# Favorite Fruit Wine



## Tovis (Nov 11, 2014)

Do any of you have a favorite? So far mine are Kiwifruit and Banana.


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## beano (Nov 11, 2014)

I like Blackberry, yum.


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## Julie (Nov 11, 2014)

Elderberry followed by Blackberry


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## Deezil (Nov 11, 2014)

Apple-Pear
Blueberry


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## garymc (Nov 11, 2014)

Elderberry and blackberry. Or maybe blackberry and elderberry. Actually, I've blended the two and it was in the same league. So I'm saying blackberry, elderberry, and elderberry and blackberry.


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## BernardSmith (Nov 11, 2014)

whichever fruit I am working on is my favorite.


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## WVMountaineerJack (Nov 12, 2014)

We cant make enough dried elderberry meads, closely followed by black raspberry meads, right on the heels of cyser from our own apples and honey. I had to put up a special winerack called the keeper rack for long term storage since we were drinking our favorites faster and they didnt get to age out for years, we put a couple of bottles in the keeper rack and they go untouched until the main bottles are gone, then I debate with the wife when we should pull one out of the keeper rack. Sometimes we wait to long, 5 years can push it for some light strawberry wine while 100% strawberry can last that long, others like elderberry and the other berries have no problems hitting the 5 year mark and further, just that sometimes I dont win the debate and they get "tested" sooner than I had hoped WVMJ


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## ffemt128 (Nov 12, 2014)

It would definately have to be Elderberry followed by Cherry but I have only made Cherry once and I have another batch going now. I will be starting about 16 gallons of Elderberry here soon...


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## GreginND (Nov 12, 2014)

Not a fruit, but a vegetable - I am partial to rhubarb wine. I've made many different styles from dry to sweet to rhubarb with other fruits. They are all great.


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## knifemaker (Nov 12, 2014)

I'm really struggling with this one, I think chokecherry is probably my favorite, elderberry, then blackberry. No wait! blackberry, elderberry, chokecherry, OH CRAP! why do I have such a hard time making such hard choices! Man, now I'm going to drink a bottle of each and think about it! I'll try to get back with you in a week to ten days! Dale.


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## Tovis (Nov 12, 2014)

I am just about to start bottling. 

Making wine feels as ancient as making bread. This has been such an awesome hobby so far.

Thanks for all of your replies.


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## T_Baggins (Nov 12, 2014)

I would have to say to plain old apple is my favorite (so far.) One of the worst (initially) was White-grape/Raspberry from concentrate. Even after bulk aging for near a year it still tasted awful and was in need of some sweetener. I used maybe 2.5 cans? of Apple/cherry concentrate in 5 gals of the WG/R. The result was absolutely _bonafide_!!!


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## Ernest T Bass (Nov 14, 2014)

Last year when I was out of fruit, I dug some horse radish and made some wine. Definately not my favorite, I've been in "Johnny on the Jogs" that smelled better, "Wadden" brave enuf to taste it!!
Semper Fi


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## Ernest T Bass (Nov 14, 2014)

Last year when I was out of fruit, I dug some horse radish and made some wine. Definately not my favorite, I've been in "Johnny on the Jobs" that smelled better, "Wadden" brave enuf to taste it!!
Semper Fi


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## mikewatkins727 (Nov 14, 2014)

*Favorite wine*

This summer I started a Jalapeno wine for the wife to cook with. Have read that it is a good sipping wine when Ol' Man Winter blows. You can't help but taste wine when transferring (racking). Although it taste young, it had a good taste and not too hot. This just may take the lead. Will know in the spring.


