# The Definitive* Jaboticaba Wine Thread



## Stressbaby (Feb 8, 2020)

I've been collecting this fruit for several years, and today I'm starting the wine.

Because this is the Definitive* Jaboticaba Wine Thread, some background is in order. Jaboticaba is a tropical fruit from Brazil. The latin is *Plinia cauliflora; i*t is sometimes known as Brazilian Grape or Jabuticaba but often is just shortened to "jabo." It is unique in that it flowers and fruits directly on the trunk, creating some spectacular displays.




Jabo wine is commercially available, mainly in Australia. It's also used for ports and liqueurs. I've never tried any.

*said with tongue firmly in cheek


----------



## Stressbaby (Feb 8, 2020)

There are some interesting Youtube videos on jaboticaba wine. This is my favorite:


----------



## Stressbaby (Feb 8, 2020)

There have been threads on WMT on jaboticaba wine.

https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/jaboticaba-wine.35251/
https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/jaboticaba-wine-recipe.45793/
https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/ausie-gal-making-jaboticaba-wine.67732/
https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/newbi-from-big-island.36051/#post-396869

Unfortunately none of these threads follows the winemaking process through to the end. Thus, this thread.


----------



## Stressbaby (Feb 8, 2020)

Jaboticaba fruit is roughly the size of a grape, and the skin imparts a dark red color. But the skin is much thicker than a grape. When eaten, the taste is not unlike a grape, but to me, the skins have some bitterness if chewed. This will impact our winemaking approach. The main acid is citric. Tannins are considered to be high. 

I secured my trees in 2007 and 2010. This is a tropical tree, and I live in Missouri. So they are containerized, relatively small, and relatively small producers. My trees stay in a greenhouse all winter and come outside in summer. I've been saving fruits for a long time - years in fact - all of the production goes in the deep freezer. So obviously I'm doing things differently than someone in a tropical climate with plenty of fruit. The **Definitive* tag is just my attempt at a little temperate zone humor.


----------



## sour_grapes (Feb 8, 2020)

That is some dedication there! Very interesting.


----------



## Stressbaby (Feb 8, 2020)

I have 3.813kg (8.4#) of fruit. I've decided to make a 1 gallon batch. I don't know how much juice I'll get (and therefore how much volume loss with removal of skins/seeds). I'll assume 50% since I'm pulling the skins earlier than I would with grapes. This means the final wine will be about 50% straight jabo juice, 50% water, 8# fruit/gallon.

The general plan is:
Crush, measure the volume, then put the fruit into nylon mesh bag.
Assume 50% of the fruit volume will contribute to the final volume, then water to bring total to just over 1g (some for topping).
Sugar to ~1.075
2x KMS as with a red to account for binding, then later a hefty dose of pectic + Lallzyme EX; Opti Red and Booster Rouge, usual doses; let that work for 24hrs. No tannin additions.
Take measurements - make final adjustments in sugar to 1.090. Make final adjustments in acid with tartaric, aiming for TA 0.6-0.7, pH ~3.5.
Pitch yeast (I'm undecided on yeast right now) with GoFerm; Fermaid K for nutrients, stepfed.
Twice a day submerge the bag and stir.
Pull the bag and gently press off the skins at 72hr to try to avoid the astringent, bitter flavor of the skins.
Rack around 1.010, then usual care thereafter.

Pics and a day 1 post forthcoming.

Edited recipe from 1.5g to 1g: I didn't come this far to make thin wine.


----------



## Rice_Guy (Feb 8, 2020)

it would be interesting to hear what the chemistry is with this fruit:
pH, gravity, TA, percent moisture, tannin, . . . flavor
my observation is that fruit wines basically follow the same chemistry as grape wines


Stressbaby said:


> Because this is the Definitive* Jaboticaba Wine Thread, some background is in order. Jaboticaba is a tropical fruit from Brazil. The latin is *Plinia cauliflora; i*t is sometimes known as Brazilian Grape or Jabuticaba but often is just shortened to "jabo."



sounds like a fun thread, ,


----------



## Johnd (Feb 8, 2020)

If the skins are as thick and high in tannin content as you suspect, have you considered just using pectic enzyme and skipping the Lallzyme EX-V? It may pull way too much out of the skins. You should get plenty tannins without it to bind your colors. The early pulling and gentle press of skins sounds like the right call given the above. Cool project, hope it comes out great!!


----------



## Stressbaby (Feb 8, 2020)

Johnd said:


> If the skins are as thick and high in tannin content as you suspect, have you considered just using pectic enzyme and skipping the Lallzyme EX-V? It may pull way too much out of the skins. You should get plenty tannins without it to bind your colors. The early pulling and gentle press of skins sounds like the right call given the above. Cool project, hope it comes out great!!



Interesting thought, John. Unfortunately I did not consider that, as I seem to chronically have trouble with color extraction with all types of reds. Using Lallzyme EX has, I'm afraid, kind of become a habit. Right now it doesn't look like much risk, as the must is just a light rosé color.

Too late now, but now you have me concerned, so I'll sample it as we go along and pull the skins earlier than 72hr if I start to pick up any bitterness.


