Pomegranate wine update

Are you looking to make a 'good drinking wine' or an artisan wine?

If the latter, for Merlot I like to stay away from Central Valley California (Lodi, Modesto, Madera, Fresno, etc. grapes). To me, this is a delicate enough grape that it's worth the extra money to buy top quality grapes that come from areas with cool nights. Have you considered buying from Brehm

This year the sugars from here (I live in Sonoma Valley) were a little high at optimal acid balance, so if you want to keep maximum flavor you'll have higher alcohol (14.4-15.1%v/v)[suggest ferment with Bordeaux BDX yeast]. You could blend later with a lower alcohol cabernet franc wine to bring down the alcohol and round out the flavor.

Or you could dilute the must down to 24.5-25.0 deg Brix and be willing to have a little less varietal flavor [suggest ferment with D254 to have a little less complex flavor but enhanced mouth feel].

Or choose door #3, split the batch and ferment half each way, then blend later for an in-between style (my personal choice even though it's more work).

Gene

N2310D wrote:

Gene brings up a valid point, it depends on your tastes. I make very few wines other than the ones Gene mentions shying away from though. I make table wine, its made to complement regular home cooking, not something you would see on 'Iron Chef'. That said, I'll put my Lasagna up against anybody and we drink our reds with it.

If you like big powerful wines stay away from lower cost juice or grapes, they make medium bodied wines at best. On the other hand, they are easier to drink and are usually considered more approachable. They are also good wines to learn with because you have less money tied up in them.

I don't think powerful wines have a place in everyday drinking but that is just my opinion and that changes with time too. Some day I will quit giving most of it away and buy some of the better grapes Gene mentions. I do make northeastern reds from grapes, but they are not premium grapes either.

Joe

I like your response, Joe.

May I piggyback your astute observation? Also, I changed the subject heading to be relevant to this discussion, hoping that more people will express interest in this subject. I probably should have done that in my initial response, cuz I veered way off from pomegranate wine.

For approachability to the average wine drinker, even the commercial Sonoma Valley medium body wines made from the premium grapes outsell artisan wines by a huge margin.

In my initial response, I was painting with a narrow brush, in that Merlot is a particularly delicate flavor red wine grape. Even the 'unbig' Merlot wines benefit a lot in the complexity (interest factor) from high quality grapes. In mentioning the Brehm grapes, I was lamenting the high sugar this year (i.e. high potential alcohol). Merlot doesn't stand up very well to high alcohol. Diluting it with water to get the alcohol down is a big loss, in my opinion. I would rather get Sonoma Valley Merlot grapes harvested at 24.5-25.0 deg Brix.

Hopefully, over the next couple of years there might be more Merlot grapes available nationwide to home winemakers at competitive prices from here in Sonoma Valley. This harvest, we had a significant amount of unpicked Merlot grapes due to a large amount of new vines coming to maturity. The wineries had bought all they needed... Should be good for everyone.

Gene

Joe Sallustio wrote:

Joe Sallustio wrote "That said, I'll put my Lasagna up against anybody and we drink our reds with it."

Joe - I'm a big fan of homemade Italian red sauces...we make a pretty good one here at my house. I'd like to try yours if you will post your recipe. Thanks.

Bill Frazier Olathe, Kansas USA