Apple and Elderflower cordial wine

[Richie_asg1]

This turned out like a crisp chardonnay but without any grape juice.

3L Aldi apple juice from concentrate
1/3 of a 500ml bottle of Belvoir Elderflower cordial (Morrisons)
800g white sugar
1L water
1tsp Pectolase
1tsp yeast nutrient (dap)
1tsp bentonite
1tsp youngs GP wine yeast
1/4tsp grape tannin

Original gravity was 1.102, but topped up with more apple juice to neck after 2 days when fermentation had settled down.
Racked after 5 weeks. 1 campden tablet added. FG 0.992 ABV about 15%
Bottled at 11 weeks.
Started drinking at 2 months in the bottle.

Notes:
The elderflower has faded but combined with the apple it gives a very pleasant wine similar to a chardonnay and does not really taste of apple either. Could probably cut back a bit on the sugar to 700g and add oak chips.
Very impressed with this one considering the simple origins & lack of grape juice. Looks lovely in the bottle.
I would consider it the "House white".
Aldi apple juice is quite light in colour to start with. I don't think this would work with darker apple juices.

 

[Richie_asg1]

Just bottled a second batch of this, with less sugar and the toasted oak chips during the first fermentation stage. Looking promising and easily drinkable now. Cleared very well by itself with the bentonite in there.

 

[johncrobinson]

Its true Richie most wines end up tasting just like wine almost regardless of what they are made from.

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

Its true Richie most wines end up tasting just like wine almost regardless of what they are made from.

I find this quite often with solid fruit wines. Sometimes they sort of retain a memory of what they’re made of, tinned pineapple is like that.

rhubarb and gooseberry is totally different to normal wine lol

fruit juice wines seem to still taste like the juice