Black Wine

[tonyandkory]

Hello every body,
I have been coming here for awhile but never posted before but am a regular on Midwest's forum.
was having a problem with account bit George fixed it up for me now I'm good.
Thanks George!

Thought I would post a wine I started recently.

</font>4lb black grapes
24oz black berries
12 oz black cherries
2 cans welches black(purple) grape juice concentrate
2 cups dried hibiscus
no water
no sugar
lalvin EC-118

SG 1.144</font>

After taking the bag with the fruit rinds out this made 1¼</span></span> gallons

The ¼ gallon I added 2.5 cups of sugar to and water to 1 gallon and restarted fermentation.

after racking from primary I added American white oak cubes and will which have been in there for
three weeks. I am racking now and will taste.

Very good imo. a little strong on the taste but the second batch is a little week

the first batch gravity is 1.010
second fermented out dry .990

I think I am going to combine the two before bottling.

the black wine came out with a slight smokey red start but finishes fruity and Flowery. You can definitely taste the hibiscus.

going to wait a month and rack again then I will update..... should have made 6gallon batch.


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[Kemo]

Sounds great! Does the smokeyness come from the oak you used or the fruit?

 

[tonyandkory]

from the Oak.
It was not there before I introduced the oak.

 

[ibglowin]

<div style="text-align: left;">Welcome aboard tonyandkory!</span></font>

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[Wade E]

Sounds pretty good, No idea what kind of grapes they were?

 

[tonyandkory]

Just black table grapes from the super market

 

[tonyandkory]

While I was sitting here waiting for our Pear wine to filter I thought I would try this wine to see how it is coming along.

Sense I posted this the wine had come alone real nice. it has mellowed out quite a bit and is not quite so strong in flavor, not sweet but not exceptionally dry either.

I now think that the smokey flavor is a combination of both the Oak and the hibiscus. There is a hint of back berry after the hibiscus and finishes of with a little smoked cherry.

I am defiantly going to have to make a 6 gallon batch of this because I don't think this one is going to last very long lol.

have any of you ever used Hibiscus in your wines?
I searched the forum and didn't find any mention of it.
I did read Jack Keller's recipe and some posts from another site but most of them used it as a primary ingredient, not part a blend of flavors, most of which used some kind of other flower like roses or what not with them.

Tony
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[Waldo]

Sounds like you have hit on a winner Tony. One of the greater joys I have in wine making is the experimentation in trying something different. Have come up with some great wines doig this but have come up with some absolute flops too.
Welcome to the forum and please be advised.........WE LIKE PICTURES !!!

 

[tonyandkory]

Ya ok No Problem (as soon as I figure out how) I will post some pics.


oh wait I think I did I will post a pic just to test it out

 

[Wade E]

Good old Hubba Bubba!!! Bwaaaaaa haaaaa haaaaaa! Thank God for these new phones huh or I bet you would never have been able top get that on film!

 

[tonyandkory]

OK after another couple months of this in the bottle the hibiscus taste is still really strong.
any one think this will dissipate?


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[Kemo]

usually for me flavors start mellowing around 6mts. Good luck