Rhodamel

There has to be something French here, and this is it. Balancing Rhodamel is not easy, too little rose and it is just a Mead with a hint of Rose. As nice as that sounds, it is not what we are going for. Too many petals and it starts to remind one of Cologne de GrandMa, we are not aiming for that either.  

Getting a Rhodamel balanced to every one's taste is never going to happen, but I am confident that if ever you are going to enjoy a Rhodamel, then this will be the one. The rosehips provide the majority of the flavour, and once fermented their profile becomes round and rich, with a touch of tartness. The Petals are not in contact for long, just long enough to provide some floral notes and tones, an offset and adjunct to the tastes created by the fermented hips. A touch of sweet lemon in there brings the other flavours to life without announcing its presence loudly.

Once the bubbling is over, the Rhodamel is racked onto a blend of rosehips, hibiscus flowers, vanilla and a few other herbs and spices where it gathers more flavour in a nice quiet spot. 

Rhodamel does not benefit from Oak, but it does need some ageing: it is sitting in stainless steel at the moment.

It is semi sweet to sweet has an ABV of 14.5% and pairs well with a picnic. Drink it chilled, as you would a Rose'.