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nafex - [NAFEX] RE: cherry wine

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  • From: "Dave Griffin" <griffingardens@earthlink.net>
  • To: "nafex" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [NAFEX] RE: cherry wine
  • Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2004 13:49:06 -0600

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
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