ALEXANDER'S QUESTION

[NorthernWinos]

A while back I had a problem with the WinExpert Red Grape Concentrate product...I use that in all my fruit wine to add body, flavorand color.


In lieu of that product I bought cans of Alexander's grape juices...I used one 46oz can in a batch of wine instead of the usual 2-500 mil bottles of the WinExpert Concentrate and found it to be thinner....I now have a good supply of WinExpert Grape Concentrates

....as well as 6 cans of Alexanders.


Has anyone made wine using those cans of Alexander Sun Country juices

I have to use these up this winter and get them out of my inventory.


I have 2 cans of each...Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Burgundy. I was thinking of using 2 cans in a 5 gallon batch and adding 1 gallon of my homemade steam extracted Raspberryor Strawberry juice to a batch. I am not really expecting a great wine out of this product.


I was thinking of blends like....
Cabernet/Raspberry
Merlot/Raspberry
Burgundy/strawberry


Do you think one gallon of my fruit juices would be enough to give a fruit flavor

I have no shortage of my juice...could use 2 gallons per batch...


Or...should I just mix up the 2 cans in a 5 gallon batch for a wine???Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[dfwwino]

It depends on how picky your taste is. Over 10 years ago, I made 2-3 batches of red wineswith Alexander's. I tried the Cab. Sauv. and Merlot. I did not likethe end product. Before Winexpert red concentrate was available, I would only use the Alexander's red concentrate for adding body to a fruit wine. I did make several decent white wines with Alexanders. But adding two cans of Alexander's red to a gallon of fruit juice might make a decent wine. I know that there are mead makers adding one can of Alexander's red to 12 lbs of honey to make pyment and getting good results. Edited by: dfwwino

 

[NorthernWinos]

Thanks DFW...I thought the Alexander's would have been a likely substitute when I had a problem with the WinExpert product...I found the Alexander's didn't have the color/body or flavor in the fruit wines that I got with WinExpert.


I will do a 5 gallon batch with the Cab/Raspberry and thenreconsider the other cans of juice.


A good lesson to be learned.

 

[grapeman]

I have a suggestion NW. Why not make either 3 gallon batches with 2 cans of each kind alone or use 2 cans of each with a bottle or two of the concentrate in each if you want more body. Personally I found the Ruby Cabernet and the Merlot both made pretty decent wines. The Ruby Cabernet had a lot of fruit tones in it, especially raspberry(so it would probably go well with that). I added oak to the Merlot(2 cans per 3 gallons) and to me it seems to be plenty full bodied. I still enjoy one now and again but only have a few left.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Hummm...good sugestion....Maybe 2 cans, 2 bottles of concentrate and a gallon of fruit juice....Wow...glad I need to bottle some wine to free up a carboy...will have plenty of time to ponder this one.

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

I made a two can ,three gal batch of the Cab for a friend some time ago, he says it is starting to get decent. I use these for times I just want to experiment, such as my first attempt at Sparkling Wine now going, the Chablis. The price on these says have fun and play with them.