"Hot" Peach Wine

[Paul&Co]

Need some help on my 1 Gallon batch of Peach Wine. Racked it a few times, been aging in the carboy for 6 months. ABV 14%. It's lost a lot of the peach flavor and the alcohol taste is prevalent, almost like a brandy. What changes would you recommend for the next batch and what do you recommend I do with the current batch.

3 lbs Peaches (Frozen/Thawed)
1 lbs Bananas
2 lbs Sugar (SG 1.080 – 1.085)

½ tsp Pectic Enzyme
¼ tsp Tannin
1 tsp Yeast Nutrient
½ tsp Acid Blend
1 Crushed Campdem Tablet
1 Packet Cote des Blancs Yeast

Thanks so much for any advice!!

 

[Raptor99]

You could stabilize it with potassium sorbate and Kmeta, and backsweeten it. Some added sweetness would help to mask the alcohol taste and bring out the fruit flavor. I don't sweeten mine very much, but a touch of sweetness really helps the flavor. You could "bench test" that by adding a small amount of sugar, carefully measured, to a sample of your wine to see how it tastes. That way you can fine tune how much sugar you want to add to the entire batch.

For the next batch, I suggest that you double the amount of peaches and cut the sugar to target an ABV of around 12%. And still backsweeten it.

 

[Coffee49]

Purchase a can of peaches and add the syrup to the hooch

 

[pvtpublic]

Let that thing sit, it will mellow out with time. It will take a while, but when it does, follow the other's advice of zapping the yeast, backsweetening, and adding peaches to taste.

Next time, only rack it once, when it's almost clear. Peach flavors and aromas are very delicate, so try to avoid disturbing the wine as much as possible.

 

[madscientist451]

I've tried to make peach wine several times and found that not all peaches are the same. Some are more acidic and when the sugar in the peaches is fermented away, the flavor isn't all that great. So you have to decide what you are trying to accomplish. Do you want something that actually has a strong peach flavor? Or do you just want to use up a large amount of peaches and and have a pleasant drink with a hint of peach?
I'm in a peach growing area and most growers will sell peaches that are getting over-ripe and soft at a discount. I look for the lower acid varieties and use about 10 lbs for a gallon of wine. Add about 8-12oz of sugar but no additional water. It comes out about 7-8% ABV and is weaker than a traditional wine, but also doesn't have the "hot" alcohol flavor note.
A light fruit wine as above is ok on its own, but I usually use it as a cocktail ingredient in something like a Wisconsin Old Fashioned or mix it 50/50 with a light ale or lager. In the summertime, I'm usually too busy to brew much, so I cheat and buy a 30 pack of Busch light (which is pretty much tasteless) and then make it "semi-home-made" buy adding mead, cider or wine for a homebrew flavor.
If I had the OP's strong flavored wine, I'd try a cocktail using "Simply Peach" from the grocery store over ice, or a shot of the wine in a glass of light beer.

 

[Raptor99]

I use Alberta peaches, purchased in bulk from the local farm store. Letting the peaches become fully ripe is key. The challenge with canned peaches is that sometimes they are not fully ripe before being canned.

Of course I am spoiled, because I live in a major fruit growing area (NW Oregon).