Prickly Pear Wine

[Jericurl]

Still day-glo fuschia/purple!

I racked it on the last day of November. I'm not seeing anything else dropping out so I will probably leave it be til around February and bottle it then.
I didn't taste it this time around.

Sgx2, I really do love the bright color of this wine but if it has to turn white, I certainly wouldn't mind the color of yours.
How does it taste?

 

[sgx2]

...How does it taste?

It's really interesting - herbaceous, reminiscent of clover in hot summer days, with a hint of black pepper spiciness. I'm going to enjoy sampling this over the course of a few months to see if it changes.

I'm not sure why the colour changed, and despite the persistent haze (which survived two-stage clarification, pectic enzyme, amylase enzyme and filtering with #2 pads ) it's a beautiful white...

 

[JohnT]

It's really interesting - herbaceous, reminiscent of clover in hot summer days, with a hint of black pepper spiciness. I'm going to enjoy sampling this over the course of a few months to see if it changes.

I'm not sure why the colour changed, and despite the persistent haze (which survived two-stage clarification, pectic enzyme, amylase enzyme and filtering with #2 pads ) it's a beautiful white...

PH is know to affect color. How is the PH?

 

[sgx2]

Darn good question - I haven't got pH testing equipment here, so I don't know...

 

[Jericurl]

I stabilized this back in January and backsweetened with 2 cups of sugar.

When I tasted it, I felt like it needed something, so I added 2 oz of rum soaked american oak cubes.

I just racked it off the cubes and tasted it.

This may be the best wine I've made so far.
It's still very hot tasting but man is this good!

 

[JohnT]

Jeri,

Now you just need to get your guy hooked on it.


Can you post a picture of what the wine looks like??

 

[the_rayway]

I second JohnT! Would love to see a pic.

 

[Jericurl]

Well, in the carboy it's too dark to make out a color.
I suppose I'll have to draw off a glass to take a proper picture. And of course I'll have to drink said glass then.....sigh.....the things I'm willing to do for you guys.....

 

[Jericurl]

Well, I took a few pictures and only one turned out.

The bright pink color is actually quite true to life.

 

[the_rayway]

Ooooohhhhh! Pretty!!

 

[JohnT]

Jericurl,

That looks very interesting! It also looks like it is nice and clear.

I take it you and your guy will be making more this year?

 

[JDesCotes]

Wow, that wine looks amazing. I wish prickly pear weren't endangered in ontario or I would totally make some! I'm sure my wife would love it even if it didn't taste good just based on the colour!

 

[Jericurl]

So,

I dragged out my carboy full of prickly pear wine. It's going to be the next item to get bottled.

It's got an interesting flavor to it.
I backsweetened it just a bit a few months ago.

It just tastes kind of...meh.
Nothing really spectacular about it.
I'm not really sure what to do with it now.

 

[mikewatkins727]

Now you know why I do 1 gallon batches until I find something I like.

 

[JohnT]

Jericurl,

I am so sorry!

Can you expand on why you find it disappointing? I think at one time you thought it rather good. Has the flavor faded?

 

[Jericurl]

It's a little hard to describe what I don't care for.
Manthing actually thinks it's decent and I should go ahead and bottle it and just let it age a little.

It has a spicy kind of undertone. The fruity and hay flavors are still present. It's...thick? I think they call that having good legs? If you swirl the glass around the wine coats the sides for a second before it slides down. I don't think it needs anymore sugar.
I added acid at the beginning.
It just tastes...I don't know, boring maybe?

I am terrible at this.
I'll sit down this afternoon with a glass and try to write out some impressions.

 

[the_rayway]

Hey Jeri,
When you sit down with it, try it 'regular', then add a pinch of acid blend. I had issues with my Blackberry and Raspberry meads where they just tasted 'Meh' for ages. Then I added some acid and BAM! There's the flavour.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[Jericurl]

I'll dig around for some acid tomorrow. What I could find was an almost empty package.
Can I use citric acid (the same used in canning?)? I have plenty of that.

 

[JohnT]

Jeri,

Just wondering, do you know the wine's PH?

 

[cintipam]

Jeri, try citric. I read that citric acid is the acid of choice for fruit, and I would call this a fruit.

If that helps some but not enough I'd do a bench test. I have bunches of extracts I try till I find what I feel adds to the flavor in a good way. It's not always the flavor I thought would be best. Just grab about 8 oz wine in a cup, a stack of plastic cups, your box of flavors, and head outside to enjoy yourself. put about an ounce of wine in each glass and add a drop or two of a likely flavor, swirl and taste. Move on to next glass if flavor 1 doesn't help. I've found chocolate to be great in most reds, but it varies with white and blushes. You might or might not find a fab mix but you will surely enjoy the testing.

Pam in cinti