St. Kathryn Cellars Cranberry Wine
As the temperature drops to cooler depths, certain tastes come into season. This fall, we’d like to emphasize the lovely treat that is our St. Kathryn Cellars Cranberry Wine!
Our Cranberry wine is celebrated not just for its vibrant color and promising aroma, but also for its high acidity that delivers a refreshing “pucker power” with every sip. The lively acidity amplifies cranberry tartness, creating a bold flavor profile that electrifies your taste buds.
If you appreciate a tart, crisp finish, this wine is perfect for you: a treat that will leave you finishing your sip with nothing short of real pucker power!
The Process of Crafting Cranberry Wine
Just like our authentic Blueberry wine, the process starts by acquiring freshly frozen cranberry juice and allowing it to thaw out. The next step involves sweetening the juice to achieve 22 Brix, which sets the stage for a potential alcohol content of around 12%. This sweetness is crucial, as it provides the sugars necessary for fermentation.
Once the juice is sweetened, the fermentation process begins. This involves converting all sugars into alcohol, a transformation that relies heavily on the hardworking laborers that go by the name of “yeast”.
Fermentation is typically conducted at cooler temperatures, around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. This is important because, although it may seem counterintuitive, fermentation generates a lot of heat and carbon dioxide.
As yeast consumes the sugars, the fermentation process can resemble a boiling reaction, even at lower temperatures. By keeping the environment cool, our winemakers preserve the fruity esters and aromas inherent in cranberry juice, ensuring the final product is as appealing as it gets.
Cranberry Wine Fermentation
Throughout fermentation, it’s essential to provide yeast with the right nutrients. Talon’s winemakers feed the cranberry juice yeast approximately three times before the alcohol levels become too high for the yeast to absorb the nutrients needed to complete fermentation.
Yeast nutrition is mostly nitrogen, which the yeast absorbs to stay active and healthy. If yeast lacks proper nutrition, it becomes stressed, and produces off-aromas, such as sulfides – resembling the unpleasant scent of rotten eggs. Thus, monitoring the yeast’s health is a critical aspect of the process, ensuring that the fermenters remain happy and productive.
After fermentation is complete, yeast cells begin settling to the bottom of the fermentation vessel, forming a thick layer of sediment that resembles mud. This sediment consists of about 5-billion dormant yeast cells per gallon of wine, that have played their part in the fermentation process. Allowing this mixture to settle for about a week enables our winemakers to separate clear liquid from the sediment.
Finishing the Cranberry Wine
Once fermentation settling is complete, we carefully rack the wine, removing it from the yeast sediment to ensure clarity.
We then filter and back-sweeten the wine to enhance its flavor profile, creating a harmonious balance between sweetness and acidity. This meticulous process results in St. Kathryn Cellars’ renowned Cranberry wine, which captures the fruit’s full vibrant essence.
Ask anyone! Our Cranberry wine is a delightful choice for any occasion, especially during the winter and holiday season.
Cranberry Wine Food Pairings
Cranberry wine is the perfect companion for a variety of dishes, particularly during festive gatherings. Its high acidity and refreshing tartness make it an ideal match for savory meats like ham and turkey.
Glazed Ham
The wine’s sharp flavor cuts through the richness of glazed ham, enhancing its sweet and smoky flavor, while complementing salty undertones.
Turkey
When paired with turkey, Cranberry wine elevates the dish, harmonizing with the meat’s natural flavors and any accompanying herbs. It is the perfect beverage to let trickle down after a bite, washing away the savory flavors with a final hint of sweet, tart cranberries.
Orange Chicken
For a twist, try Cranberry wine with orange chicken – a wonderful and unique option for upcoming holiday get-togethers. The wine’s fruity hints mirror the sweet orange glaze, creating a deliciously balanced bite.
Mashed Potatoes
Also, the smooth texture of mashed potatoes benefits from Cranberry wine, as the acidity brightens the dish, while the rich, creamy consistency provides a lovely backdrop for the wine’s fruity notes.
Green Bean Casserole
Another festive dish that complements the drink well is green bean casserole. The wine’s crisp profile cuts through the dish’s creamy sauce and crunchy toppings, adding a refreshing contrast that highlights each element on the plate.
Lemon Bars
As for dessert, lemon bars offer a zesty alternative, and the wine’s acidity enhances the tartness of the lemon, making for a refreshing finish.
Drink Pairings
These pairings showcase the versatility of our Cranberry wine, inviting you to explore its bright flavors in various dimensions that are sure to surprise and delight you and yours, for years to come.
Cran-Apple Spritzer
Now, here’s where you can get immensely creative with this treat of a beverage. Consider mixing Cranberry wine with apple juice and soda water to create a delicious “cran-apple” spritzer. The sweet notes of apple perfectly complement the wine’s acidity, resulting in a balanced and fruity beverage that’s perfect for warm afternoons and appealing with Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner.
Cran-tini
If you’re in the mood for something a bit stronger, a “Cran-tini” combines Cranberry wine with vodka, creating a sophisticated cocktail that highlights the wine’s sharp character while adding a smooth finish.
Garnished with a few fresh cranberries, this drink is not only visually appealing, but also a fun and refreshing take on traditional cocktails.
Sparkling Water Swirl
Glenn’s personal favorite drink pairing is to blend St. Kathryn Cellar’s Cranberry wine with a little sparkling water to fizz up the drink in all its glory, or a sweeter lemon-lime soda to balance out the sourness with a little sweetness.
Drink Mixes
As the winter chill sets in, there’s nothing quite like a warm mug of mulled wine to keep the cold at bay, and Cranberry wine serves as the perfect base for this cozy treat. Our signature mulling spice blends, crafted right here in the Grand Valley with high-quality authentic ingredients, enhance the wine’s natural tartness and sweetness.
Try our Orange Cinnamon Mulled Wine Mix to create a festive beverage that’s perfect for holiday gatherings. Imagine sipping this aromatic concoction while surrounded by loved ones, making it an ideal choice for cozy winter nights and celebratory occasions alike.
What else can we say? Enhance your holidays with a bottle of our delicious and unique Cranberry wine.
