Jörg Geiger KP Cherry fortified cherry wine. Port-style cherry wine with cherry brandy, aged in Banyuls barrels – 18% vol, black cherry, chocolatey, with bitter almond.

Jörg Geiger KP Cherry fortified cherry wine is a partially fermented cherry wine whose fermentation is stopped with cherry brandy, aged in used Banyuls barrels: hand-picked, highly aromatic cherries, 18% vol, 700 ml in a decorative box, from Schlat on the Swabian Jura. Not a cherry liqueur, not a brandy – a sweet wine in the style of Port.

KP Cherry fortified cherry wine by Jörg Geiger is referred to by the producer as "KP – Cherry in Port Style". Fortified means: a high-proof brandy is added to a fermenting wine. The yeast then stops working, some of the fruit sugar remains, and the alcohol content rises. This is how Port wine is made from grapes, and it is how Jörg Geiger makes it with cherries. The distilling cherries of the Dollenseppler and Benjamin varieties ferment whole in open mash vats at cool temperatures and are punched down daily. Then, pure cherry brandy stops the fermentation at around 20% vol. After pressing, the wine ages in used Banyuls barrels. Through this oxidative aging, it loses about 2% vol and is bottled at 18% vol.

Taste

In the glass, it presents a dense black-red that reaches to the rim. On the nose, it shows intense dark cherry fruit, along with spicy-chocolatey hints of aged wood and a bold, harmonious note of bitter almond. According to the producer, the Banyuls barrel adds a touch of fig and chocolate without letting the wood take center stage.

On the palate, it begins fruity and dense, full of black cherries and a touch of blackberry, with plenty of smooth melting quality and subtle woody notes. The alcohol is well-integrated and carries the long, cherry-fruited finish. Those expecting a light fruit wine will find concentration and power here. The sweetness is distinct but balanced by the fruit, bitter almond, and wood, so the glass remains lively until the very end.

Usage

The serving temperature is 14 °C, so slightly chilled. A small sweet wine glass is sufficient, as at 18% vol, a few centiliters are enough. Jörg Geiger recommends it with fried liver with Port wine jelly and as an accompaniment to hearty meat dishes. It also goes well with fried liver with plum confit, desserts with dark chocolate, or Black Forest gateau.

After the main course, it stands up well next to a piece of dark chocolate or a strong cheese. It is a sweet wine with added brandy; sale is permitted from the age of 18.

Our tip: Serve a small glass with Black Forest gateau on a Sunday afternoon. Cherry meets cherry, and the chocolate note from the barrel picks up on the cake's base.

Origin

The Jörg Geiger manufactory in Schlat at the foot of the Swabian Jura makes three sweet wines in the Port style: AP from apple, BP from pear, and KP from cherry. For these, highly ripened fruits are meticulously hand-picked, and according to the producer, each variety is stored for years in the appropriate wooden barrel. For the cherry, it is the Banyuls barrel, which previously held a sweet wine from Southern France.

Distilling has a family tradition. Jörg Geiger's father already distilled in the vaulted cellar under the Gasthof Lamm, and distilling continues there to this day. Jörg Geiger, a trained chef, took over the inn in 1997 at the age of 22. Fruit, brandy, and wooden barrel come together in this sweet wine, using cherries from "Swabian Meadow Fruit" (Schwäbisches WiesenObst).

For whom

For Port wine lovers who want to get to know a version made from fruit, and for anyone looking for a dark, powerful sweet wine for dessert or a cheese platter. In the decorative box, it is a gift for connoisseurs. The 700 ml bottle lasts for many evenings because a few centiliters per glass are enough. From the same line come the AP Apple from the chestnut barrel and the BP Pear from acacia and Sauternes barrels. You can find all sweet wines on our Jörg Geiger page.

The KP is not suitable for those looking for a light aperitif or a dry red wine – it is sweet, dense, and powerful.

Black cherry, cherry brandy, and Banyuls barrel, 18% vol – the Port-style cherry wine for liver, chocolate, and cherry cake.