We have found the perfectly paired start to a fun dinner party - sparkling grapes and wine! Sparkling grapes? Yes, carbonate your grapes and wine to make these incredible, edible explosions.
These are classy, adult pop rocks. A delicious, novel taste sensation - you have to try them. Our thanks to the chef that had an extended visit at our booth at the IHHS 2015 discussed carbonation creativity. Carbonating grapes was his idea. If you read this, remind us of your name and we'll offer full credit where it is due!
Take a chilled bottle of dry white or red wine and chilled grapes. Remember that cold temperatures create great carbonation so don't forget to chill the wine and grapes beforehand. Wash and put a couple handfuls of grapes in the bottle then fill the remainder of the bottle with wine.
Fill the flavor chamber with chilled wine and place a carbonator in the carbonation chamber.
Push the button and watch as the wine and grapes are carbonated in minutes.
If you carbonate wine alone with no grapes in the bottle, you could open the bottle right away. However, in this case we want to allow the wine and CO2 to fully penetrate the grape skin and fully carbonate the grapes. To do so, leave the sealed, carbonated bottle in your refrigerator overnight and open just before serving your guests. As you would with a typical bottle of sparkling wine.
Refrigerating the sealed bottle overnight will produce a sparkling wine with fine, lovely tiny bubbles and retain its carbonation for an extended period.
Additionally it will produce a plate full of fully carbonated grapes to be eaten alongside. Perfectly paired hors d'ouevres. Delicious discussion starters. The start of a wonderful dinner party. Enjoy!
FOR KIDS: You can carbonate grapes using water for a fun, anyone, anytime version. In the recipe above, replace the chilled wine with chilled water. That's a fun, healthy & natural treat.