Traditional plum wine recipes from around the world.
fruits. Plum wines are popular in many East Asian countries, where the plum is indigenous, particularly China, Korea and Japan. In China, plum wine is called meijiu (Chinese: 梅酒; pinyin: méijiǔ), while in Korea it is called maesil-cha (Hangul: 매실차; RR: maesil-cha)[1] and in Japan it is called umeshu (Japanese: 梅酒).[2]
Plum wine is also made in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia, where it is known under the generic name šljivovica / шљивовица (slivovitz).[3][4]
A variation of plum wine called Ledeniplav (literally “frozen wine”) is made in Croatia and Slovenia.[5]
In the United States, plum wine is made with any of over a hundred varieties of plum, such as the Japanese varieties ume, Japanese plums or greengage plums. When American wines made with American varieties of plum are called plum wine, they are technically neither plum wines nor fruit wines, but wines made with plums. Some plum wines are also made with distilled spirits, such as brandy or vodka.
The proportion of plum to sugar can vary from 3:1 to 10:1. The alcohol content of plum wine generally varies from 10% to 15% ABV.[6]
The traditional Lithuanian way of drinking plum wine is called aragavičių. It is made of wild (not cultivated) small damsons, called aragavės in Lithuanian. They are small, dark-blue and very sour, almost tasteless. The aragavičių should be kept for at least a year before drinking.
In Poland, a popular alcoholic beverage called grzane wino (hot wine) is made by mixing various spices such as cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg into red wine and then heating it. A similar drink, żurawina, is made by adding cranberry juice to the wine.
In Russia and Ukraine, plum wine is called vin вино, вин (pronounced “veen”), or just вино (vin), from the Slavic word for “wine” (вино, vino). It is usually made from dark blue or black wild plums. It has a sugar content of around 100 g/l and an alcohol content of 15% to 20% ABV. The color of plum wine can range from light golden to deep purple. Plum wine is usually drunk cold or at room temperature, although some prefer to drink it warmed.
In Switzerland, a wine made from red plums is called Zwetschgenwässer. It is a clear, pinkish-red wine with an alcohol content of 9% to 10% ABV.
A special type of plum wine called yamahai-shikomi is made in Japan. This wine is made with the yamahai method of fermentation, which is a traditional method that is rarely used nowadays. The yamahai method is a slow and labor-intensive process, which is why this wine is more expensive than other types of plum wine.
The flavor of plum wine varies depending on the type of plum used, the region where it is made, and the winemaking method. Plum wines can be sweet or dry, and they can be still or sparkling.
Plum wines are typically served as an aperitif or dessert wine, but they can also be used in cooking. Plum wines can be used in marinades for meat or poultry, or added to sauces or compotes.
Plum wines are made all over the world, and each region has its own traditional recipes. Here are some traditional plum wine recipes from around the world:
China:
1. Meijiu (Chinese plum wine)
Ingredients:
1 kg plums, pits removed
1 kg sugar
1 L water
1 L rice wine
Directions:
1. Wash the plums and remove the pits.
2. Place the plums in a clean glass or ceramic container.
3. Add the sugar and water, and stir well to dissolve the sugar.
4. Add the rice wine, and stir well to combine.
5. Cover the container tightly and store in a cool, dark place for 3 months.
6. After 3 months, strain the wine through a cheesecloth or coffee filter.
7. Bottle the wine and store in a cool, dark place.
8. Serve the wine chilled or at room temperature.
Korea:
1. Maesil-cha (Korean plum wine)
Ingredients:
1 kg maesil plums (Korean green plums), pits removed
1 kg sugar
1 L water
1 L rice wine
Directions:
1. Wash the plums and remove the pits.
2. Place the plums in a clean glass or ceramic container.
3. Add the sugar and water, and stir well to dissolve the sugar.
4. Add the rice wine, and stir well to combine.
5. Cover the container tightly and store in a cool, dark place for 3 months.
6. After 3 months, strain the wine through a cheesecloth or coffee filter.
7. Bottle the wine and store in a cool, dark place.
8. Serve the wine chilled or at room temperature.
Japan:
1. Umeshu (Japanese plum wine)
Ingredients:
1 kg ume plums (Japanese apricot plums), pits removed
1 kg sugar
1 L shōchū (distilled rice spirit)
Directions:
1. Wash the plums and remove the pits.
2. Place the plums in a clean glass or ceramic container.
3. Add the sugar and shōchū, and stir well to combine.
4. Cover the container tightly and store in a cool, dark place for 3 months.
5. After 3 months, strain the wine through a cheesecloth or coffee filter.
6. Bottle the wine and store in a cool, dark place.
7. Serve the wine chilled or at room temperature.
8. Enjoy!Site link
Tips for making the perfect plum wine.
There are different ways to make plum wine, some people like to add sugar and water to the plum wine while others prefer not to. It really depends on your taste. Here are some tips on how to make the perfect plum wine:
1) Start by picking the right type of plum. There are many different varieties of plums and not all of them are suitable for making wine. Some of the best varieties for making plum wine include: American, Blue Damson,cherry, European, Japanese, red, and yellow plums.
2) Once you have picked the right type of plum, wash them thoroughly to remove any dirt or debris.
3) Next, cut the plums in half and remove the stones.You can do this by hand or use a food processor.
4) After the plums are prepared, it’s time to start the fermentation process. To do this, add the plums and sugar (if desired) to a clean, sterilized fermentation vessel.
5) Add water to the vessel until the plums are covered.
6) Cover the vessel with a cloth or lid and let it sit in a warm place for 3-5 days.
7) After 3-5 days, strain the mixture through a cheesecloth or sieve to remove the solids.
8) Return the liquid to the fermentation vessel and add yeast.
9) Cover the vessel and let it sit in a warm place for 6-8 weeks.
10) After 6-8 weeks, bottle the wine and store it in a cool, dark place.
11) Enjoy your homemade plum wine!
Visit howtomakewinefromgrapes.com to learn more about plum wine recipe. Disclaimer: We used this website as a reference for this blog post.