Anise Wine (Grape-Based)

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  • 2 cans (11.5 oz) Welch’s 100% White Grape Juice (Niagara grape) frozen concentrate
  • 2 star anise “stars,” crushed
  • 1-1/4 lbs granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp acid blend
  • 1 tsp pectic enzyme
  • 1 tsp yeast nutrient
  • water to make 1 gallon
  • wine yeast

Bring 1 quart water to boil and dissolve the sugar in the water. Remove from heat and add frozen concentrate. Add additional water to make 7 pints total volume and pour into secondary. Add remaining ingredients except anise and yeast. Place crushed anise in small piece of cloth with a glass marble in it. Gather cloth around contents and tie closed with long piece of button thread. Sink the cloth packet in secondary but retain loose end of thread outside secondary. Cover mouth of secondary with napkin, paper towel or cloth fastened with rubber band and set aside 12 hours. Add activated wine yeast and recover. When active fermentation slows down (about 7-9 days), remove cloth packet, top up with water and attach airlock. Rack, top up and refit airlock after 60 days. After additional 60 days, stabilize, sweeten if desired and set aside under airlock additional 2 weeks. If no sign of refermentation, rack into bottles. [Author’s own recipe]