Wine Weekend - Part 1

It is too hot for anything to really grow outside, including weeds. We have started watering early in an effort to just keep things healthy. So this weekend will be spent catching up on winemaking. Friday I tackled the 1 gallon batches.

First up were the blueberry wines. We have a straight blueberry which isn't bad, but suffers from a little foxiness from the bit of Concord used. For unclear reasons, this foxiness is missing from the blueberry hibiscus, which was made from the seconds. Both wines are clear, with good color and taste. Of the two, I prefer the hibiscus blueberry. They will be bottled soon, dry.

Blueberry and Hibiscus Blueberry Wines

Arkansas Black was made from straight juice of apples given to me by one of my patients. It could be that I just don't like apple wine. I find this wine unremarkable. I have to search for any hint of apple. The acid is about right, as are the tannins. I'm afraid that no matter what I do this this I won't like it that much.

Varieta Tropical is my Christmas Tutti Fruiti freezer wine. This wine is a pleasant surprise. It's only problem is its tea color. It has a nice floral aroma, just a little green peppery bite. Tannins are a little prominent. It might need some acid and a little backsweetening, but this wine has much more promise than the apple.

Costa Rican Hibiscus batch number two tastes as good as batch number one, like a combination of red hots and peppermint candies. Like the first batch, it is slow to clear however and will require a clarifier.

Arkansas black, Varieta Tropica, and Costa Rican Hibiscus wines

The 2016 citrus combo wine is clearing nicely. This wine is citrusy without the bandaid smell some of my citrus wines get. I'll sweeten this a little bit and we'll have a nice wine for next summer.

2016 Citrus Wine

Tomorrow we'll get to the elderberry and blackberry wines. And some more outside watering.