[posted & e-mailed]
You're probably OK. Regardless of what fruit you're making wine from,
the big issues are starting specific gravity, final specific gravity,
and hygiene.
Without knowing the specifics of the recipe you're following I can't
give too much specific advice, but for a dry wine, you want an initial
SG of 1.070 to 1.095, and a final SG of 0.990 to 1.000.
I'd let the wine ferment on the skins for at least 5 days, or until
the SG is between 1.010 and 1.020. Then press. If it takes longer
for the SG to get that low, that's just as well.
If you don't understand any part of the above, post a reply and cc me
on the post. I'll try to fill in any details, and there are a lot of
other knowledgeable people here who can help. In the mean time, try
reviewing the RCW FAQ (see my sig line for the URL). The FAQ covers a
lot of ground and will answer a lot of questions you may not know
enough yet to ask.
FYI: With the exception of a couple of native North American
varieties, ALL grapes have white pulp. That's how you can get white
zinfandel wine from zinfandel grapes, which are definitely red grapes.
>several years went out and bought everything I was told I would need. I thought
>I had read enough and was ready to begin making my first batch today, but I
>believe I seriously screwed up the first time. Here is what I have done and
>hope some one can tell me what to expect or what I should do.
>My main problem is that it appears I screwed up in my selection of grapes.
>See.. i was hoping to make a red wine. So I look up some recipes and found one
>which called for 5 pds of concord grapes. Well... I figured concord grapes had
>to be red grapes of course, so I go to the store and find the only red grapes
>they had. I go home start the process that I have been reading about.
>Sterilized everything, and began smashing the grapes after rinsing them. Well
>as I was smashing them I began to notice my juice was not red at all. I was a
>little puzzled at first, but then I figured well.. the redness must come from
>the skin. So I went on doing as the recipe called, smaching my grapes until I
>was exhausted and they were complete mush. :-) I then did what the recipe
>called and mixed my 1 campden tablet in a gallon of water and added my 2.5 pds
>of sugar over a low heat until all was disolved. I then let it cool down to 70
>degrees and added the yeast packet and let that dissolve also. Once all that
>was done I poured it into my primary fermenter where it is to sit the next
>couple of days before I rack it.
>Well.. the reason for my worries is that I being a little concerned about the
>grapes started reading some more and looking at recipes. It appears that my
>grapes are not red grapes of course but a white grape in a red skin. Then after
>reading some recipes it warned that these type of grapes had a totally different
>way of fermenting and preping. I dont know... I figure I wasted and totally
>screwed up this. What are the chances of this turning out any good at the
>current process of dealing with it. Am I making any sense here?? Sorry....
>If anyone can help me or give me some guidence or advice I would be very
>grateful.
>Thanks in advance,
>Dane DeValcourt
Bryan
for more info check out the rec.crafts.winemaking
FAQ: http://www.pobox.com/~malak/rcw.faq