Melon Wines, Sherries, and/or Meads

• 3-4 lbs very ripe melon
• 1 lb granulated sugar
• 12 oz can white grape juice concentrate
• 3-1/2 quarts water
• 2 tsp acid blend
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• Champagne wine yeast

Put the water on to boil. Meanwhile, peel and de-seed the melons and cut the flesh into chunks. Put chunks into fine nylon straining bag, tie bag closed, and put in bottom of primary. Crush the melon with your hands. When water boils, stir sugar into it and continue stirring until completely dissolved. Pour over melon, cover primary, and wait several hours for must to cool to room temperature. Add all ingredients except yeast. Check the specific gravity and add sugar (add a little sugar, stir 2-3 minutes to dissolve sugar, then check S.G. again), if required, until S.G. reaches 1.088. Recover primary and set aside. After 24 hours, add yeast and recover. Squeeze bag gently daily to aid in juice extraction. When specific gravity reaches 1.020, remove bag and allow to drip drain without squeezing, returning all drained juice to primary. Allow to settle overnight and then rack into secondary, fit airlock, and set aside. After two weeks, rack again, top up and refit airlock. When wine clears, stabilize, sweeten to taste, wait 10 days, and rack into bottles. Age 6-12 months and serve chilled.
[Adapted from Terry Garey’s The Joy of Home Winemaking ]