Foraged Wine Infusions – Trouspinette

A delicious wine infusion from the continent, made with blackthorn leaves and red or white wine. The white trouspinette can be served chilled as an aperitif but it will taste amazing as a replacement for any cocktails that would normally use a white vermouth and is great in a martini with lemon zest. The red trouspinette is traditionally served as an aperitif (before the meal) or a digestif (after the meal).

Making Trouspinette does not require a great deal of equipment, but the infusion does take a little time. About 3 months for the red and a little less for the white. The principles are similar.

Course Drinks

Cuisine French

Keyword aperitif, Blackthorn, Botanicals, Cocktail, digestif, Flowers, Food for Free, Foraged, Foraged Food, Fortified Wine, Infused Wine, Preserve, Simple, Sparking wine, Spring, Syrup, Traditional, Trouspinette, Wine

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Infusing Time 90

Total Time 90 40

Ingredients

2 Bottles Wine (Red or White)
1/2 Bottle Brandy / Neutral Sprit
2-300 Grams Sugar
2-300 Grams Young Blackthorn Leaves Prunus spinosa

Instructions

Simplest option - Put all of the ingredients together in a large glass container (plastic will impart a flavour due to the slightly raised alcohol levels) and try to ensure that there is no air gap (adjust your proportions slightly if necessary).
Alternatively - If you are concerned about the link to cyanide, then bring the wine to a simmer, add the leaves, and remove from heat.
Allow the mixture to cool before adding the brandy or neutral spirit, the sugar will dissolve easily in the warm wine. Allow to cool before bottling. Into a large glass container. Try to ensure that there is no air gap (adjust your proportions slightly if necessary).
Allow the mix to infuse in a cool dark place, not a fridge as this will slow the rate of infusion, for anything between two weeks to 3 months. During this time, the container should be rolled to re-submerge any leaves at the top on a weekly basis, otherwise mould may form. The heat infused wine will require less time and may be ready after a week.
Once you have decided that the flavour is strong enough, drain the wine from the leaves without crushing them (or it will become bitter) and bottle into glass.
The wine will continue to improve in the bottle for some time. Open bottles are protected by the raised levels of alcohol and so do not spoil quickly.

Notes

Traditionally the red trouspinette is served as an aperitif (before the meal) or a digestif (after the meal).

The white trouspinette can be served chilled as an aperitif but it will taste amazing as a replacement for any cocktails that would normally use a white vermouth and is great in a martini with lemon zest.