My plum wine tastes...rubbish

[Loaferbob]

Hey guys, I'm also making some plum wine at the moment. This is my first go at fruit wine as well. And just to make a full house, my wine also tastes rubbish!
I used home grown purple plums, frozen from last year. The demi john has cleared pretty well, but its stopped fermenting and it tastes pretty acidic.
I'll test the sg when I get home tonight, but I take it the best course of action is to rack it off to another dj, fit airlock, put it in the cellar, and forget about it?
I started the plum at the beginning of August, but I started a gooseberry at the same time, and that's still bubbling away nicely!

[lockwood1956]

The taste at the end of fermentation is no indication really of how it will be after maturing, fruit wines tend to take a year to come good.

but yes, rack it into a clean DJ, stabilise it if it has finished fermenting, and top it up.

In a year i'm sure it will be just yummy

regards
Bob

[Rich]

Not so happy after reading this thread, I've got 5 gallons of plum wine on the go, currently fermenting in the primary on the pulp. Hopefully ready to go in the secondary this weekend. Just need to find a way to strain the plums from the must..

Haven't tasted it yet, but it looks like it could be a long aging process for these plums!!

I do like Davids idea of adding oak to it. Is there anything else (sensible that is..) that could be added to adjust the flavour to something nice?

Rich

[lockwood1956]

I would reconsider the oak addition, plum is a light fruity style wine that wont be helped by oak tannins and structure. (even if its red plum wine)

If you want to enhance it then sweetening will add some mouthfeel and some extra floral notes.
Glycerine additions may also help, or even adding some biolees (gives the same effect as sur lie ageing)

[Ben]

Never bin alcohol, no matter how bad it tastes. When you're half drunk anything tastes ok.

[lockwood1956]

Good point Ben


also its surprising what a little ageing can do for a wine

regards
Bob

[Duffbeer]

Just to make a point here folks, we all make good/ bad wine. and as a result of this forum we aim to get better at the art.
I have visited many other wine making forums, and my opinion is, this forum offers the best researched and up to date information for any winemaker on the net. Not just researched info but in most cases hands on experience. Can't go wrong with that.

[Aid]

A suggestion on improving the flavour. Try blending it as follows:-

1 part Plum wine
6 part Bombay Sapphire
18 part Schwepps tonic (very important not to use slimline btw).
Ice

You might find a slight rank wine taste, if you do, just add 1 part gin to 3 parts tonic until it disappears.

Hope this helps

[Aid]

I still approve of my last post on this thread
I object to not being allowed to brew my own Bombay! any way, the plum wine that started this thread - I chucked it last night. Four months on, i ran it through the filter - it was rank. I sweetened it - it was rank. Basically, I dont know where I messed up, but I did. Chucked it, moving on. I've had enough success stories from my fledgling failures to know when to stop flogging that really still, really cold horse.

[Mamgiowl]

What a sad ending.

Never mind, we've all had to do it at some time or other, (even our revered leader, I bet. )

[Rich]

A sad end to the plum wine...

really is sad, as we made 6 gallons of plum wine this summer. I've been saying it needs at least a year to age. I still stand by this too. Mainly because it isn't in my garage or fermenting vessels. Time will tell...


Rich


RIP Aid's plum wine....

[lockwood1956]

What a sad ending.

Never mind, we've all had to do it at some time or other, (even our revered leader, I bet. )

Not yet

but my 04 raisin is on its final warning!!!!


yes aid truly sad, but you will be stronger because of it keep the faith

[Rich]

eek, and there is me, making some mixed raisin wine this year... will sneak it into Bobs house under some other name...


Rich

[chris_b]

We've made plum wine, and two-fruit plum and (all sorts of things) wine for several years. I leave wine (any sort) for at least 2 years and plum always comes out thick - if you swirl it round in a glass it leaves a "robe" on the side. I know what I mean but perhaps it's hard explaining after an evening racking and sampling.... Over the years, I've come round to thinking the taste is not really to my liking and I've stopped making it now. This is just personal taste, I don't mean to discourage. Perhaps I should use less plums than the four pounds I've typically put in.

Chris

[Aristaeus]

Acidic Plum Barolo

My plum barolo is a bit too acidic...out of test materials...what acid reducing agents do you suggest?