Wine Grape Sorbet

Here in Northern California, some of our hottestwarmest weather happens in the early days of fall.  (The temperature where I live will be in the 90s this weekend.)  I’ve spent a lot of time in vineyards, shivering in the chilly morning air, only to be sweating while nursing a migraine in the sweltering afternoon.  I worked for an estate winery for more years than I care to count.  So many years, in fact, that I planted some of the original vines at GlenLyon Vineyards and Winery.  Even though I no longer live in the Sonoma Wine Country, I am still attuned to the rhythms of the grapes, and I’m still very attached to GlenLyon.  I can’t help it; after all those years, it’s in my blood.

Now, my contact with ripening grapes is limited to the unknown variety of red wine grape that graces my arbor.  (Well, that and the already-made wine that I drink!)  Since I have no desire to make wine at home, I needed to find something to do with the grapes that manage to elude the grasp of our resident raccoons.  We can only drink so much grape juice.  I don’t like grape jelly.  The grapes are too small and filled with seeds to eat out-of-hand.  What to do?

So this year, I made a simple grape sorbet, at the suggestion of fellow blogger Lucy Vaserfirer.  Stemming the grapes is literally the hardest part.  This method of making grape sorbet in the blender, with the seeds and skins, results in an earthy grown-up taste.  The tannins balance the sugar.  It tastes more like a wine (without the alcohol, of course).  There is absolutely no resemblance to the grape juice you buy in the store.  Ultimately, the nuances of flavor will be determined by the kind of grapes you use, by how ripe they are, and by how much sugar you choose to add.  I used slightly tart grapes (had to get them before the raccoons got all of them!)  and therefore added a bit more sugar than the recipe requires.  The only way you can figure out how much sugar to add is to taste, taste, taste the juice until you are happy with the flavor.  Start with less than the recipe calls for and then add and taste again.

If you are lucky enough to live anywhere near vineyards, I urge you to see if you can go pick your own grapes from what wineries call the “second pick.”  When wine grapes are harvested, there are always some unripe clusters left on the vine.  It’s very expensive to go back and harvest those grapes for such a small yield.  Often the grapes are left on the vine to rot or be eaten by birds.  So get brave, talk to a vineyard owner or manager, and ask if you can harvest just a couple of pounds, after the main harvest is finished.  What have you got to lose?

Sometimes, wine grapes are also sold at farmer’s markets.

Wine Grape Sorbet

3 pounds of red wine grapes (or deep red or purple grapes with seeds if wine grapes are unavailable)

1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sugar (more or less, to taste)

Wash grapes and let dry in a colander.  Stem the grapes.  (Wear dark clothing, as grape juice stains!)  Purée grapes (including seeds and skins) in the blender until mostly smooth.  You will probably need to do this in a few batches.  Pour the liquid through a fine mesh colander or sieve into a bowl.  Press the solids to extract any extra juice.  Discard the solids.  Stir the sugar into the grape liquid.  Keep stirring until the sugar has dissolved.  Taste, and add more sugar if needed.  Chill overnight.  Freeze in an ice cream maker.  Put mixture into an airtight container (mixture will be very soft) and freeze at least two hours before serving.

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Tagged as: dessert, fall dessert, fruit dessert, Wine Grape Sorbet recipe