Bilberry Claret Wine

• pulp from BILBERRY PORT WINE (1)
• 1 cup red grape concentrate
• 2 lb finely granulated sugar
• 1 tsp acid blend
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• lukewarm water to 1 gallon

This is a second wine made from the drained (but not pressed) pulp from a batch of BILBERRY PORT WINE (1). The pulp will come in two nylon bags, one containing the formerly-dried bilberries and the other containing the chopped formerly-dried banana chips and the formerly-dried elderflowers. The bag containing the dried bilberries can be used over and over again on this recipe–possibly as many as 6 times, but the banana chips and elderflowers can only be used this one additional time. Place both bags of drained pulp in primary with all other ingredients, including water. Yeast in pulp will restart fermentation quickly if this batch is begun immediately after removing pulp from previous batch. Ferment 48 hours after full refermentation is obvious. Remove bag of bilberries and allow to drip-drain without squeezing 4-6 hours. After additional 24 hours, remove bag of banana chips and elderflowers, pressing gently to extract juice. Wait 12 hours and siphon liquid off sediment into secondary, top up and fit airlock. Rack, top up and refit airlock after 3 weeks and again after 2 additional months. Allow to bulk age under airlock 4 months, then rack into bottles. Age in bottles 9 months before tasting, longer if you can stand it. Claret is a dry wine, so do not sweeten when bottling. [Adapted recipe from W.H.T. Tayleur’s The Penguin Book of Home Brewing and Wine-Making ]