# oregon grape wine



## montanaWineGuy (Jul 21, 2016)

I've seen these around over the years, but rarely see enough to bother with. But this year they are abundant. 

Wine or Jelly? I'll start picking and see how many pounds I get and then decide.


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## DoctorCAD (Jul 21, 2016)

Do you know what kind of grape they are?


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## newBendOrfanatic (Jul 21, 2016)

I have noticed the Jack Keller recipe for Oregon grape (Mahoning aquifolium), but I usually don't find sufficient quantities of wild berries to harvest. I guess it makes a great wine that is similar to black currant. I am going scouting for huckleberries today, and will pay attention to areas wit Oregon grape.

My wife always says they are toxic, but this is simply an old wife's tale.


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## montanaWineGuy (Jul 21, 2016)

newBendOrfanatic said:


> I have noticed the Jack Keller recipe for Oregon grape (Mahoning aquifolium), but I usually don't find sufficient quantities of wild berries to harvest. I guess it makes a great wine that is similar to black currant. I am going scouting for huckleberries today, and will pay attention to areas wit Oregon grape.
> 
> My wife always says they are toxic, but this is simply an old wife's tale.



Most tart wild berries are toxic in quantity. 

This really is a great year for these berries, but they are small. In my initial picking, it is early, but there is a LOT more around then I was aware of. As they ripen, and if I can get to them before the deer, I should get enough for wine and jelly.


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## montanaWineGuy (Jul 21, 2016)

DoctorCAD said:


> Do you know what kind of grape they are?



They are berries. I don't know why they are called Oregon Grapes.


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## Stressbaby (Jul 24, 2016)

Oregon because native to western North America.
Grape because it looks like a grape and has a bloom (not the flower) like a grape.


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## montanaWineGuy (Aug 14, 2016)

Started picking these yesterday, and was to get all I needed this morning. It was going good, until I was attacked by yellow jackets. Several nasty bites on the head and some minor ones on the arm.

I wound up with 7.5 lbs and added 5.5lbs of Blueberries.

Damn wasps! GRrrrrrrrrrr!!!


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## wyogal (Aug 17, 2016)

Those are beautiful! I have been re-landscaping my front yard and planted a dozen of these as groundcover. They are hardy here, but I've had difficulty finding info on microclimate. Can you describe the areas where you find these thriving in the wild? Full sun? Part sun? Part shade? Damp? Dry? Anything else you can identify growing in similar spots? 
This would be a great help to me, MontanaWineGuy. Thanks


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## codeman (Aug 17, 2016)

Shade and damp. I live in NW Oregon and they grow in the forest where there's tree canopy and in areas with lots of water.


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## montanaWineGuy (Aug 21, 2016)

codeman said:


> Shade and damp. I live in NW Oregon and they grow in the forest where there's tree canopy and in areas with lots of water.



Exactly. Somehow I'm in the middle of a big patch. Beyond my property it grows hard to find. I racked the fermenting batch and the flavor is excellent.


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## wyogal (Aug 24, 2016)

Thank for your input. Of course, codeman, isn't all of Oregon shade & damp? (just kidding). But today we took a hike up one of the ridges starting at the summit of Teton Pass (el ~ 8400) and all along the trail, both in dry and shady areas there it was Mahonia repens, with "grapes," and the ripe ones were sweet and full of tannins very reminiscent of hearty red wine grape varieties. So I think they would make an outstanding wine alone if you could get enough, or a very good addition to other native berries.


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## WildWine (Sep 6, 2016)

This was a good year for Oregon Grape fruit here on Whidbey Island in N.W. Washington State. I've always been curious about the merits of wine from these berries because they look so much like grapes. So one afternoon recently I easily picked 10# and now have 3 gallons almost ready to bottle. According to J.E. Underhill in the old book Wild Berries of the Pacific Northwest this wine's "big drawback is a pronounced earthy taste that takies at least a year or more to age out." I thought, "Okay, I can wait."


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## montanaWineGuy (Nov 26, 2016)

I consider this the Magnum Opus of my wine making. Compared to other wines I’ve recently tasted, ($15 Chiati for Salami Making, $49 bottle from Naked Wines (I didn’t pay that!), etc.) This is conservatively a $25 bottle of wine. In fact, I think it is better then that over priced Naked Wine, that had a little soapy taste to it.

Now the very best wine I’ve ever tasted was from Opus Winery during a Friend of an Employee Winery tour about 25 years ago. Now that was some good stuff. I’m not there yet. Emphasis on YET. 

http://www.opusonewinery.com/

To recap: These berries (not really grapes) grow wild on my property and on the property nearby. I identified them years ago, but there were never enough to bother with, until this year. 2016 was banner year for these berries, and I was able to pick 7.5 lbs, until I was attacked by several wasps. I thought I might need an Epi Pen. Man those little buggers can bite. 7.5lbs was not enough so I added over 5lbs of Blueberries, and 3+ months later Voila!

Now for the picures --


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## montanaWineGuy (Aug 22, 2017)

Well the picking is over. No where near as good as last year. After several outings and having to range far and wide, I only bagged 5.25 lbs. I had to go all over, and found them only close to home. From what I gather these are favorites with wildlife, especially the black bears. The dog and I came across a black bear eating and was quite engaged. It took him/her 20 to 30 seconds to spot us and finally run into the deep wilderness.

I guess I will freeze what I picked and next year try and get 10lbs and then make the wine.


