What's in your glass tonight?

[Hazelemere]

A banana taped to a wall is stupid.

Knock knock.....

Who is there?

Banana, banana

Knock knock.....

Who is there

Orange

Orange who?

Orange you glad I didn't say banana, banana

 

[jswordy]

2019 Argentinian Malbec... DNS!

 

[Hazelemere]

Black Iris Port with Creme de Cassis in a glass 2024 at about SG 1.008

finished or almost finished fermenting. I have 25 bottles. This is mostly wild cherries with a few blackberries and 1 lb dried elderberries fermented with EC-1118 yeast with nutrient. Here are my comments on this blend in a glass:

Appearance - inky purple

Smell - really good fruit bomb nose

Tannin - good

Acid - good

Flavour - the Cassis is dominant but not in a bad way. If you like port this is first class fruit port. I think I'll top it up with Greek Metaxa raisin brandy to get the alcohol up to 18+%. I may treat it with citric acid to drop the sweetness. Other than that, this should be excellent fruit port. Instead of using 1, I think I'll use 2 bottles of Metaxa on a 25 bottle carboy and then put it in my cooler. I'll retaste it after I add the Metaxa. I don't want to over-ride a beautiful wild cherry smell and taste with the dried elderberries. The blackberry dose is so low that it doesn't matter. I was going to add Drambuie but I think I'll go for Metaxa.

retaste and update:

I have a second bottle of Metaxa which is Greek raisin brandy that I'm using to top up this wine every time that I rack a sample in a glass to taste it so it doesn't referment in the bottle having reached 18+% alcohol on EC-1118 yeast.

Appearance - inky purple

Smell - good, intense smell of wild cherries and cassis (black currant liqueur) with a bit of elderberry in the background

Tannin - good

Acid - good

Flavour - this is delicious fruit port. I would absolutely make it again. The aftertaste is really good. I've made grape ports but I like this better.