Every now and then our winemakers share some of their “trade secrets” or inventions that warrant sharing with their permission.
Presently, the time is perfect to combine winemaking with the fruits that are coming into season. And strawberries are ready now.
A presentation was given on Fruit Wine Infusion by Jan Klapetzky, of Williamson, at the 2006 Home Winemaking Seminar that is held every year in Rochester. This year's event will be held Aug. 11.
Klapetzky took a sound but perhaps disappointing (white) wine and after pre-treating it (read on) will infuse it with fresh fruits for a short duration. His guidelines are presented below. His was a novel approach to fruit wines, I thought.
For a base wine his suggestions were 5 gallons clear sound wine such as Cayuga, Vidal or Riesling. If the base wine is bitter, treat with pvpp (polyclar). Pretreat with Sorbate (Klapetzkyuses 1-1/2 teaspoons) and Meta (1/4 teaspoon per 5 gallons).
Fruit recommendations are: 6-7 quarts fresh strawberries with stems removed, 4 quarts fresh raspberries with stems removed. He also suggested using sour cherries lightly crushed or peaches with skin and pits removed.
First, put your fruit into the carboy, rack the wine, which has been sorbated, onto the fruit. Fill the carboy.
After five to six days (don't over-soak the fruit), rack off into a clean carboy, top up the carboy with wine. After two weeks, rack if clear, otherwise treat lightly with sparkolloid following instructions on the item package, rack when clear, usually seven to 10 days.
Add 1/8 teaspoon meta and 1 1/2 teaspoons of sorbate (again). Sweeten to taste using dissolved cane sugar (1 tablespoon raises the brix of a 750 milliliter wine bottle 2 degrees). Bottle, and drink young (usually best if consumed within a year).
An unknown winemaker suggested canning peaches in wine with a light syrup, using wine instead of water. Follow canning recommendations on use of ascorbic acid in the syrup.
That sounds interesting if you can keep the kids out of the peaches!
Enjoy your summer and when you want to complain about 90 degrees, remember the 20 degrees with the wind blowing in our winters.
May your wines fall bright.
Marcy Mitchell is a wine enthusiast and owner of Fall Bright, The Winemakers Shoppe, visit www.fallbright.com, she can be reached at (607) 292-3995.
A presentation was given on Fruit Wine Infusion by Jan Klapetzky, of Williamson, at the 2006 Home Winemaking Seminar that is held every year in Rochester. This year's event will be held Aug. 11.
Klapetzky took a sound but perhaps disappointing (white) wine and after pre-treating it (read on) will infuse it with fresh fruits for a short duration. His guidelines are presented below. His was a novel approach to fruit wines, I thought.
For a base wine his suggestions were 5 gallons clear sound wine such as Cayuga, Vidal or Riesling. If the base wine is bitter, treat with pvpp (polyclar). Pretreat with Sorbate (Klapetzkyuses 1-1/2 teaspoons) and Meta (1/4 teaspoon per 5 gallons).
Fruit recommendations are: 6-7 quarts fresh strawberries with stems removed, 4 quarts fresh raspberries with stems removed. He also suggested using sour cherries lightly crushed or peaches with skin and pits removed.
First, put your fruit into the carboy, rack the wine, which has been sorbated, onto the fruit. Fill the carboy.
After five to six days (don't over-soak the fruit), rack off into a clean carboy, top up the carboy with wine. After two weeks, rack if clear, otherwise treat lightly with sparkolloid following instructions on the item package, rack when clear, usually seven to 10 days.
Add 1/8 teaspoon meta and 1 1/2 teaspoons of sorbate (again). Sweeten to taste using dissolved cane sugar (1 tablespoon raises the brix of a 750 milliliter wine bottle 2 degrees). Bottle, and drink young (usually best if consumed within a year).
An unknown winemaker suggested canning peaches in wine with a light syrup, using wine instead of water. Follow canning recommendations on use of ascorbic acid in the syrup.
That sounds interesting if you can keep the kids out of the peaches!
Enjoy your summer and when you want to complain about 90 degrees, remember the 20 degrees with the wind blowing in our winters.
May your wines fall bright.
Marcy Mitchell is a wine enthusiast and owner of Fall Bright, The Winemakers Shoppe, visit www.fallbright.com, she can be reached at (607) 292-3995.
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