Carambola Wines, Sherries, and/or Meads

• 2-1/2 to 4 lbs. star fruit
• 11-oz. can Welch’s 100% White Grape Juice Frozen Concentrate
• 10 oz. very fine granulated sugar
• 1 large lemon, juiced, or 1 tsp. acid blend
• 1/2 tsp. pectic enzyme
• 1/2 tsp. ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
• 1 crushed and dissolved Campden tablet
• 1 tsp. yeast nutrient
• 6-3/4 pts. water
• Sauterne, Hock or Champagne wine yeast

Slice fruit thinly, place in nylon straining bag and tie the bag closed. Place all ingredients except ascorbic acid, pectic enzyme and yeast in primary and cover with sanitized muslin. Wait 12 hours, add pectic enzyme and recover primary. Wait 12 hours, add activated yeast and again recover primary. After fermentation becomes apparent, squeeze bag gently daily. When specific gravity drops to 1.020 to 1.010, drip drain bag and transfer all liquid to secondary. Attach airlock and wait for fermentation to almost stop. Rack, top up and refit airlock. Wait 30 days and rack again. Rack every 45-60 days until wine is clear and goes 30 days without dropping even a fine dusting of sediment. Add another crushed and dissolved Campden tablet and the ascorbic acid, wait another 30 days and rack again. Stabilize wine and sweeten to taste. Even if you like your wine dry, sweeten a little and taste it. Sugar really brings up the flavor of camabola. Wait 10-14 days and bottle. Allow 6 months to mature. [Author’s own recipe]