Lovage Wines, Sherries, and/or Meads

• 1-1/2 lbs lovage leaves
• 4 dozen lovage seeds, cracked
• 2 lbs granulated sugar
• 2 tsp acid blend
• 1/4 tsp tannin
• 7-1/2 pints boiling water
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• Sauterne, Hock or Champagne wine yeast

Boil a quart of water and dissolve the sugar. Meanwhile, wash the lovage leaves and crack the seeds (a rolling pin wrapped in cheesecloth will do nicely). Place these and the acid blend, tannin, crushed Campden, and yeast nutrient in a primary. Mix the remaining (cold) water with the hot and pour over lovage. Cover primary and allow to steep overnight or at least 12 hours. Add activated yeast and ferment 5 days, punching down cap and stirring twice daily. Strain out leaves and seeds and transfer to secondary. Attach airlock and ferment to dryness. Rack, top up, reattach airlock, and set aside until clear. Rack again, stabilizing in new secondary. Sweeten to taste, reattach airlock and set aside 2 months. If light dusting of lees appears rack again and set aside additional moth. Otherwise, rack into bottles and set aside 2 months before drinking chilled. [Author’s own recipe]