Cherry wine question

[HeruRaHa]

I scored at the local grocer today on a great deal on Organic Just Tart Cherry juice -- http://www.rwknudsenfamily.com/products/just-juice/organic-just-tart-cherry -- and I want to try making a cherry wine with this, picked up a gallon's worth. Any clue as to where I might find an amenable recipe? I'm inclined to just throw in enough sugar to hit my target gravity, acid blend, pectic enzyme, and see where it goes, but I'd love to see if anyone has some guidance for me...

 

[brazedowl]

I'd say that should be a pretty good start. What kind of cherry is it? A "tart cherry" or a cherry that is tart?

 

[HeruRaHa]

The bottle doesn't say what type of cherries, but I did find one of Jack Keller's recipes for morello cherries, which are apparently sour/tart, that I think I can adapt:

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques61.asp
Cherry Wine [Dry] (3)

8 lbs morello cherries
2-1/2 lbs sugar
1/2 tsp tannin
1 tsp pectic enzyme
7-1/4 pts water
1 tsp yeast nutrient
Port wine yeast

Bring water to boil. Meanwhile, destem, wash and crush the cherries in the primary without breaking any stones. Pour sugar over cherries. Pour the boilling water over the sugar and cherries and stir well to dissolve. Cover and set aside until cool. Add remaining ingredients and ferment 5 days. Strain juice into dark secondary and discard pulp and stones. Rack after 30 days and again when wine clears. After two additional months rack into bottles and store in dark place. [Adapted from Leo Zanelli's Home Winemaking from A to Z]

I'm working from juice rather than fruit, so obviously I'll adjust my process to suit... but I notice he doesn't include any acid blend in his recipe. Is this likely because the cherries are already so sour, or do you think it might be something he simply overlooked? Will lack of acid blend affect my fermentation, or can I go without and simply add some acids later if I think it needs more tang?

 

[novalou]

If needed, the acid blend can be added later.

Betting you'll get the acid you need from the cherries.