Onion Wines, Sherries, and/or Meads

• 1 lb sweet Vidalia onions
• 1/2 lb potato
• 1 lb golden raisins
• 2 lemons (zest and juice)
• 2 lbs fine granulated sugar
• 71/2 pts water
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 pkt Champagne wine yeast

Chop or mince raisins and soak overnight in pint of warm water. Thinly slice onions and potato into remaining water. Put on heat and bring to a simmer, holding simmer for 45 minutes. Grate zest from lemons and combine zest with raisins. Transfer raisins and zest into nylon straining bag in primary. Add sugar to primary. Strain onions and potato, pouring hot water over sugar and discarding pulp. Add juice from lemons and yeast nutrient, then stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Cover with clean cloth and set aside to cool. When at room temperature, add crushed Campden tablet and stir. Recover primary and set aside for 12 hours. Add pectic enzyme, stir, recover primary, and set aside another 12 hours. Add activated yeast. Stir daily for 14 days. Drip drain nylon straining bag (do not squeeze) over primary, recover and allow to settle overnight. Rack liquid into secondary, top up if required and fit airlock. Rack, top up and refit airlock every 30 days until wine clears and no new sediments form during a 30-day period. Stabilize, sweeten to taste, wait 10 days, and rack into bottles. Allow to age 6 months before tasting. [Author’s own recipe]

• 1 lb sweet Vidalia onions
• 1/2 lb carrots
• 11-oz can 100% Welch’s White Grape Juice frozen concentrate
• 1 lb 13 oz fine granulated sugar
• 71/2 pts water
• 3 tsp citric acid or acid blend
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 pkt Champagne wine yeast

Thinly slice onions and carrots water. Put on heat and bring to a simmer, holding simmer for 45 minutes. Put sugar, citric acid, concentrate, and yeast nutrient in primary. Strain simmering water into primary, discarding onions and carrots. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Cover with clean cloth and set aside to cool. When at room temperature, add crushed Campden tablet and stir. Recover primary and set aside for 12 hours. Add pectic enzyme, stir, recover primary, and set aside another 12 hours. Add activated yeast. Stir daily for 10-14 days. Rack liquid into secondary, top up if required and fit airlock. Rack, top up and refit airlock every 30 days until wine clears and no new sediments form during a 30-day period. Stabilize, sweeten to taste, wait 10 days, and rack into bottles. Allow to age 6 months before tasting. [Author’s own recipe]