Peach Wine

started 8/17/2001
bottled 5/5/2002

Alcohol 13.5%
Initial SG 1.110
Final SG 0.995
pH not tested TA not tested

Tasting Notes

5/5/2002 Color is pale. The flavor of the peach is there, but is not that strong. It's a good wine, but needs more concentration of flavor.

9/14/2003 I am always amazed at what a difference aging can make in a wine. After a year in the bottle, this wine is really blossoming. The color is very pale gold. The nose is delightfully fruity with forward peach notes. The wine is satin on the tongue and the flavor carrys through to a medium long finish. It is well balanced and one of my better wines.

6/28/2006 Golden amber color. Full nose with aromas of ripe peaches. Smooth and full bodied on the tongue. The peach flavor is beginning to diminish, but it does linger on the finish. There is a bit of an acetaldehyde taste, but it is not unpleasant in the wine.

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Ingredients

8/17/2001
18 lb ripe Colorado Sweet peaches, mashed by hand
5 15oz boxes of golden raisins, chopped (preserved with SO2)
8 pounds sugar
Raisins were chopped in the food processor. Peaches were pitted and mashed by hand. Sugar added and enough warm water added to bring the volume to approximately 5.5 gallons. Note, since the raisins have sulfur dioxide, no sulfite was added. This was allowed to steep overnight.

8/18/2001 After 12 hours, pectinase (50 drops) were added. A starter was prepared with 1 cup of must, 0.5 cup water and Pasteur Champagne yeast. SG 1.110 a lot of sugar must have come out of the peaches and raisins! 5 tsp acid blend and 3 tsp nutrient were added. After the starter had been working for about 8 hours, it was added to the must. Oops. Forgot to get initial acid reading.

8/19/2001 Cap has risen and fermentation is going strong. Stir twice daily.

8/24/2001 Must was strained and pulped squeezed to give 5 gallons of juice. SG 1.010. Placed into a 6 gal carboy and fitted with an airlock.

9/23/2001 Racked into a 5 gallon carboy. SG 0.992. 2.3 cups of water were added to top up. Taste is pretty good. Lots of flavor and dry. 14.9% alcohol diluted with 2.3 cups water to 14.5% alcohol.

12/16/2001 Filtered through #1 filter, 2 g sulfite added. 0.75L water added to top up. (alcohol 13.9%) Nose is terrific!

2/24/2002 Still slightly cloudy. 1 tsp pectic enzyme stirred in.

3/3/2002 Fined with 4 g sparkaloid. Didn't seem to help much.

4/21/2002 Filtered #2, 2 g suflite, SG 0.995

5/5/2002 Filter #3, bottled into 20 750 mL and 10 12oz bottles.