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## Tenbears (Nov 14, 2014)

WVMountaineerJack said:


> We cant make enough dried elderberry meads, closely followed by black raspberry meads, right on the heels of cyser from our own apples and honey. I had to put up a special winerack called the keeper rack for long term storage since we were drinking our favorites faster and they didnt get to age out for years, we put a couple of bottles in the keeper rack and they go untouched until the main bottles are gone, then I debate with the wife when we should pull one out of the keeper rack. Sometimes we wait to long, 5 years can push it for some light strawberry wine while 100% strawberry can last that long, others like elderberry and the other berries have no problems hitting the 5 year mark and further, just that sometimes I dont win the debate and they get "tested" sooner than I had hoped WVMJ



I am with you Jack, seems we have quite a bit in common, We both have a passion for elderberries, and cultivate them, I am putting in 50 more common bushes this spring! We both keep bees, and seem to live a close to mother earth country lifestyle. Elderberry Melomel = natures most flavorful fruit combined with her perfect sweetener, fermented into a liquid ambrosia with robust body, flavor and aroma,


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## WVMountaineerJack (Nov 15, 2014)

We have been battling spotted wing drosophila, they get into the berry and the fruit drops off while you are standing in front of the elderberry bush getting ready to pick them. We water sorted this years meager harvest and most of them floated away, got just enough to dry for some dried elderberry, I think each may have a worm inside so we are going to have to cut back a little on the nutrient additions Wild berries are a stable here on the farm, I once sort of moved some downed trees out of the wifes black raspberry patch with a front end loader knocking down all here wild berry bushes in the patch but I thought it would be safer and easier for here to pick in the coming years but it wasnt safer for me! After that I just leave things wild, she takes her dog down with her to pick to sniff out snakes and is most happy picking berries. WVMJ



Tenbears said:


> I am with you Jack, seems we have quite a bit in common, We both have a passion for elderberries, and cultivate them, I am putting in 50 more common bushes this spring! We both keep bees, and seem to live a close to mother earth country lifestyle. Elderberry Melomel = natures most flavorful fruit combined with her perfect sweetener, fermented into a liquid ambrosia with robust body, flavor and aroma,


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## Tenbears (Nov 15, 2014)

We have had no problem with the spotted wing drosophila. Odd how a few hundred miles can make a difference. When I first got this farm there were no elderberries. I had to drive for miles to find any. The division of wildlife gave me some to plant and they took off, when I process fresh elderberries I drive up to where the river enters our property and dump the seeds in the river. aside from what I have planted, we have a large population along the river and every backwater now. last year was a great harvest year for us. One never knows what the future may bring though.


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## Tovis (Nov 16, 2014)

Now, how long do you traditionally age your favorite wines?

I have Banana, Jersey Blueberry, Jersey Blueberry Port, Kiwifruit, Peach, Tart Cherry, and Red Raspberry all going for 2014.

Each is at least 3 gallons so I plan on aging 12 bottles of each wine for at least 6 months.

Do you all have methods for reserving wines you age and wines you drink right away?


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## Julie (Nov 16, 2014)

I ate mine for at least one year


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## Tovis (Nov 16, 2014)

All of your wines or do you do reds and whites differently? Also what does it do and are your wines generally on the sweet or dry side?


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## Julie (Nov 16, 2014)

lol. All of it! I have Reds, whites, sweet and dry and I age everything for at least a year before drinking. Some need more than a year like elderberry, it is at its best at two years but blackberry is great at one year. Dry reds are better at two years but sweet whites are very good at one year.


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## Tovis (Nov 16, 2014)

What changes in them over time? Just more mellow and complex?


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## Julie (Nov 16, 2014)

Yes, they soften up and are not as harsh


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## Tenbears (Nov 16, 2014)

I agree I have been a mead maker and I rarely bottle before a year, I like to bulk age. Then I age in the bottles another year at 50F. The one exception to the rule is anything with Bananas in it. For example elderberry banana melomel I bulk age 6 months bottle for 6 and drink I find it peters out rather than getting better if not consumed within 2 years. IMHO


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## jensmith (Jan 23, 2015)

They are all my favorite! However Rasberry may be at the top of my list. Closely followed by Blueberry, Blueberry+Table grape blend and Rubarb. 
I have made plum wine. The first one was very very good. The following couple batches were just nice. The type of plum used really affected to flavore. 


Sent from my iPod touch using Wine Making


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## cintipam (Jan 23, 2015)

My fave is cranapple.

Hey Jen, could you say a little more about your experience with plum wine? I know there are Japanese plums and european plums, also throw in wild plums and that's a lot to choose from. Which have you tried, and how did you rate them? I'm trying to decide if I should bother to plant the wild ones, but I already have some of the other variety. Just not enough to make a straight batch of wine yet.

