Quince Wines, Sherries, and/or Meads
- 20 quinces
- 1-3/4 lbs finely granulated sugar
- 7 pts water
- 2 lemons (zest and juice, only)
- 1 tsp pectic enzyme
- 1 tsp yeast nutrient
- Montrachet (fast) or Champagne (slow) yeast
Grate the quinces as close to the core as possible without including seeds. Boil pulp in water for 15 minutes (not longer or wine may not clear). Pour through nylon straining bag onto sugar in primary. Let bag drip drain (do not squeeze) while stirring to dissolve sugar. Add zest and juice of lemons and yeast nutrient. Cover primary with cloth and allow to cool to room temperature. Add pectic enzyme, recover primary and set aside. After 12 hours, add yeast, recover and set aside in warm place for 48 hours. Strain into secondary and fit airlock. Do not rack until wine clears, then refit airlock and rack every 60 days until S.G. registers dryness (S.G. 0.990). Stabilize, wait 10 days, and rack into bottles. [Adapted from C.J.J. Berry’s First Steps in Winemaking ]
- 5 lbs parsnips
- 3 lbs quinces
- 1 lb golden raisins, chopped or minced
- 2 lemons, zest and juice
- 1 orange, zest and juice
- 1-3/4 lbs finely granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pectic enzyme
- 1/8 tsp tannin
- 71/2 pts water
- 1 tsp yeast nutrient
- 1 pkt Champagne wine yeast
Wash and trim parsnips and grate or cut into thin (1/8 inch) slices. Peel quinces, quarter and remove stem and seed cores. Grate or slice thin like parsnips. Combine in pot with water and bring to boil. Hold boil for 45 minutes, adding water as level drops through evaporation. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Strain through nylon straining bag, squeezing lightly to extract juice. Pour into primary and add sugar, stirring well to dissolve. Stir in juice of citrus, tannin, pectic enzyme, and yeast nutrient. Tie zest of citrus fruit and chopped or minced raisins in nylon straining bag and add to primary. Cover primary and set aside 12 hours. Add activated yeast and recover primary. Stir daily until s.g. drops to 1.010 (12-14 days). Squeeze nylon bag and discard zest and raisin pulp. Let settle overnight and rack into secondary. Top up and fit airlock. Rack, top up and refit airlock every 60 days until fermentation completes and wine clears. Stabilize, wait 10-14 days and rack into bottles. Age one year. [Author’s own recipe]
- 2-1/2 lbs parsnips
- 2-1/2 lbs carrots
- 3 lbs quinces
- 1 lb golden raisins, chopped or minced
- 2 lemons, zest and juice
- 1 orange, zest and juice
- 1-3/4 lbs finely granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pectic enzyme
- 1/8 tsp tannin
- 71/2 pts water
- 1 tsp yeast nutrient
- 1 pkt Champagne wine yeast
Wash and trim parsnips and carrots and grate or cut into thin (1/8 inch) slices. Peel quinces, quarter and remove stem and seed cores. Grate or slice thin like parsnips and carrots. Combine in pot with water and bring to boil. Hold boil for 45 minutes, adding water as level drops through evaporation. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Strain through nylon straining bag, squeezing lightly to extract juice. Pour into primary and add sugar, stirring well to dissolve. Stir in juice of citrus, tannin, pectic enzyme, and yeast nutrient. Tie zest of citrus fruit and chopped or minced raisins in nylon straining bag and add to primary. Cover primary and set aside 12 hours. Add activated yeast and recover primary. Stir daily until s.g. drops to 1.010 (12-14 days). Squeeze nylon bag and discard zest and raisin pulp. Let settle overnight and rack into secondary. Top up and fit airlock. Rack, top up and refit airlock every 60 days until fermentation completes and wine clears. Stabilize, wait 10-14 days and rack into bottles. Age one year. [Author’s own recipe]