Cherry Wine

[grapeman]

I am getting ready to do a cherry wine. Do any of you have some input about how much of what to use? It's going to be regular cherry, not blackcherry , chokecherry or others-plain old cherry. I ordered 1 can of Vintners Harvest Cherry Fruit Base, 1 can of Cherry Oregon Fruit Puree and 1 container of Red Grape Concentrate. I am going to probably use Cote des Blancs yeast.


I know a few of you made some cherry you liked. Please share any comments, recipes etc you might have.

 

[grapeman]

So nobody has any input on a cherry wine? I'd rather know what works and what doesn't before I get into it.

 

[Wade E]

I just bottled the Vintners Appleman and I followed the instr. to a tee
and wish I added Oregon as you are doing so I believe yours will be
better. And the concentrate will give it a better body so Im not sure
it can be better improved upon what your doing. There are a lot of pits
in the Vintners Cherry.

 

[grapeman]

Thanks Wade. I don't have anything in hand yet, so I could modify what I am planning if someone has made a really good one and wants to make a recommendation. I don't remember Wade, did you make 3, 5 or 6 gallons?

 

[Wade E]

6 with the addition of juicy juice cherry juice.

 

[jobe05]

Appleman: When I made mine a year ago or so, I was on another board and they were saying the best cherry wine was made from sweet cherries and tart cherries. Kinda like apple cider is made with sweet and tart apples. I can tell ya first hand, that a mix of sweet and tart cherries does NOT make the difference as mine is Flat tasting. It has a nice smooth cherry flavor, but has no bite, like an acid bite. I did add any acid at the beginning, but I would if I made it again. I still have not bottled mine, and when I get the time I would experiment with different additives to see what works. I tried sweeten it back a bit with white and red grape juice, and the red did make it taste "livelier", but still ot enough bite. I'm wondering if a frozen lemon concentrate would help.


My point after that long winded statement, sorry......... Taste a lot! And think about acid in the begining.

 

[Bert]

I did a cherry wine with:


1 can vintner harvest
4qts. cherry juice [pin cherry juice, I think..got it from my sister]
3lbs.ground up raisins
2 1/2 lbs. banana
and the rest of the chems. that go with making wine
At bottleing, added 9 TBS. simple syurp and 2 TBS. cherry flavoring per gal


Has a nice cherry flavor ; on the sweet side, but still wish I had a little more body..

 

[pkcook]

Appleman,


I've made cherry wine from concentrate from brownwoodacres.com. I added some canned Oregon pie cherries and I think the wine was wonderful! I finished mine pretty sweet, but I tried it dry and semi and it just didin't the flavor I was looking for.Edited by: pkcook

 

[grapeman]

Thanks everybody. That's the input I was looking for. I'm concerned the flavor might be mild also, so was looking to see what everybody does to get around it. I'll post when I get the batch going.

 

[NorthernWinos]

I have a cherry wine cooking...but it was made with various juices from the store...I just went in and grabbed anything that looked good...Just Cherry, Tart Cherry, Old Orchard Cherry blend, Juicey Juice, etc....the must tasted vrey-cherry at the onset.

We tasted it the other day and my honey said it had cherry flavor...I had been tasting other wines so had no opinion...

Actually...when I really want to 'taste' a wine...I will grab a tiny bit and taste it sometime after breakfast, when my taste buds are just waking up...swirll it around in my mouth and get a good feel for the flavor...have yet to do that with this wine...it still has some time to go.

When do you really give your wines the 'taste-test'???

I have a bottle of Cherry Flavoring that I bought when I first stocked my arsenal of goodies...haven't used it yet....has anyone used this artificial cherry flavor in a wine????

This is only a 3 gallon batch [3 one gallon jugs] and I suppose I could flavor some of it and see how that turns out...that's a thought!!!!????

 

[Wade E]

Never but I think this batch could have used some!

 

[bj4271]

NW,


I've used that cherry flavoring & never got a taste of cherry from it. It didn't even taste of cherry in the bottle.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Hummm...no cherry taste...might just try 8oz of wine and a mil or so just to taste it...

Hate to open the bottle for that...but can refrigerate the leftovers...or maybe just throw it out if it has no uses.

Thanks for the input...bj4271!

 

[Bert]

I have used cherry, apple , strawberry, and blackberry flavoring...And I thought it added theflavor I was looking for...I used the ID Carlson natural wine flavoring....I think George handles it..

 

[NorthernWinos]

The flavorings I have says it's for beer and wine...

I have used the apple flavoring in the sparkling apple wine....a bit too much the first batch...and since then use very little or none.

I used the Blueberry flavoring in a Blueberry/red grape wine and thought that was too much...then a year later it is a really nice wine...no hint of artificial flavoring.

 

[Bert]

I think some of the bottles said for beer or wine...the oneI checked, the label on just said wine..It does seem to get stronger as the wine ages....

 

[R.E.T.]

CHERRY WINE
IWOULD ALSO LIKE TO MAKE SOME CHERRY WINE
I HAVE 12 QT. OF JUICE I STEAMED LAST FALL.HERE'S WHAT I HAVE
IN MINE.

12QT STEAMED CHERRY JUICE
5 CANS OLD ORCHARD 100% GRAPE
10 TSP.ACID BLEND
1/4 TSPK-META
1 1/4 GRAPE TANNIN
5 TSP YEAST NUTRIENT
1 1/4 TSP PECTIC ENZYME POWER
LAL 71B-1122 YEAST STATER
ADD WATER AND SUGER TO GET SG 1.O90-1.095

WOULD LIKE SOME COMMENTS

 

[pkcook]

R.E.T.


I was wondering why you chose to use so much Old Orchard Grape? Cherry wines that I have made have always had plenty of body. Nothing wrong with it, just curious.

 

[NorthernWinos]

R.E.T.....Would that be the Niagara juice you would use????

 

[R.E.T.]

THANK FOR THE REPLY
WELL PK I NEVER MADE WINE FROM STEAMED CHERRYS BEFORE
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAD ENOUGH. DOYOU THINK JUST 2 CANS WOULDBE ENOUGH?


NORTHERN WINOS- NO ALL IT SAID WAS OLD ORCHARD 100%
GRAPE JUICE NO SUGAR ADDED DID'NT SEE ANYTHING ABOUT
NIAGARA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLY. HOW MANY CANS DO YOUTHINK
I SHOUD USE?