Pam in cinti


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## newBendOrfanatic (Jan 23, 2015)

In the Jack Keller feature for the sister site, it was noted that Keller's favorite "fruit" wine is wild plum. Interesting feature story.

There is a wild plum winery in SE Oregon that produces an excellent wild plum wine as well as a good wild plum brandy.

As for myself, I am still working on acid balance and fruit quantity for the wild plums that I can harvest. Drinkable, but not outstanding so far.


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## cintipam (Jan 23, 2015)

I appreciate the thought, and I agree that juicy Japanese plums would be a lot easier. Has anyone had experience with the wild plums?

Pam in cinti


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## cintipam (Jan 23, 2015)

Hey sorry I missed your post newBendOrfanatic. I was responding to prior post. I will have to read more from Jack Kellers recipes. Did you base your wild plum on his recipe? How aged is it?

I will have to keep my eyes open for some commercial wildplum to buy and try.

thanks for the input!

Pam in cinti


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## jensmith (Jan 23, 2015)

So far I have only used store bought type plums. Not enough wild ones for wine around here. Even orcherd grown are hard to come by. 
The best wine was made from those big extra dark dead ripe plums. The wine was faboulose. 6-7 pounds per galleon. It did need to age 9 months to be good. It took that long to mellow. Nice red color. 
The next wine used a vinters harvest canned plums. (3gal recapie) This one used those small yellow fleshed plums. It tasted awful out of the can. Like old stale dry plums. It evenually, with a few fresh peaches, turned into a decent mellow wine, fairly young. Under 6 months. 
The next wine used a mix of different plum typs, mix of light purple and yellow fleshed. Those with a yellow flesh and mottled skin were fairly dry. Only a few nice dark red plums. (All these plums were free, so good enough!) Only 5 pounds per galleon. Was drinkable after 7 months. Nice color. Not as deep as the wine using only dark plums, but pretty. Better flavor then the vinters wine. More plum flavor and complexity. 

I prefure to eat the dark red juicy plums over the small yellow dry fleshed ones. Guess it stands to reason I prefure my wines the same way. They all turned out to be nice drinking wines. It was just the "hmmm, good" factor that varied. 



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## cintipam (Jan 23, 2015)

jensmith, excellent helpful info. Just the type I wanted. My trees are fairly young but if the weather cooperates I should have enough to make a batch this year. Last year was abust due to extreme winter, but hopefully this one won't be quite so bad. Still, I should be able to get a mixed bag of types. My faves are the Santa Rosa, very dark tart skin with sweet peachy colored flesh. But I will combine if necessary to make a batch.

Pam in cinti


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## franki1926 (Jan 23, 2015)

Cherry, with New Jersey beach Plum a close 2nd


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## jensmith (Jan 23, 2015)

Glad to have been of help! Just remember not to add any acid blend to fresh plums untill after it has fermented and you have done a taste test. Unless you test for acidity first that is. The vinters harvest canned stuff needed a full dose of acid blend, where the real fruit did not need any. Just as a heads up for any newbie who may be reading.  

Good luck with your plum crop! 


Sent from my iPod touch using Wine Making


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## x_diver (Jan 26, 2015)

My favorite fruit is whatever is on sale or someone gives me. 

But I am partial to plum and blackberry. I like mulberry too but it takes forever gather 6lbs to make a gallon.


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## newBendOrfanatic (Jan 27, 2015)

I currently have one test batch of wild plum that is 1.5 years in bottles. Thin, but very decent tasting. One small test batch that is ready for bottling. Added bananas pre-ferment, and it again has decent flavor but perhaps a little thin. One test batch of mead that is ready for bottling. Different and still in waiting mode on early judgment. One 6 gallon batch with several adjustments from suggestions from these forums. Early indications are that this wild plum is improved. I may still break it up into a 3 gallon as is and a 2 gallon with a finishing fpack with the final portion being consumed early. Lol. Finally, I have 40 pounds of plums in the freezer. I will work on this next batch to get more fruit per gallon while still controlling tannin and acidity. If I still had access to inexpensive, domesticated plums, I would go with a mix. Plums are expensive right now, lol.


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