# Spicy Chardonnay?



## Bmd2k1 (Aug 15, 2022)

Curious if anyone has made a Spicy Chardonnay - by adding jalapenos (or other peppers to it) ?

I've added jalapenos to my hard ciders post fermentation with great success...


Cheers!


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## Snafflebit (Aug 15, 2022)

I have not personally made a spicy hot wine but I have had someone else's red wine with jalapeño added to the must. I have to say that I was not a fan. The wine was fermented to dry and the ferment seemed to draw out the capsacin to a level that it was hard to enjoy the wine. I think that is what alcohol will do to the chili pepper. If the wine had some sweetness I might have had a better opinion of the spicy wine.


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## VinesnBines (Aug 15, 2022)

I've made a jalapeno and blended with Chardonnay. I would suggest you do a blend after fermentation so you can judge the heat. I've tried beer with peppers but introduced bacteria. I might try blending some of the jalapeno wine in the beer at bottling to give it a bit of spice.

With peppers you have to have something very light that won't clash or fight with the spice flavor. Red wine would not be a good blender for peppers or spice.


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## CDrew (Aug 15, 2022)

Why would you do this? I love hot peppers and I love white wine but the idea of hot peppers in white wine is 

Make a good Chardonnay first. If in the future, you feel hot peppers would improve it, then go for it. But prepare to be dissapointed.


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## ChuckD (Aug 15, 2022)

CDrew said:


> Why would you do this? I love hot peppers and I love white wine but the idea of hot peppers in white wine is
> 
> Make a good Chardonnay first. If in the future, you feel hot peppers would improve it, then go for it. But prepare to be dissapointed.


I’ve had hot pepper wines. Sweet and hot work well together, but that’s me.

I think the best way to accomplish this is make a good sweet wine and steep a hot pepper in it to taste before bottling.


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## Rice_Guy (Aug 15, 2022)

When formulating flavors heat can be used to balance sweet. ie expect the flavors to balance at a higher gravity.
This is a flavor trial which could be done on one bottle or as a series of dosage rates on specific bottles.


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## VinesnBines (Aug 16, 2022)

Chuck D and Rice Guy are right. The best spicy wine I have ever tasted was made by a no defunct winery. They made a Symphony grape sweet wine with jalapeno. Mine, blended with the very neutral Chardonnay is pretty fair. I should do some bench testing of back sweetening. I'm sure it could improve.


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## Bmd2k1 (Aug 16, 2022)

Rethinking the sweetness factor...the hard cider I infuse with jalapenos is semi-sweet...so Maybe a Rose would be a better target vino for me or a backsweetened Chard

Cheers!


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