Ginger Wine

• 7-1/2 pts unsweetened white grape juice (from concentrate)
• 1/2 lb chopped or minced golden raisins
• 2 oz ginger root
• 2 lbs granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp acid blend
• 1/4 tsp grape tannin
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 pkt Champagne wine yeast

Mix up the grape juice and dissolve the sugar into it in the primary fermentation vessel. Shred the ginger and add it and the chopped or minced raisins to the primary. Add acid blend, tannin and yeast nutrient to must and stir well to dissolve. Sprinkle dry yeast on top of must (do not stir) and cover primary with sterilized cloth. After two days, stir twice daily until specific gravity drops to 1.020. Pour must through nylon straining bag (to collect solids) into secondary and squeeze bag to extract all juice. Discard solids and fit airlock to secondary. Rack after 30 days, top up and reattach airlock. Ferment to absolute dryness (about 2 more months), stabilize, sweeten to taste, wait 10 additional days, and rack into bottles. May drink immediately, but will improve with 6 months aging. This wine may be served as is or blended with other wines lacking in interest. [Adapted from W.H.T. Tayleur’s The Penguin Book of Home Brewing & Wine-Making ]