Okay, so here is what I'd like to do.....

Outside of grape skins of the right variety, take your best bet as to
what country winemaking ingredient would be your first choice for an
ingredient that would add complexity to a wine.

Anything you like, but try to choose one as the absolute top of your
list.

When I get a shortlist (if anyone responds!) I am going to make an
experimental batch using all the shortlist ingredients.

Thanks if you can take the time to make a suggestion

Sean

On Apr 13, 10:37 am, "snpm" wrote:
Okay, so here is what I'd like to do.....

Outside of grape skins of the right variety, take your best bet as to
what country winemaking ingredient would be your first choice for an
ingredient that would add complexity to a wine.

I'm not sure that it's a "country" winemaking ingredient, but Oak is
an obvious answer. I usually use both American and Hungarian oak in my
red wines. There is a difference between oak varieties; American oak
produces a more distinct oak note while Hungarian oak produces a more
"round" oak flavor. Oak chips of several varieties are generally
available at home brewing shops.

I've also heard good things about Elderberries, but I've never
experimented with them.

Greg

"snpm" wrote in message
ups.com...
Okay, so here is what I'd like to do.....

Outside of grape skins of the right variety, take your best bet as to
what country winemaking ingredient would be your first choice for an
ingredient that would add complexity to a wine.

Anything you like, but try to choose one as the absolute top of your
list.

When I get a shortlist (if anyone responds!) I am going to make an
experimental batch using all the shortlist ingredients.

Thanks if you can take the time to make a suggestion

Hmmmm, can't be done in my opinion--not enough information. Depends on the
variety of wine targeted. Could be oak, could be the yeast, might be
tannin... Then you run into the problem of which oak, which yeast,
which....

Might be none of those. Might be age....

Back to you -- pick a wine, first.

Sean,
1) elderberries 2)blackberries 3) a slight whiff of reductive
chemistry

--
Mike MTM, Cokesbury, NJ, USA

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raisins

"snpm" wrote in message
ups.com...
Okay, so here is what I'd like to do.....

Outside of grape skins of the right variety, take your best bet as to
what country winemaking ingredient would be your first choice for an
ingredient that would add complexity to a wine.

Anything you like, but try to choose one as the absolute top of your
list.

When I get a shortlist (if anyone responds!) I am going to make an
experimental batch using all the shortlist ingredients.

Thanks if you can take the time to make a suggestion

Sean


Elderberries for colour, tannin, flavour and longevity
--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.
www.tapan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

Banana juice (made with a steam extractor or boiling banana's
for body, and sugar.
Lemons for a bit of taste and acid.


Okay, so here is what I'd like to do.....

Outside of grape skins of the right variety, take your best bet as to
what country winemaking ingredient would be your first choice for an
ingredient that would add complexity to a wine.

Anything you like, but try to choose one as the absolute top of your
list.

When I get a shortlist (if anyone responds!) I am going to make an
experimental batch using all the shortlist ingredients.

Thanks if you can take the time to make a suggestion

Sean

I've added 2 oz of dried Elder berries per gallon and it did improve the
Jammy-ness of the wine, but I was making Pinot Noir, so wanted that.

DAve

wrote:
On Apr 13, 10:37 am, "snpm" wrote:
Okay, so here is what I'd like to do.....

Outside of grape skins of the right variety, take your best bet as to
what country winemaking ingredient would be your first choice for an
ingredient that would add complexity to a wine.

I'm not sure that it's a "country" winemaking ingredient, but Oak is
an obvious answer. I usually use both American and Hungarian oak in my
red wines. There is a difference between oak varieties; American oak
produces a more distinct oak note while Hungarian oak produces a more
"round" oak flavor. Oak chips of several varieties are generally
available at home brewing shops.

I've also heard good things about Elderberries, but I've never
experimented with them.

Greg

"snpm" wrote in message
ups.com...
Okay, so here is what I'd like to do.....

Outside of grape skins of the right variety, take your best bet as to
what country winemaking ingredient would be your first choice for an
ingredient that would add complexity to a wine.

Anything you like, but try to choose one as the absolute top of your
list.

When I get a shortlist (if anyone responds!) I am going to make an
experimental batch using all the shortlist ingredients.

Thanks if you can take the time to make a suggestion

Sean



I would agree with others that it depends on the wine, but some of the
things I would consider would be:

bananas for body,
Welch's frozen Niagara concentrate for light colored wines.
Dark raisins for dark colored wines.
Oak for some wines but other wines are hurt by oak

Chemicals such as tannin and acid are just adjustments and I do not consider
them as blending agents.

As for as adding a different fruit to a country wine, I generally prefer to
make them separately and then blend the wines after they are made.

Ray

Elderberry wine used as a blending agent. We currently have 5 gallons of
bulk aged 2 yr old elderberry on hand if we need to use it.

Blackberry juice- Take a pound of frozen blackberries and put them into a
cheesecloth bag. Pour slightly cooled down boiling water over the berries
and let them steep; making a strong tea. Use as little hot water as you can
get away with. Repeat the process a few times to extract as much color and
flavor as you can. If you want to sweeten add a cup of sugar to 2 cups
water, brought to a boil. If you do sweeten, don't forget to sorbate the
finished wine. You will be surprised to taste how much a couple of ml of
blackberry juice will enhance 4 - 6 oz of red wine.

