subject: Wine And The Flower Garden [print this page] Flower wines, really? As a beginner when it comes to making wine at home, you probably thought that the only worthwhile ingredient was grapes (or other such similar fruit). However, the truth is that flowers produce some of the most beautiful wines imaginable.
And, if you happen to be a bit of a gardener as well, then the world is your oyster when it comes to making wine. Youve probably heard of dandelion wine, but dandelions are only one of many, many flowers which can be used to make wine.
Some ideas to get you started are listed below (this list is not exhaustive but is only meant as a starting point):
Fruit-bearing tree blossoms
Banana blossoms
Cherry blossoms
Crabapple blossoms
Japanese apricot blossoms
Kumquat blossoms
Lemon blossoms
Lime blossoms
Nectarine blossoms
Orange blossoms
Peach blossoms
Pear blossoms
Tangerine blossoms
Wild plum blossoms
Vegetable blossoms
Bean blossoms
Broccoli flowers
Leek flowers
Mallow blossoms
Onion flowers
Pea blossoms
Pumpkin blossoms
Radish flowers
Scarlet runner bean flowers
Shallot flowers
Squash blossoms
Gardening flowers
Begonias
Camellias
Carnations
Dahlias
Daisies
Gladiolus
Impatiens
Marigolds
Primrose
Rhododendrons
Snapdragons
Violets
And, lets not forget the herbs they have flowers, too
Basil flowers
Chervil flowers
Chive blossoms
Coriander flowers
Garlic flowers
Lavender flowers
Lemon verbena
Mint flowers
Mustard flowers
Sage blossoms
Things to be aware of
1.The first thing to be aware of when making wine at home with flowers is that some plants may be considered toxic and are only listed as such because they have a toxin somewhere in their system. Research each and every type of flower thoroughly before using it.
2.Secondly, you also need to know that some plants have leaves which are toxic but their flower petals are not. Again, just make sure to do your research before you use a flower you arent sure of.
3.The third thing to remember is, if you are prone to hay fever, you may have a bit of trouble in making your flower-based wine and some allergens may still be present in the final product your wine.
4.In addition, make sure that the petals you pick are picked when they are blooming, not once they have fallen this will help maintain the flavor and aroma you are hoping for.
5.The final thing to be aware of when making wine at home is that you should allow your flower wines to age at least six months or more, if possible. If you can, make enough bottles so that you can taste the wine at various intervals such as 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 1 year. That way you can base your future bottles on the notes you have made along the way.
As with all of your endeavors when making wine at home, experiment, learn, tweak, and experiment some more. The rewards will far outweigh the not-so-good batches. In the meantime, your experience and knowledge will grow exponentially and your skill in producing a truly excellent bottle of wine will increase, too.
