RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Wine Quality Versus Ripeness of Light-Sorted Carlos Muscadine Grapes JF American Journal of Enology and Viticulture JO Am J Enol Vitic. FD American Society for Enology and Viticulture SP 169 OP 171 DO 10.5344/ajev.1978.29.3.169 VO 29 IS 3 A1 D. E. Carroll A1 W. E. Ballinger A1 W. F. McClure A1 W. B. Nesbitt YR 1978 UL http://www.ajevonline.org/content/29/3/169.abstract AB Carlos muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia Michx.) were separated nondestructively into four ripeness classes with a 'Berrymatic' optical sorting unit equipped with 546- and 610-nm filters. Effective sorting into ripeness classes was evidenced by °Brix, total titratable acidity, pH, and Brix-acid ratio determined on juice samples. Wines made from each of the four classes of ripeness-sorted grapes and a control (unsorted) sample were evaluated by chemical, physical, and sensory methods. The wines from grapes of optimum ripeness (classes 2 and 3) were superior to wines from grapes in the control goup, underripe grapes (class 1), or slightly overripe grapes (class 4). These results emphasize the importance of grape ripeness to wine quality.