The wines of Kerala – Part 2
Read the full series.
The aroma of the Niagara wines reminded me of the nutmeg shells. Probably nutmeg shells are deeply imprinted in my memory database. I should tell my Mom to try making nutmeg wine!
Mallu winemakers traditionally use Bharani (ഭരണി ), the locally available porcelain container with a lid as French or American oak is beyond their reach. Porcelain obviously cannot bestow the fruity flavour to the wine. So we may have to find an innovative container for wine making. കറുവാപട്ട (Cinnamon) may be a good replacement for oak, though I am not sure whether the flavour will be too much. Anyways, I am sure my Mom adds cinnamon to the wine that she makes.
Apparently, the oak barrels are air tight with no residual air at the top. Air changes the flavour of the wine. Wine should be allowed to breath only when the bottle is opened, just like the infant takes the first birth after birth. Bharani’s are not airtight. So this may be an important limitation for wines of Kerala.
Do you have any tips to improve the taste of our wines?