What fruit makes a good ‘red’?

[AR324]

I think blueberries have great potential for Cabernet-like reds. You can mix types, the wild blueberries are small with thick skins, as near to grapes as possible. You can also add oak.

However, according to many, the answer probably is elderberry. Always wanted to try it but I hear horror stories about the sludge left behind.

 

[winemaker81]

However, according to many, the answer probably is elderberry. Always wanted to try it but I hear horror stories about the sludge left behind.

Apparently the green goo depends on variety, and there are techniques to clean it.

@BigDaveK has several types in his yard, and may be able to comment further.

 

[David Violante]

Black Mulberry. I only did it a few times, but made a great stout red wine.

https://stcoemgen.com/2012/08/06/mulberry-wine/
Edit : Note I provide a link to show I actually made this wine. Not just "suggesting" something. To think about....

I love the idea of black mulberry wine, I’m going to have to try this. My great grandfather had quite a number of mulberry trees and my grandmother was fond of making mulberry pies and jam. Almost as fond as we were of eating them.

We now have a few trees also, and in homage to them, I’m wondering if a mulberry concord would be a good mix.

 

[BigDaveK]

@BigDaveK has several types in his yard, and may be able to comment further.

I wish I could comment from experience but this will be my first year with elderflower and elderberry. About 5 producing bushes this year, maybe 20+ next year. This year will be all wild, sambucus canadensis.

My understanding is that the elder goo, like capsaicin, is not water soluble. Light coating of oil and then clean with dish detergent like Dawn.

 

[BarrelMonkey]

FYI, here are the conversion ratios for Imperials and US gallon batches:

Multiply Imperial amounts by 0.83 to get US size.
Multiply US amounts by 1.20 to get Imperial size.

E.g., for @Hazelemere's recipe, to make 1 US gallon batch use 6.6 lbs cherries and 2.5 lbs sugar.

Well, I learned something today. (Probably several things, but at least one of them on winemakingtalk.com...)

I grew up in Britain but have lived in the US for over 30 years. I always knew that there were 16oz in an American pint and 20oz in an Imperial pint but I always thought the ounces were the same - Turns out I was wrong! 1 US fl oz = 1.04084 Imperial fl oz. So the 4/5 ratio isn't too far off, but not quite exact. Thanks @winemaker81!

 

[winemaker81]

Well, I learned something today. (Probably several things, but at least one of them on winemakingtalk.com...)

I grew up in Britain but have lived in the US for over 30 years. I always knew that there were 16oz in an American pint and 20oz in an Imperial pint but I always thought the ounces were the same - Turns out I was wrong! 1 US fl oz = 1.04084 Imperial fl oz. So the 4/5 ratio isn't too far off, but not quite exact. Thanks @winemaker81!

I didn't realize Imperial and US oz were different either, until a few years ago. I recall a few folks on this forum had problems because of translation, which is the reason I usually specify units at least once in a post.

I'm teaching myself to think in metric, as it's unambiguous. At this time I can make the mental translations fairly quickly, but am not yet thinking in metric.

EDIT: I used an online translator to determine the # of US oz in an Imperial gallon, and divided that in both directions against 128 oz in US gallon to make the ratios.

 

[ChuckD]

I think blueberries have great potential for Cabernet-like reds. You can mix types, the wild blueberries are small with thick skins, as near to grapes as possible. You can also add oak.

However, according to many, the answer probably is elderberry. Always wanted to try it but I hear horror stories about the sludge left behind.

The green goo is annoying but most of it will be in the primary bucket and on your stirring spoon. I cleaned it from the carboy with a rubbing alcohol soaked towel on a dowel spun with a drill. Do plan on replacing your siphon hose.

I just opened my first Elderberry wine last night. One year bulk and maybe 8 months in the bottle… it’s getting pretty good.

 

[cmason1957]

I wish I could comment from experience but this will be my first year with elderflower and elderberry. About 5 producing bushes this year, maybe 20+ next year. This year will be all wild, sambucus canadensis.

My understanding is that the elder goo, like capsaicin, is not water soluble. Light coating of oil and then clean with dish detergent like Dawn.

