Vintners Harvest Raspberry

[smurfe]

OK, so I have ordered a Vintners Harvest Raspberry. I thought I would open a discussion to those that may have made this for some ideas, tips, or suggestions on making this wine. Questions such as, should I make a 3 gallon or 5 gallon batch? Should I oak it? If so, what type of oak (chips in the primary, cubes in the secondary, American, French, Hungarian? Maybe add some dried Elderberry? Make the wine dry or back sweeten just a bit? Use sugar or wine conditioner to sweeten the wine?You get the drift. Should I blend some grape concentrate into it for added body? Etc. etc. etc. Just wanting to hear about your experience with this wine or others similar.


Smurfe

Edited by: smurfe

 

[Wade E]

On the instructions they might tell you to add other ingredients for
body. My Cranberry said to add a can of Welches for body. As for sweet
or dry, I would make it as you prefer.Im new to the Oaking so have no
direction there, although I'm sure a light oak would be nice.

 

[peterCooper]

Personally, I would oak. But that's the way I like my reds. You can always make a six gallon and split it into two three-gallon secondary and oak one and not the other.

or

.....
make a five gallon and split it into five one-gallons and experiment like crazy!

 

[jojo]

I oaked a batch of cranberry - medium toast french cubes for 4 weeks only. It turned out great.

 

[Wade E]

Sounds good, I'm alittle afraid of oaking much as of yet with the fruit
wines. I know that I like reds (grape) oaked but I dont know about my
fruits. I'll have to seperate some into gallon batches and start
experimenting.

 

[Bill B]

Smurfe, Welcome to the world of Raspberry.. First I would make 5 gal. After primary fermentation I would rack and Oak using either American house toast or Hungarian for at least 8 weeks, however I would sample every now and then. I back sweeten my Raspberry to 1.012-1.015 depending on acidity. This will bring out the fruit fowardness of the Raspberry. I have used wine conditioner and the few times I have used it I was not happy with the results, so I use plain simple syrup (cane sugar)For more body I believe 1 can for a 3 gal batch is correct. I have always Oaked my Raspberry, Blackberry and Blueberry with good results.This wine will have to age a min of 6 mo.and even longer.
<DIV SuperAdBlocker_DIV_Elements="0" SuperAdBlocker_OnMove_Hooked="0" SuperAdBlocker__Hooked="0" SuperAdBlocker_DIV_FirstLook="0">Bill

 

[smurfe]

Thanks for the replies thus far. I believe I will oak it and probably sweeten it just a tad as the wife likes her wines just a bit sweet and I am making this for her. I love the dry wines but will admit the fruit wines I have drank were always sweetened a bit and I liked them. I have never had a true dry fruit (non-grape) wine.


I still can't decide whether to make a 3 gallon batch or a 5 gallon batch with one can of the Vintners Harvest. I don't really want to buy another can and make a 6 gallon batch as I want to start diversifying now and making smaller batches of a wider variety.I want an end product similar to Bill B's Raspberry though.


Smurfe

 

[pkcook]

Smurfe,
I just bottled 3 gallons of Red Raspberry that I made using 24 cans (15oz)of OregonRed Raspberries and I added a pint of Raspberry concentrate (67 Brix) from Brownacres. This recipe makes6 gallons, but Isplit it in two 3-gallon carboys. I sweetened one to around 1.020 (dessert style) and it is very good.


The second carboy I added american medium toast (1/2 of a 6"spiral) and have tasted it and the oak is pronounced, but not overpowing. Raspberry is hard to overpower! I'll have to backsweeten a little to offset the acid of the berries, but it should be a nice wine. Time will tell.