----------



## Stressbaby (Feb 8, 2020)

Here is my thawed fruit. Crushing jabo is not like crushing grapes. The skin is thick and each berry makes an audible "pop." It's more like popping bubble wrap. Here is what the "crushed" fruit looks like in the bag.



These fruit haven't initially given up nearly as much juice as I thought. Here they are crushed in the bucket, and then with the bucket tilted over about 60 degrees.




Many of the berries have split, but remain intact. This photo shows three examples of that near the back of the spoon.


----------



## Stressbaby (Feb 8, 2020)

The numbers...

I added 2.2l water. 
Then 3ml KMS 10%. 
The initial numbers:

pH 3.20
TA 0.83%
SG 1.030
So much for acid additions. 

I added 465g sugar to get SG to 1.070 predicted, but we'll remeasure in the morning and see how much more sugar has been extracted from the berries. Other additions: 1t pectic, 0.1g Lallzyme EX, 1g Booster Rouge, 1g Opti Red.


----------



## Rice_Guy (Feb 8, 2020)

The video from post 2 shows drawing out liquid with sugar. Was wondering how much juice there was vs is the juice bound in mucilage or gum, , , whatever the chemical it is freeze/ ice crystal stable.


Stressbaby said:


> Many of the berries have split, but remain intact.


----------



## Scooter68 (Feb 8, 2020)

Curious... What about using a slow juicer like an Omega with the auger to press out the juice? You could still add the skins back in if desired but if the pulp is reluctant to give up it's juice the slow juicer might do that for you.


----------



## Stressbaby (Feb 9, 2020)

Scooter68 said:


> Curious... What about using a slow juicer like an Omega with the auger to press out the juice? You could still add the skins back in if desired but if the pulp is reluctant to give up it's juice the slow juicer might do that for you.



Not really familiar with that device, Scooter. I wonder if it wouldn't chew up the seeds leading to bitterness. But I don't know.


----------



## Stressbaby (Feb 9, 2020)

Morning update.
SG 1.076
pH 3.04
TA 0.97%

I was aiming for more of a dry red style. You can already appreciate some sticky tannins. No bitterness. Thinking of ~7g calcium carbonate to bring those pH/TA numbers more in line with that style, that would be TA of 0.70%. Input welcome. Have not pitched the yeast yet, input welcome there too, I've got a little of everything.


----------



## Scooter68 (Feb 9, 2020)

Here's the auger part of the juicer. The process might crush the seeds depends on how big and tough they are. You have some control on how fine it will press the fruit. It turns fairly slow at 80 rpm which is pretty slow. Obviously no blades to slice anything. Just a wild thought to mention this. I core apples and run them through and peaches as well (After pitting) the pulp/skins comes out like moist cardboard when set tight.


----------



## Stressbaby (Feb 12, 2020)

Update:
Used RC 212.
Day 3, pulled the skins and gently pressed. The wine is fairly tannic, and there might be just a bit of bitterness for the first time, so it's a good thing the skins are off.
I have just over a gallon volume.

Here is the must before yeast, and now:




Lots of "slip skins" which leave these skinless berries:



The wine:


----------



## Stressbaby (Feb 14, 2020)

1.046 this morning. Not moving too fast, but moving.


----------



## Stressbaby (Feb 16, 2020)

1.024. This ferment is taking its time. I started a passion fruit wine the same day, and in the cold basement that wine is at 1.000 today. The jaboticaba wine is in anice warm pantry at probably 75F and it is still lagging. Still fermenting, just taking its time.


----------



## Stressbaby (Mar 1, 2020)

Update:
The jaboticaba wine even before it finished fermenting took on a disappointing brick-brown color. The picture below is the color at 1.010 when I racked to carboy. It looks oxidized, which is weird, because I treated with sulfite prior to pitching the yeast. Smells a lot like cherries. Volume-wise a little short of a gallon.


----------



## Scooter68 (Mar 1, 2020)

Yeah, It might not have the eye appeal of a rose or a big red - BUT how does it taste. Personally as long as it's not actually oxidized - I don't care. That's just me - I make my wine for my wife and for me. 


Part of getting older I guess - I stopped worrying so much about pleasing everyone else. Some folks find my TART Cherry to bold too Tart - But if it pleases me and my wife - I'm happy. 
Not say I don't care about the looks but some fruit is really tough to keep from darkening up. Apples - I don't care if I slice it and drop it immediately into my slow Omega Juicer - It comes out with that golden color on the other end that looks a lot like an oxidized apple slice and I'm not going to add chemical like "Fruit Fresh" to the apples to keep them from browning up. The wine comes out golden colored so That's fine.

I noticed just a hair of a brownish tint to the original berries - Me - I'd roll with it. 

Somebody says - *"Hmmm, looks like it oxidized on ya." 

Don't offer it to them.* 

And that's all I have to say about that. (FG)

_PS - I think I see a rosy color in there after the wine clears well._


----------



## Johnd (Mar 1, 2020)

Stressbaby said:


> Update:
> The jaboticaba wine even before it finished fermenting took on a disappointing brick-brown color. The picture below is the color at 1.010 when I racked to carboy. It looks oxidized, which is weird, because I treated with sulfite prior to pitching the yeast. Smells a lot like cherries. Volume-wise a little short of a gallon.



