Posted by Jack Keller's WineBlog in General, OtherJan 31st, 2010 | No Comments
Last month I was asked for a recipe for Malay Apple Wine. While I do not have an actual recipe, I do have some excerpts from some old emails regarding such a wine. I was trying to develop a recipe because someone promised to ship me some Malay Apples from the Dominican Republic but never did. I now know the fruit would probably never have made it to Texas as it spoils very quickly. Nonetheless, I think I have enough information to make a wine, although the chemistry of the actual must would be required to fine-tune an actual recipe. Read more....
Posted by Jack Keller's WineBlog in General, OtherJan 31st, 2010 | No Comments
The 35 plum varieties I've described are but a fraction of what are available, but all I have listed are suitable for making wine or mead. Some are better suited than others, but all can work well in field blends. Sugar content varies from 7 to 13% with 15% possible but rare, tannin is decent, and acid is generally a bit low and malic. The recipe I've selected is tried and true, but the final product's character is determined both by the plum[s] and the yeast used. Read more....
Posted by Jack Keller's WineBlog in General, OtherJan 31st, 2010 | No Comments
Continuing the list I started last weekend, here are some more Japanese-American hybrid plums. I have only indicated which cultivars make the best pollinator for the plum discussed in a few instances, but obviously pollen donors have to bloom the same time the pollen recipients are blooming. Also, pollen recipients are pollen donors to their pollinators. It's a closed cycle and very efficient if well planned. For the home, certain trees are very attractive and can be sited in the landscape to show them off. Others are less showy and might be grouped to make pollination more efficient. The usual practice is to plant at least a pair of early bloomers, mid-season bloomers and late season bloomers. Read more....
Posted by Ben in 2008, General, Other, gewurztraminerJan 23rd, 2010 | No Comments
Find
Columbia Gewurztraminer at WineZap.
This Chez Ray Gewurztraminer 2008 white wine
started life almost exactly one year ago as frozen grapes from Brehm Vineyards, specifically, this lot:
328-06CGGW - 2006 Columbia Gorge Gewurztraminer, Underwood WA (G8)
They were fermented with a
58w3 yeast, aged with a couple small slices of charred French oak, and bottled two weeks ago. In the glass, this is a light yellow, with hints of green.
Poured cold and swirled vigorously, the nose is bright with sweet lemon and grass. On the palate, the first note is almost a brisk lime spritz that hits the back of your mouth. Robust acids draw it up and out into your cheeks. Finish is clean and perky. Three stars on the
Spirit of Wine scale.
This might actually want to be a lightly sweet wine, as some gewurz' tend to be.
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Testing the sweet-hypothesis, at a sweetness level of between 6-8 teaspoons sugar per 750 ml, Chez Ray Gewurztraminer earns a plus on its three stars for friendliness, without having lost its varietal tanginess.
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Updating this testing, four teaspoons sugar per 750 ml does a nice job just offsetting the acids with a light touch.
Posted by Ben in 2009, General, Other, berryJan 5th, 2010 | No Comments
Here's Jeremy's Berry Blend. Homebrewed, though I don't know the ingredients. Let's see what comes through...
In the glass: Jeremy's Berry Blend shows as very light red in the glass, with elements of pink and light brick.
On the nose: Poured without a decant and swirled vigorously, the berry wine pours out an overwhelming fruit punch aroma, sweet and friendly and lifted high with the alcohol.
On the palate: The first element is a bright and dry berry bite at the back of your tongue. Then a nice balance builds between the fruit, the acid and the light sweetness. A violet/lavendar perfumed aroma comes on at the later point in each sip, racing across your mouth.
And the finish: Sweet acids wrap up the sip, with elements of that intriguing perfume lingering.
In summary: Overall, a well-balanced, light, tangy, friendly and punch-fruit driven experience. Though red in color, the balance of sugar, acids and fruits more resembles a pleasant, off-dry white wine. Definitely worth a return visit!
328-06CGGW - 2006 Columbia Gorge Gewurztraminer, Underwood WA (G8)
