I was perusing my wine storage last evening, as usual, deciding what to drink for the evening, when the UPS man knocked on my door---problem solved. He delivered a box for my wife (from Bath & Body) and a strange cardboard tube from Nebraska. The latter package turned out to be a gift from my friend DJ (wineforfun). I traded him a bottle of my Dragon Port for this one...a lovely bottle of elderberry wine made from Arne's crop. A double bingo for me!
Now, I have a special place in my palate for elderberry, so when DJ said he was sending me this I was drooling with anticipation---literally. I couldn't have been more pleased with it's timely arrival.
The tall slender ice-wine bottle was filled with beautifully clear wine. The color, aroma, and flavor (which are all very distinct to elderberry wine) did justice to my expectations. I swirled my galss and sat for several minutes breathing in the slightly floral, fruity nose. DJ called this a "semi-sweet" which I think is perfect for the bold flavor of elderberry. He had balanced tart fruit flavor and the acidity with just the right amount of sweetness.
Once I got started, the bottle was emptied all too quickly. Probably the best elderberry wine I have tasted thus far. My wife, Johnna, liked it very much also, and she is no red wine lover.
It may sound like I am playing this up a bit, but I cannot deny, I enjoyed this wine
very much. It is certainly worthy of an award of some kind, and if I were DJ, I'd be submitting this to a competition or two. Great job, my man!
4 out of 5 stars (only because the bottle needed to be bigger!)