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I decided to taste my 2022 Raspberry Chambord from a cooler carboy.

which is 25 bottles of raspberry wine from 6 lbs of raspberries per 1 Imperial gallon of water and 3 lbs cane sugar to SG 1.004 with 1 bottle of Chambord (French Black Raspberry liqueur). This finished fermentation at SG 0.992 on September 21. I've never made this before. Here are my comments:

Nice deep colour.

Very clear.

Rich interesting complex smell.

A bit tangy at SG 1.004 but flavour is really good so I think that I will leave it alone at the lowest residual sugar that I've ever used on a raspberry wine.

I think that I'll make the next one (same recipe) as a Raspberry Chambord Port. Chambord liqueur has wonderful properties.

I think that I'll bottle this around easter so I can take some to my sister in August who loves my fruit wines especially raspberry and blackberry wines.

This recipe is definitely a keeper IMHO. I think I'll make it both ways as a table wine and as a port.

Dextrose was used to raise SG from 0.992 to 1.004 since cane sugar leaves an aftertaste unlike dextrose.
SG was 1.004 but 1.012 in bulk which is normal for this raspberry dose. I racked it, bottled 10 and added a bit of sulphite 1/16 tsp in a 15-16 bottle carboy which I will leave alone through the summer. This is a really good recipe. The Chambord really improves it and I will absolutely make it again.
 
I had a glass of this (2019) last night at a steakhouse, was blown away by the taste, and then prowled the innerwebs until I found a screaming good deal on a case of the 2020, which is on its way as I type. This is the original bourbon barrel-aged wine... and you can't get much better than these barrels!

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Pacific Moraine 2022

Sheridan Syrah recovering from burnt rubber smell blended with homegrown Marechal Foch and Regent 2022.

It went malolactic and has been treated with potassium carbonate and Acidex to remove excess tartaric acid and cleared outdoors at just above freezing temperature.

The Sheridan was fermented with RC212 yeast with no extra nutrient - a big mistake creating a mercaptan stink during malolactic fermentation). The Foch/Regent (grown in glacial moraine soil i.e. powdered rock with a bit of sand and clay) were fermented separately destemmed uncrushed with RC212 yeast with nutrient. This is 18 Regent 12 Foch and 12 Syrah in a 30 bottle carboy. I'm tempted to blend it with 2023 Wild Blackberry, dried Elderberry, Wild Black Cherry to make something more interesting i.e. Pacific Black Iris Moraine 2022-2023. Iris and Kendall my neighbours each have wild black cherry trees and we have wild blackberries across the street from our house. This blend should improve the very, very slight burnt rubber residual smell from the Syrah. I might even add 2023 Foch and Regent. Right now here are my comments on Pacific Moraine 2022:

Smell - is okay

Flavour - still a bit of tang but should drop if I add blackberries, dried elderberries and wild cherries. Good tannin from the Regent.

Aftertaste - is okay

Overall this could turn into a really tasty cooking wine if I add the wild cherries, blackberries and elderberries. I make cooking wine that I can drink that enhances food flavours especially beef or chicken e.g. Coq au Vin.

The reason that I posted this is to show the value of hyper-blending to repair wines. (in this case Syrah).
 

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We opened a bottle of my 2021-ish Bordeaux blend. It bears repeating that @Cap Puncher arranged a group buy from Wine Grapes Direct, and I wound up with about 9 gallons of nice Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, and Merlot from Washington in a 1:1:1 ratio. After it opens up a bit, it is very tasty.
 
2022 Tripleberry Cassis Port

6lbs frozen wild blackberries thawed in cane sugar for 48 hours
6lbs frozen organic homegrown raspberries thawed in cane sugar for 48 hours
1lb dried elderberries (This year they were Bulgarian, last year from Orgeon)
6 medium toast American oak cubes/Imperial gallon of wine
1 Imperial gallon of water for each 6 lbs raspberries or blackberries
3lbs cane sugar for each 1 Imperial gallon of water. Starting SG doesn't matter much because every time the wine goes to SG 1.010 I add more and stir it in to alcohol ~15% and then switch from cane sugar to dextrose which has a much better aftertaste than cane sugar.
pectic enzyme
yeast nutrient
Lalvine Bayanus EC1118 yeast
Added 1 Imperial gallon of water to each 6 lbs fruit.
Added 1 bottle of French Cassis liqueur to a 5 gallon carboy at ~17-18% alcohol

Fermented for 6 days active ferment then pressed through a hydraulic bladder press to get rid of seeds at about 5% alcohol (I could have used old panty hose)
Racked off of sludge every time I got about 1 inch.
Started adding dextrose to 17-18% alcohol and then added cassis and oak cubes to soak for ~90-120 days.

This glass is the leftovers from 1 Imperial gallon that I bottled today (5 1/2) bottles. I'll leave the rest alone to make sure that it has finished dropping sediment before I bottle the rest.

This is the second time I've made it. Here are my comments:

SG is 1.020

Smell - rich, complex, smoky and very fruity

Colour - purple red

Flavour - delicious fruit port (I'm not saying it because I made it) I'm saying it because it is true. This is as good as the best fruit ports I've ever made and this recipe is a no brainer keeper. Should be good with Xmas fruit pies, tarts including mincemeat, Xmas cake and shortbread. I'm tempted to try it with pears to make poached pears or pineapple on Haagen Dasz vanilla ice cream.

Next time I'll make its cousin 2023 Tripleberry Chambord Port which is different but potentially just as good.

The secret to making this is that the blackberries and raspberries have to be as ripe as possible with lowest acid, best smell and flavour. Adding dried elderberries and American oak makes a huge difference to depth of flavour and smell.

I don't add any sulphite until the ferment stops to keep the yeast alive and strong. I use about 60-70 ppm sulphite in total.


Merry Xmas everyone

PS I never add acid or tannin and use Bayanus yeast because it can take 18% alcohol which is what I want.
 

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BUT... that's not a sweet wine. :oops:

You are right! Thank you for noticing. Yes .. out of my comfort zone but I'm learning and trying new wines. There are a few I can tolerate and a few that still taste like old socks! (please don't ask how I know what old socks taste like). :p
 
(please don't ask how I know what old socks taste like)
I try to stay out of a man's personal affairs. 😀

You certainly don't have to like them, but wait till you find one that makes you think 'WOW'. Worth all the meh's and bleh's.

Have you tried a Riesling or a Pinot Grigio. Fruity, tart and just a full flavor blast prickling all the taste buds in your mouth. I love 'em
 

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