"snpm" wrote in message
ups.com...
Okay, so here is what I'd like to do.....

Outside of grape skins of the right variety, take your best bet as to
what country winemaking ingredient would be your first choice for an
ingredient that would add complexity to a wine.

Anything you like, but try to choose one as the absolute top of your
list.

When I get a shortlist (if anyone responds!) I am going to make an
experimental batch using all the shortlist ingredients.

Thanks if you can take the time to make a suggestion

Sean

On Apr 13, 10:37 am, "snpm" wrote:
Okay, so here is what I'd like to do.....

Outside of grape skins of the right variety, take your best bet as to
what country winemaking ingredient would be your first choice for an
ingredient that would add complexity to a wine.

Anything you like, but try to choose one as the absolute top of your
list.

When I get a shortlist (if anyone responds!) I am going to make an
experimental batch using all the shortlist ingredients.

Thanks if you can take the time to make a suggestion

Sean

I thank you all, but it appears all contributors to this thread bar a
couple may have actually misunderstood my intention. I request not
ingredients you would ADD to a wine to increase its complexity, but
ingredients you would use to PRODUCE a wine of complexity. No grape
suggestions, this is country wine territory. I will use any and all
country wine ingredients and additives from a shortlist to make an
experimental batch. Sounds like an elderberry/blackberry base is
in...so what say you now, mentors?

"snpm" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Apr 13, 10:37 am, "snpm" wrote:
Okay, so here is what I'd like to do.....

Outside of grape skins of the right variety, take your best bet as to
what country winemaking ingredient would be your first choice for an
ingredient that would add complexity to a wine.

Anything you like, but try to choose one as the absolute top of your
list.

When I get a shortlist (if anyone responds!) I am going to make an
experimental batch using all the shortlist ingredients.

Thanks if you can take the time to make a suggestion

Sean

I thank you all, but it appears all contributors to this thread bar a
couple may have actually misunderstood my intention. I request not
ingredients you would ADD to a wine to increase its complexity, but
ingredients you would use to PRODUCE a wine of complexity. No grape
suggestions, this is country wine territory. I will use any and all
country wine ingredients and additives from a shortlist to make an
experimental batch. Sounds like an elderberry/blackberry base is
in...so what say you now, mentors?


I am not sure we did misunderstand you. At least what you said rather than
what you were thinking. As far as what we suggested, you rulled out grape
skins and I did not note anyon suggesting them.

You said you were interested in an "ingredient that would add complexity to
a wine." You did not specify when the ingredient would be added.
Ingredients can be added before, during, or after fermentation. A very
common way is to blend in things after fermentation. We adjust acidity or
tannin level or sweetness after fermentation. And as far as adding fruit,
even the commercial people making grape wine do not blend fruit before
fermentation. They make the different wines and then blend them for
complexity.

But then if you want to establish some ground rules for yourself, fine.
Just be careful how you ask questions of others. They will not know what
rules you are living by.

Ray


Ray

Ray

On Apr 26, 11:50 am, "Ray Calvert" wrote:
"snpm" wrote in message

ups.com...





On Apr 13, 10:37 am, "snpm" wrote:
Okay, so here is what I'd like to do.....

Outside of grape skins of the right variety, take your best bet as to
what country winemaking ingredient would be your first choice for an
ingredient that would add complexity to a wine.

Anything you like, but try to choose one as the absolute top of your
list.

When I get a shortlist (if anyone responds!) I am going to make an
experimental batch using all the shortlist ingredients.

Thanks if you can take the time to make a suggestion

Sean

I thank you all, but it appears all contributors to this thread bar a
couple may have actually misunderstood my intention. I request not
ingredients you would ADD to a wine to increase its complexity, but
ingredients you would use to PRODUCE a wine of complexity. No grape
suggestions, this is country wine territory. I will use any and all
country wine ingredients and additives from a shortlist to make an
experimental batch. Sounds like an elderberry/blackberry base is
in...so what say you now, mentors?

I am not sure we did misunderstand you. At least what you said rather than
what you were thinking. As far as what we suggested, you rulled out grape
skins and I did not note anyon suggesting them.

You said you were interested in an "ingredient that would add complexity to
a wine." You did not specify when the ingredient would be added.
Ingredients can be added before, during, or after fermentation. A very
common way is to blend in things after fermentation. We adjust acidity or
tannin level or sweetness after fermentation. And as far as adding fruit,
even the commercial people making grape wine do not blend fruit before
fermentation. They make the different wines and then blend them for
complexity.

But then if you want to establish some ground rules for yourself, fine.
Just be careful how you ask questions of others. They will not know what
rules you are living by.

Ray

Ray

Ray- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

all useful info Ray, duly noted! And yes, it is rather a case of
miscomunicating myself than being misunderstood. Quite right!

Well I propose blueberries as I am just making a blueberry wine and ready they become pleasantly complex in time...

Jim

I don't do a lot of country wines so can't say. Complex and country
are not compatible the way I make them. I aim for a fruity country
wine that is not complex at all and they are usually drunk in a year
or so.

I made a Raspberry that tasted like Vicks 44 originally if that
counts... I blended in wine after wine to make that better. I would
call the ned result complex though, just better.

Joe