# Vintner's Harvest Fruit Bases



## Chopper (Mar 23, 2009)

I'd soon like to try making some black currant wine, and some cherry wine. Since I don't have access to any of this fruit, I was considering the Vintner's Harvest fruit bases. I'm thinking I'd get a can of black currant, and a can of cherry, and make a 3 gallon batch of each. Then when it's time to bottle, I'd get 10 bottles of black currant, 10 bottles of cherry, and mix the remaining of each for 10 bottles of the mixture.

Questions:

1. Do these fruit bases work consistently well?

2. Would the "mixing at bottling" idea work OK, or should the two be fermented together in order to properly complement one another?

3. Would it be a good idea to freeze the fruit bases and let them thaw before using them?

4. Are these fruit bases pre-adjusted for acid and ph levels?

5. Are there any other manufacturers of bases or purees that I should consider? Vintner's Harvest is the only one so far that has all the different fruits I like.

If it makes any difference, I would only add sugar to produce about 10% alcohol, since I like to drink a little while before falling asleep.






If the comments are positive, I might consider using their elderberry, blackberry, blueberry, and cranberry bases as well.

Thanks in advance,

Chopper


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## grapeman (Mar 23, 2009)

Did you read some of my previous posts? This is pretty much exactly what I did- except I used one can of VH Cherry and a can of Oregon Cherry.


You do not need to freeze them at all.


I added a bunch of acid to the cherry. 


This turned out great. The Black Currant is good (I used 2 cans for the Black Currant) The Cherry was good, but the combination was great! These were both 6 gallon batches.


http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3037&amp;KW=Cherry+Black+Currant&amp;PN=5and


http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3037&amp;KW=Cherry+Black+Currant&amp;PN=6


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## vcasey (Mar 23, 2009)

I have tried the peach and mixed it with a carlos grape wine I just bottled. The fruit was almost a liquid so no freezing is necessary. The wine is a little young but is promising. I have the black currant and will be making this as soon as I get a 5 gallon carboy free. 
I don't think you will have any problem mixing at bottling, but you may want to let it sit a week before bottling just to give the wine a chance settle down a bit and let the flavors merge together.
I have heard a lot of positive feedback regarding the Vintner's Harvest. However the directions on the can be confusing. I never even read the directions on the peach since I already knew how I was going to use the fruit so I can't comment on that and the black currant can is buried but again I will not be following the directions.
VPC


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## Wade E (Mar 23, 2009)

The Black Currant actually has no fruit in there at all but the Cherry has a lot of pits. The Black Currant will over power thew cherry very easily.


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## pizz65 (Apr 4, 2009)

How much does one can of the Vintner's Harvest can make??


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## grapeman (Apr 4, 2009)

One can will make a good 3 gallon batch. You can stretch it to 5 or 6 gallons, but it gets thin. Two cans works well for a 6 gallon batch. It does take sugar, but not as much as they say. Start with less, measure SG and adjust up to about 1.090. The Black Currant one is strongest flavored.


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## pizz65 (Apr 4, 2009)

So then how long does it take from start to finish on the average?


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## Wade E (Apr 4, 2009)

This depends on the temp and yeast strain used. I ferment my Black currant in cool temps(62 degrees) with Cotes Des Blanc yeast and that usually takes about 1 month for the fermentation to complete but the flavor profile is better this way.


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## K&GB (Apr 4, 2009)

I've made the black Currant, blackberry, and most recently, the pear. The blackberry turned out great.






Everyone raves about the black currant except me. I'm sure it's something I did wrong, but I don't know what. I used one can plus a bottle of WE red grape concentrate. Made a 4-gal batch. It tasted really promising after two months in the carboy. But it wound upa bit too tart, and I added a medium toast plus American oak spiral for a couple of weeks during bulk aging whichsomehow ruined the flavor for me. I can't describe the taste, kind of like butter scotch, vanilla, and coconut all mixed together, but not pleasant.






Anyway, mine's about a year old now and still undrinkable. I open a bottle to check on it every two months, and wind up pouring it all out after the first glass.






The pear has just finished fermenting and is still sitting on the lees. It's dark brown in color, which surprised me, but I don't know how it tastes yet. 


Good luck with yours. I think Appleman's recipe would be my next experiment.


Ken


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## Wade E (Apr 4, 2009)

K&amp;GB. is that Blackberry the one you followed from my post the 1 you like?


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## K&GB (Apr 4, 2009)

Wade,


Yes it is. Mine fermented dry, and I wound up making an F-pack out of crushed blackberries and sugar. Turned out great. Can't wait to bottle this one.


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## Wade E (Apr 4, 2009)

Glad to hear that it is great. I still sweetened mine up a little even though mine did stop with some RS. I will be making a 6 gallon batch of this 1!


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