Fennel Wine (2)

• 1-1/2 oz fennel leaves
• 2 lbs chopped apples
• 2 lbs sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp citric acid
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 71/4 pts water
• 1 pkt Champagne wine yeast

Wash and core apples, then chop thoroughly. Stir sugar into water and stir well to dissolve completely. Add fennel leaves, chopped apples, crushed Campden, citric acid, yeast nutrient and sugar water to primary. Cover and set aside 12 hours. Stir in pectic enzyme and recover. After 12 hours, add activated yeast. When vigorous fermentation is reached, ferment 3 days stirring twice daily. Strain liquid into secondary. Pick fennel leaves from apple pulp and discard leaves. Press apples and collect juice derived. Pour juice into secondary and discard pulp. Fit airlock and top up when fermentation quiets. Rack after 30 days and set aside to clear. Rack after 60 days and again after additional 60 days, topping up and refitting airlock each time. Stabilize but do not sweeten unless you simply cannot stomach dry wine. Wait final 30 days and bottle. [Adapted from Leo Zanelli’s “Home Winemaking from A to Z”]