Cahors wine: history, features + recipe at home

The sweet taste, traditionally more pleasant to our ancestors, and its deep color, unchanged even after adding water, allowed cahors to be accepted in the rites of the Orthodox Church as a symbol of the blood of Christ.

A little history of Cahors

This wine takes its name from the French town of Cahors in the Lot Valley in the Pyrenees, Cahors is known for its dark red wine. In the old days, local wine was even called "black wine". Both pink and white wine are produced here, but it is not called kahor. Light wine is sold as "Vin de Pays du Lot" (wines of the Lot land).

Wine for the rites of the Orthodox Church was brought from Spain and later from Italy.

Wine from the French Cahors was most popular with clergy and parishioners, which is probably why the name of the French wine has become a household name for any wine used in church rites, although this is generally incorrect...

Modern French Cahors has nothing to do with church wine. French Cahors - dry red wine.

Features of production

A special feature of kahor production is heating the pulp, a mixture of grains and peel, alcoholization and fermentation to 60-65 degrees. This gives the product a characteristic rich flavor and deep color.

Cahors on store shelves

1. Moldova: Cricovo, Chumai, Tomai, Almond

2. Spain: Malaga

3. AzerbaijanKürdamir, Shemakha.

4. Armenia: Cachet

5. Georgia: Salkhino, Getashen

6. Abkhazia: New Athos cognac

Cahors recipe at home

Ingredients

1. Red grapes - 5 kg

2. Sand sugar - 1 kg

3. Raisins - 150 g

4. Vodka (optional) - 250 ml

The method of preparation

Only enamel and wooden utensils should be used.

1. Sort the grapes, remove twigs, unripe, rotten, spoiled fruits.

2. Crush the berries with a wooden pestle or rolling pin.

3. Put the resulting wort in an enamel saucepan over low heat. Monitor the temperature (60-65°C). Keep on fire for 3 hours.

4. Cooled to 25°C.

5. Add raisins to the cooled wort. Do not wash raisins. Stir with a wooden spatula. Raisins are needed because of the wild yeast on them, but they can be replaced with special wine yeast (read the instructions on the sachet).

6. Put the wort in a dark warm place. Stir once a day.

7. Then on the 3-4th day, signs of fermentation will appear. Bubbles, hissing. Strain the wort through cheesecloth. Squeeze out the rest (pulp) by hand. Add sugar 600 g to the fermented juice.

8. Pour into a large container. It should be filled with no more than 70% of the volume. Put a water seal or close with a medical glove.

9. After 3 days, add 50 g of sugar per 1 liter of juice.

10. After a week and 10 days, repeat step 9.

11. When fermentation is complete, carefully pour into clean dishes without raising the sediment. If necessary, fortify by adding vodka.

12. Pour into bottles, keep in a cool place.

Served with fatty meat: game, lamb, goose. With desserts: chocolate, jam, ice cream. The ideal temperature for serving is +18°C.

Update: 22.09.2018

Category: Wine and Vermouth