyond Fruitness, Length, Choreography, Connectedness, and Ability to Evoke an Emotional Response. With these as a general starting point, I propose five straight-forward objectives for creating Fine Muscadine Wines:
1. Embrace the unique aroma characteristics and acid profile of muscadine grapes
2. Exhibit balance and complexity
3. Elevate the cuisine and culture of the regions where muscadines are grown
4. Differentiate themselves from the traditional (sweet/flavored) style of muscadine wine in the way they express alcohol, sweetness, and acidity
5. Have the ability to age well
This set of objectives could apply to any type of Fine Muscadine, be it still, sparkling, Port-like, or anything else.
It’s very exciting to be working in largely unexplored realm of winemaking! Efforts to-date have focused on exploring the impact of traditional old-world winemaking techniques on muscadine grapes. Thus far, my trials have been limited to the Carlos (a white grape) and Noble (a red grape) varieties of muscadine. Winemaking techniques that have been or are currently being evaluated include: sparkling winemaking (both Charmat and traditional), fermenting and aging on seeds, carbonic maceration, and barrel aging. The results thus far have been both interesting and inspiring! They have confirmed for me that Fine Muscadines are not only possible, but worthy of a place at the dinner table!
Hester produces fresh, organic produce from local farmers in New York. Even our spices are fresh. Just because pickling is a preservation process doesn’t mean you can use dried-up thyme or week-old asparagus that’s already a little spongy.
We want to give our customers crisp, crunchy and delicious pickled vegetables and fruits. Most of all, we want to expand people’s palates and prove that pickles don’t always come in a green or red variety.