North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Dave Griffin" <griffingardens@earthlink.net>]

Hi Don,

 

I have heard that a mix of sweets and sour cherries has a good acid/sugar balance for winemaking, and I would have thought straight tart cherries would have been too acidic. Not true? I suppose it it finishes sweet it can mask some acid though.

 

What variety/varieties are you using?

 

Dave

 

 

 

 

 Michelle:

I have made wine with sour cherries several times over the years, and it is quite good.  Very fruity.  No need to pit the cherries for this product.  I used nearly pure cherry juice, starting with over 5 gallons bulk ripe cherries,  straining out skins and stones after primary fermentation, then topping up a 5-gallon carboy with less than one gallon water.  Leave plenty of space in your primary fermenter as the cherries will foam quite a bit initially.  I used ten pounds granulated sugar per carboy, and champagne yeast.  This will produce a moderately sweet wine of about 13-15% alcohol.  It is ready to drink or bottle at about 3-4 months, after it has settled out to a clear dark ruby color.

I don't think sweet cherries would have quite the character and flavor to carry through in wine as do sour cherries.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

--