WTN: PaulB's 2005 Fredonia - (Home Made - Ontario)

I opened PaulB's 2005 Fredonia - (Home Made - Ontario) last night, just before Chat. I received this bottle from him this past Spring when we got together at a few wineries on the Niagara Peninsula. Nice ruby color - almost fluorescent and clear. The initial whiff reminds me a lot of Concord, but with hints of cranberry. Cranberries and fresh labrusca grape flavors come on strong. High acid, but not to the point of being sour - very cleansing and refreshing. Bone dry, few tannins and a bit unbalanced with most tasting on the mid-palate and a medium length finish. Quite intense. This wine recalls dago red as made from local grapes by members of the local Italian community. I liked it. Very well made Paul!

Thanks for the note, Howie!!

I agree that the wine came out somewhat on the thin and unbalanced side, though I was pleased with both the colour and the nose. I may have mentioned that I had a devil of a time trying to get a hydrometer reading on the must - Fredonia produces a very gluey, thick must, which "fools" the hydrometer. It turned out I had way less sugar in there than I thought, and so I had to add more to bump up the alcohol late during primary; fermentation did pick up and it turned out fine, although I wonder if another couple of degrees of alcohol in the wine might have made for a better mouthfeel.

Concord itself doesn't seem to produce that thinness at all, and hydrometer readings are a breeze. I'm really looking forward to making an '06 dry Concord again this year.