Blueberry

Robust Off-Dry Soft

Tasting Notes: This wine is not sweet… it’s like a dry, light Merlot in body and style. A light red, medium bodied wine, it pleases the palate with rich but soft notes of vanilla and fresh fruit. Made with 100 % New Hampshire wild blueberries and aged in French oak, this light dinner wine has something for everyone with a hint of sweetness and a lingering, dry finish. LaBelle Winery Blueberry Wine is light and refreshing for spring and summer, yet full bodied enough to accompany pork, turkey, chicken, pasta and even grilled meats.

Fruit Source: Taylor Brown Family Farm, Alton, NH

Winemaking Notes: The grapes are frozen at the farm. The frozen grapes are macerated (soaked to break skins) in blueberry juice purchased from (NJ or NY.) The frozen grapes break down easier. The juice (rather than water) ensures no dilution of flavor, better color and more texture. Blueberry juice is hot pressed at Walker’s Family Farm. LaBelle doesn’t have a hot press. Hot pressing extracts color and flavor immediately with steam. Amy has verified that NY blueberries are used for the macerating juice. Tons of tannins in the skins. The wine is lightly aged in French oak (dominoes & cubes) at medium toast for up to 2 months. Produces a softer oak component & is cheaper than barrels. Exceptionally hard to clear and filter – lots of pulp. No malolactic fermentation. Sulfites average 30 – 50 ppm compared to 100-150 ppm for most commercial wines. Must report as containing sulfites if over 10 ppm. Will age up to 10 years in bottle.

First year produced: 2001 (1 gallon) 2007 was 1st commercial press.
Cases Produced: 500 cases; 750 cases in 2011 or 2012
Acidity: 3.3 pH
Residual Sugar: 1% or less