Essence, lacrima christi, malvasia, malaga, arevshat, dashgala, alicante, frontignan – these are all names of liqueur wines from different countries. Exotic, which, as a rule, few people have heard of. Meanwhile, the substitution of concepts is common – fortified and simply dessert drinks are often called liqueur wines. The authors of the Wiki generally believe that when a certain sugar content is reached, we get not wine, but simply grape liqueur. We decided to show them what real grape liqueur is and how to make it at home.
According to the wine classification of Baron Babo (August Wilhelm von Babo), the founder and director of the first oenology school in Austria, liqueur wine is a wine that contains a certain percentage of sugar (according to domestic standards, it is 210-300 g / l) or was obtained from dried grapes , as well as wine, which is prepared by thickening by evaporation. The baron divided liqueur wines into “Ausbruch” (Ausbruchweine) and simply “liqueur” (Liqueurweine). Someday we will certainly talk about this classification and liqueur wines in general, but in short: ausbruch are elite wines obtained only as a result of fermentation, but liqueur wines are fortified wines, of lower quality, but no less popular in many countries . What is liqueur, we think, it is not necessary to explain.
There are not many grape liqueurs in the commercial sector, at least those that are even more or less heard. Of course, the DeKuyper line has Pucker Grape Schnapps Liqueur (the Dutch have almost every known taste embodied in a sweet drink), there is a lesser-known American Dr Mcgillicuddy’s Wild Grape, Rosebud is also supplied to some countries from there, and in Italy they indulge in Shakka Grape Eau de Vie liqueur . Perhaps the drink is more exotic than sweet wine, which is rather strange, because … obviously! It will be difficult to buy it, it is easier to cook than we suggest you do. Take any fragrant grapes, a good alcohol base (ideally grappa or chacha) and be patient. Rum, as always, supplies you with recipes!
Grape liqueurs will definitely seem less exotic to you, but here you will find recipes for grape tinctures, including anti-hangover on grapes.
If you are a fan of fermented drinks, try making real grape wine.
Homemade red grape liqueur (Italian)
One of the most favorite homemade drinks among Italians. It is recommended to use grape varieties of the Isabella group (a hybrid of Vitis labrusca and Vitis vinifera, the same one that is banned for winemaking in the US and the European Union). In Italy, this grape is called “strawberry” for its bright fruit and berry profile. Liquor from Isabella is obtained with a very delicate aroma and taste, intense purple color. Instead of grapes, you can use blackcurrants (however, why, if there are a lot of delicious blackcurrant liqueurs?). Spices can be used or replaced with your favorite.
- 500 g red grapes (preferably Isabella)
- 500 ml pure alcohol
- 300 ml of water
- 300 g sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 button Gvozdik
Peel the grapes from the ridges, rinse under running water and dry. Transfer the berries to a jar of a suitable volume and crush with a fork (preferably with a wooden spoon). Add cloves, cinnamon, 150 g of sugar and pour alcohol. Close the jar tightly, shake well and send to infuse in a dark, cool place for 2-4 weeks. Periodically, the contents of the jar must be stirred so that the sugar dissolves completely. After the set time has elapsed, drain the liquid through a sieve or several layers of gauze, slightly squeeze out the solid residue. From the remaining 150 g of sugar and 300 ml of water, boil the syrup, cool and add to the strained infusion, after which the liquor, ready for bottling, is mixed well. Pour the drink into clean bottles and send stored in a dark cool place. After 10 days, homemade grape liqueur can begin to taste.
White grape liqueur on grappa
Spicy, moderately sweet. Light heat treatment contributes to a faster and more complete maceration. A good basic recipe for further experimentation. It is better to take grapes large, with a pronounced taste and aroma.
- 1 kg white grapes
- 2 liters of grappa (grape brandy, chachi)
- 400 g sugar
- zest of 2 lemons
- 8 clove buds
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 sachet of vanilla (less is better)
Free the grapes from the ridges, rinse under running water, dry, transfer to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. In a saucepan of a suitable volume, mix the crushed zest of 2 lemons, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 sachet of vanillin (preferably on the tip of a knife, and later, if necessary, add more), 8 cloves, 400 g of sugar and grappa (you can replace chacha, unaged grape brandy or any other fruity distillate that happens to be on hand). Put the pan on a slow fire and, stirring constantly, cook, not bringing to a boil. As soon as the sugar dissolves in the pan, pour the still hot spicy grappa into a jar of grapes, after which the jar must be tightly closed and left for 2 months in a dark, cool place. The resulting liqueur can be drunk immediately, after filtering through a sieve or several layers of gauze.
Fruit wine liqueur
Wine is nothing but fermented grape juice. To get liquor out of it, just add sugar (we get something similar to liqueur wine). But if you take quite a bit of wine, add crushed grapes to it, and also a fair portion of cognac to increase the degree of the drink and give it an oaky vanilla tint, you get a really amazing wine liqueur that you will remember for a long time.
- 1 kg red grapes, preferably with pits
- 250 ml simple syrup
- 250 ml fruity red wine (with fruity notes, like Merlot)
- 500 ml brandy (grape)
Rinse the grapes, dry, remove the ridges. Place the berries in a jar of suitable size, add sugar syrup and crush with a wooden spoon. Add wine and cognac, mix thoroughly, close tightly and leave in a dark, cool place for 7-14 days. Strain the finished grape liqueur through several layers of gauze, you can slightly squeeze out the solid residue. If necessary, the liquid can be filtered through cotton wool or coffee filters. Pour the drink into clean bottles and store in a dark, cool place for no more than 1 year (the liquor is guaranteed to improve in taste throughout the year). Drinking fruit wine liqueur should be in its pure form, following the recommendations for drinking cognac.
There are actually many recipes for homemade grape liqueurs, but we are gradually moving away from the primitive ones, where the raw materials are corny mixed with vodka / alcohol, and then sweetened with sugar syrup. Such recipes are quite easy to predict, so if you decide to cook just such a liquor, we hope that you will have no questions about this. Well, if there are, you can always ask them in the comments to this article.