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## montanaWineGuy (Aug 29, 2017)

Neighbor called and said she was having a bumper crop of Oregon Grapes. A small crop but lots and lots of Grapes. I'm now at 8lbs of these OGs. I'm sure I can scrounge up 2 more pounds. 2017 Oregon Grape Wine.


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## montanaWineGuy (Aug 27, 2019)

An incredible crop this year. 6 gallons so far, and I am finding bigger and better patches of these berries everyday. Almost 2 gallons this morning, and I will try for another 2 gallons this afternoon. 

There were zero last year.


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## montanaWineGuy (Aug 28, 2019)

4lbs per gallon. I am now working on the 8th gallon. Enough to make ~120 bottles that I will start in April 2020.


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## montanaWineGuy (Nov 13, 2019)

An interesing update to this Bumper Crop. I wasn't the only one interested in these berries. During my time spent picking, I kept seeing signs of a bear. Then I was hearing of sightings. Then I was seeing then bear, and the dog was too. The bear became brazen, showing no fear, and actually showing aggression towards the dog. I knew I was next. 

I put the bear down. Shot him with my Winchester 300 Mag, a head shot. Now I am eating him. I have had bear meat before, but nothing like this. Tastes a lot like beef, but way way more tender and juicy. I tried to tan the hide, but the bear was to young and the hide to thin. I did save the claws and have been cleaning, polishing and preserving them. Not sure exactly what I will do with the claws, but I have 20 of them, so can do a variety of things with them.


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## wpt-me (Nov 13, 2019)

A nice necklace from them would be good . Maybe a rawhide lace to go with it!!

Bill


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## montanaWineGuy (Nov 13, 2019)

wpt-me said:


> A nice necklace from them would be good . Maybe a rawhide lace to go with it!!
> 
> Bill



That and maybe a picture of a bear with a good broad matting outlining the picture. I could cut into the matting and insert a few of the claws at the edges for a unique piece of wall art.

Or even better, I could do a rough frame (salavged weathered wood), and my router and dremel work would not have to be very precise to fit the claws into.


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## montanaWineGuy (Nov 13, 2019)

I like this one better. Black Bears with the claws off a black bear. I have the perfect spot to hang it also. This is big too at 32"x48". I'm going to sleep on it, but this could be perfect.

And to really finish it would be to tie a paracord lanyard with several claws separated by copper tubing, to hang off the side of the framed print.


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## montanaWineGuy (Jan 31, 2020)

Bear Claws and display picture is done. Has been now for a few months. Came out really good, especially since I spent nearly nothing on it.


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## montanaWineGuy (Jan 31, 2020)

I am getting anxious to start making the wine. Weather is warm for this time of the year, but still just a wee bit to cold to get a fermentation going.


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## montanaWineGuy (Oct 3, 2020)

Wine is fermenting nicely. Four 6 gallon worth. Another bumper crop of the berries, so I will begin making another big batch about the time this current batch is ready for bottling, next spring.


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## Rappatuz (Oct 3, 2020)

I plan on picking mahonia tomorrow, and suddenly this thread was at the top of the page. What a coincidence. 

It'll be my first mahonia wine. From your posts I understand I'm in for a treat ... about a year from now. I see you use 4 lbs/gal., which is usually a bit on the thin side for most berries.


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## montanaWineGuy (Oct 3, 2020)

Rappatuz said:


> I plan on picking mahonia tomorrow, and suddenly this thread was at the top of the page. What a coincidence.
> 
> It'll be my first mahonia wine. From your posts I understand I'm in for a treat ... about a year from now. I see you use 4 lbs/gal., which is usually a bit on the thin side for most berries.



Actually, I used 8 lbs per 6 gallons. I do a lot of stirring and bag squeezing. I was even hoping to doing another batch with some reuse. When I pulled the strainer from the fermentation bucket I could see that the berries gave all.

My latest batch was Apple wine, and I passed the apples thru my meat grinder. Amazing how far them apples go when you grind them in to course paste.


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## Rappatuz (Oct 3, 2020)

montanaWineGuy said:


> Actually, I used 8 lbs per 6 gallons. I do a lot of stirring and bag squeezing. I was even hoping to doing another batch with some reuse. When I pulled the strainer from the fermentation bucket I could see that the berries gave all.
> 
> My latest batch was Apple wine, and I passed the apples thru my meat grinder. Amazing how far them apples go when you grind them in to course paste.



Less than 1,5 lbs/gal. Never heard anyone go that low on fruit before. Heard that 4 lbs/gal. works good with elderberries, but only because it's a really robust flavor.


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## montanaWineGuy (Aug 4, 2022)

I missed out on making wine last year. I had Sciatic Nerve issues that keep me from doing much at all. Almost 8 gallons of Oregon Grapes stayed in the freezer for a year and a half. Started up 2 six gallon buckets that stared fermenting this morning. I had run out of Yeast Nutrient and decided to see what would happen. Right on scheduled.

I was anxious to get started on this as I have almost 70lbs of sugar that I bought several years ago. I'm using it now, and in a weeks time I'll get started on 2 more six gallons of the same.


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## montanaWineGuy (Oct 19, 2022)

I racked the first 2 six gallons. I little taste test and it is so good. I'll rack the 2nd six tomorrow, and then they sit til as least next May. I also have 2 six gallons of Elderberry that is still fermenting.


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