How to make Pineau?

[Lautrec]

I do enjoy the fine (cheaper) wines in France, but do not indulge to excess. (One half bottle per day!) But here in the Charente; the local delicacy is the Pineau; a type of French type sherry of 17%. For the uninitiated; it is made by mixing fresh grape juice with brandy.

Can anyone tell me if they have made any and if so, exactly the method used. What percentage of juice to brandy and how long is the maturing time. My next door French neighbours have given me a couple of bottles of home-made, (delicious!) but I cannot understand his patois French when he tells me how it is done.

So until I find out how, I will rely on E.Leclerc to keep me supplied me with the necessary!

[Ian Hoare<br>All the best<br>Ian<br>La Souvigne Corrèze<br>http:www.souvigne.com]

[quote]I do enjoy the fine (cheaper) wines in France, but do not indulge to excess. (One half bottle per day!) But here in the Charente; the local delicacy is the Pineau; a type of French type sherry of 17%....[/quote]

Hi,

I've never made any, but here's a little general help.

Pineau de Charentes is one of the best, and best known of a whole family of drinks known as "Ratafia". Apart from Pineau de Charentes, you can have Floc de Gascogne, and Ratafia de Marcillac, though I suspect it is probably made in many other places.

(Forgive the pedantry, but the only similarity with sherry is the strength, when compared with sherry as found in the UK, it's often less alcoholic in Spain).

Two suggestions. Ask your neighbour to jot the "recipe" down for you, then I could probably translate it for you.

Second, do a Google.fr search for "ratafia, recette" and see what salutes.

As I understand the recipe, you take unfermented grape juice and mix it with cognac (possible undiluted - as from the still) in suitable proportions to end up with the right proportion of alcohol. Assuming your grape juice is at 0% alcohol and your distillate is at around 90% (if ever you can obtain it) 1 part of distillate to 5 of grape juice will end up the right strength. There's a trick to adding the alcohol though, to prevent it "harming" the mixture, iirc.

If you start with "alcool à fruits" at 40% then to end up with 18% you need something like 2 l alcohol to 5 litres juice to give a rather watery mix.

Best of luck.

[GRT17]

definitely ask the neighbour if you can "help" him make Pineau.

It's a fine art! notes on small pieces of paper, measuring sugar content in grape juice and mixing with the exact quantity of eau-de-vie.

After we had assisted with the vendange OH  "helped" with the Pineau making and we now have 32 litres maturing in our friend's wine store, (temperature controlled garage actually!). We had a taste of our Pineau a last week but despite the beautiful colour it is nowhere near ready. Our friends explained that because it was a new barrel then it will take two years to mature. so roll on 2006

Gill

[Lizzie15]

Oooh, maybe you'll need a few others to help try it??Just to make sure it's fit to drink you understand??

 

[GRT17]

LOL think we will be having non stop Pineau parties! meanwhile we are busy saving our empty wine bottles

Gill

[Missy]

If you can make a recorded tape of your neighbour telling you how to make Pineau, I will translate his patois!

An alternative to Pineau is wine type sherry made with leaves from a peach tree. My father has made this wine since before the dinosaurs roamed the area and it is Heaven! don't need much to be there... floating !

I going over to see him late next month and will ask him the recipe for you to try.

A la tienne Etienne!

[Trishaa<P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"><EM>Trisha<EM><FONT><P><P><IMG height=198 src="http:www.gifmania.co.ukDisneyWinniejpoohlef.gif" width=133><P><P> <P>]

OOOh delicious - once you've translated the recipe will you share it with us?  I'd love to have a go at making it too. 

A few years ago I made my own Limoncello, really yummy stuff and so easy to make.  I'm also going to 'have a go' at making cassis as my neighbour kindly wrote down his recipe for me.  On the food side I recently made Lime Pickle - it certainly doesn't go with any French dishes but my hubby loves it

I just love experimenting with food and drink so any good recipes are always worth trying.

Trisha