It sounds to me like you’ve done a proper job in controlling oxygen exposure, don’t despair, it’s probably just be the color that your fruit has to offer....


----------



## Stressbaby (Mar 2, 2020)

Johnd said:


> It sounds to me like you’ve done a proper job in controlling oxygen exposure, don’t despair, it’s probably just be the color that your fruit has to offer....



I hope so. We'll see.


----------



## New Zealand Brewer (Apr 16, 2020)

I made some Jaboticaba wine about a year and a half ago and just finally popped it a few nights ago. I jumped online to see if any new discussion had been published since back when I made this, and found this thread. I thought I’d share my experience for anyone interested.

I got my fruit at a farmers market in New Zealand. A family was selling fruit they had grown themselves and near the end of the day I bought most of what they had left (a big box) for just $20. All I found were a few videos that were not in English but I did not see anyone adding water, so I did not either.

I just followed the same process I use when making grape wine.

I mashed gently with a potato masher, and added to a bag-lined bucket. Added potassium metabisulphite, let set for 12 hours, added pectic enzyme, waited another 12. Then pitched.

The sugar level was quite low. I don’t have my notes handy but it was around 1.055 if I recall. I was going for a big red so I added enough to bring it up to around 1.100. A lot, I know.

I fermented with RC212 at around 26 C, if I remember right, used goferm and Fermaid O.

It fermented fairly quickly and around day 5 it was down to around 1.010 and I pressed it (it was on skins and seeds until that point).

Racked it after a few months and got too busy to deal with it for about a year and a half. A few days ago I racked it onto some French oak. I had a spare 1.5 litres that I racked into a growler with oak and have been sampling it each night for the last few nights, trying to decide how I want to handle the remainder.

So, the tasting notes...

I’m pleasantly surprised with this.

It has a somewhat herbal, and fruity nose, but the flavor has a lot of blackberry, plum, and grape. Because the fruit itself is not overly sweet, the taste of the wine is very similar to the fruit itself. It doesn’t go through as big of a transformation as a grape wine does. At least to me.

it is very reminiscent of red grape wine, however the herbal nose and the rather intense citric acid of the fruit sets it apart. While, it’s not as complex as a grape wine, I find it pretty impressive for a fruit wine.

its biggest negative is the citric acid punch. With no water added it is too intense. Still very drinkable, but fatiguing after a glass. But if I add water, the dilution does take away from its complexity.

It’s extremely dry, which coupled with the acid is too much.

I’ve been playing with sugar and water additions and I think I will likely back sweeten with about 1/4 tsp of sugar per 100mls of wine. It does not make it taste sweet at all, it just fills out the flavour nicely and cuts the acidity a bit. I think I may also dilute with water by about 10% to cut the acid further.

I don’t have enough to age long, but a few more years would probably help mellow the acid as well.

I don’t find it to be overly tannic like many posts say. Very similar to a grape wine in that regard.

My wine is not brown like the post above mentioned. The colour is indistinguishable from a grape wine.

But all in all, I’m impressed with this. I am a bit of a snob when it comes to drinks, and I'm quick to dump my creations down the sink if I don’t like them. But I’m genuinely enjoying this and will make again if I can get more fruit.

Here are a few pics...










Hope that is of interest and helps add to the thread, as there is so little out there on Jaboticaba wine.


----------



## Rice_Guy (Apr 16, 2020)

@New Zealand Brewer , *Great write up*


----------



## Stressbaby (Apr 19, 2020)

Agree, great post @New Zealand Brewer 
I agree, my brown-brick color is not legit. It may be due to the age of the fruit. I live in a temperate climate and grow containerized jabos, so I have had to save and freeze mine over, literally, years. Might be just old, frozen fruit that did it.


----------



## New Zealand Brewer (Apr 19, 2020)

Thanks guys! That makes sense. As far as I know, oxidation does take place when freezing, so I'm sure that's it. Hopefully, it doesn't impact flavour. Looks like there is even some difference between our fruit, due to the broken cell walls in your frozen fruit. There is much more white in mine. 

I know you have a long aging time ahead, but how is yours tasting?


----------



## Stressbaby (Apr 20, 2020)

New Zealand Brewer said:


> Thanks guys! That makes sense. As far as I know, oxidation does take place when freezing, so I'm sure that's it. Hopefully, it doesn't impact flavour. Looks like there is even some difference between our fruit, due to the broken cell walls in your frozen fruit. There is much more white in mine.
> 
> I know you have a long aging time ahead, but how is yours tasting?



Very reminiscent of cherries. Not so out of balance that I'm thinking of backsweetening. Different fruit I imagine.


----------



## New Zealand Brewer (Apr 20, 2020)

Cool. Makes sense. In the sample I diluted by 10% (which is how I'm currently drinking it, to combat the acidity) I do get more cherry. I'm impressed with how similar it is to red wine. Were it not for the presence of the citric acid (as apposed to tartaric), I think it might fool quite a few people.


----------