I used to make elderberry every year and yes, light coating of vegetable oil followed by Dawn, followed by Oxyclean (or your favorite cleaner), followed by many more rinses and scrubs takes it right out. But it is why I gave up doing elderberry, it does make a nice enough wine.

 

[Raptor99]

The green goo is a nuisance, but I do like elderberry wine. If I can get some elderberries, I think the best plan for me is to make a bigger batch every other year or every third year. Elderberry wine should age well, so it is no problem keeping it that long.

 

[rodolfo]

Here in Finland everybody grows currants (ribes in latin) in their yards. In finnish they are called wine berries. I am yet to try, but they make a good juice and one would imagine they're good for wine since they're named that way. This fall I will try though, and maybe make a post about it.

 

[winechef]

I'm surprised you didn't think. blueberry was a strong red, perhaps your recipe isn't great. I made about 150 gallons over the past 3 years of blueberry wine and it's definitely a full bodied redy.most popular product I sell. I age it in oak and walnut for 6 months, experiment with different tannins, tobacco, pecan, tea,

mulberry is perfect, as stated above add acid to it I prefer 70% tartaric and 30 %citric. i normally use about 2 tablespoons, to get the ph correct.

add black tea leaves for a few weeks to add extra tannins as well the powdered tannins.

I'm different than most fruit wine makers. I Ieave the blueberry and mullberry pulp to build a cap. during fermentation. I also puree my fruit

 

[wood1954]

The green goo is a nuisance, but I do like elderberry wine. If I can get some elderberries, I think the best plan for me is to make a bigger batch every other year or every third year. Elderberry wine should age well, so it is no problem keeping it that long.

You can always use dried elderberries, I made some wine a few years ago from dried elderberries I got from Amazon it turned out really nice with less cleanup than using fresh. This year I have my eyes on an elderberry patch near a creek which is growing extremely well being so close to the water.

 

[Jovimaple]

@rodolfo Welcome to WMT!

 

[BarrelMonkey]

Here in Finland everybody grows currants (ribes in latin) in their yards. In finnish they are called wine berries. I am yet to try, but they make a good juice and one would imagine they're good for wine since they're named that way. This fall I will try though, and maybe make a post about it.

Currants are great! - though I am a long way off from having enough to make wine. They are not common in the US - they were historically banned due to association with white pine blister rust, and although they are now available they are little known.

I have been trialing 4 cultivars: 'Blackdown', 'Black September', Titania' and 'Crandall'. Crandall is a bit different in that it's a native to the US and has less of a musky odor/flavor than the European berries. It also has clove-scented flowers. So far I am unimpressed with Black September but I think I'll try to propagate the others and expand my backyard currant patch...

Welcome to WMT, @rodolfo! I look forward to reading about your currant wine!

 

[vinny]

I used to make elderberry every year and yes, light coating of vegetable oil followed by Dawn, followed by Oxyclean (or your favorite cleaner), followed by many more rinses and scrubs takes it right out. But it is why I gave up doing elderberry, it does make a nice enough wine.

PBW is your friend. I rinse my equipment, hit it with a spray bottle of PBW, rinse, and sanitize if using right away. Otherwise I let it dry and store.

Squeaky clean, and no scrubbing. Even my nut wine, thick with oil, just rinsed away.

I have taken to using it on all my stainless. Even to clean the oven. The bbq is getting a work over with it today.

 

[winemanden]

Elderberry and red grape concentrate! ***

 

[rodolfo]

@rodolfo Welcome to WMT!

Welcome to WMT, @rodolfo! I look forward to reading about your currant wine!

Thanks! I sure will post about it if I get my hands on enough of them.

 

[suzyq2]

Elderberry and red grape concentrate! ***

Equal proportions? I'm embarrassed to admit I have a fondness for red grape concentrate.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Equal proportions? I'm embarrassed to admit I have a fondness for red grape concentrate.

When I do elderberry I take a standard recipe and substitute Concord grape juice for the water. I am looking for balance as in concord doesn’t have tannin and elderberry is low on aromatics. One fruit provides what the other is missing.

 

[winemanden]

Equal proportions? I'm embarrassed to admit I have a fondness for red grape concentrate.

In 1 UK gallon, I add 5 lbs Elderberry + 500 ml red grape concentrate.