Gooseberry Wine (2)

• 2-1/2 qts fresh gooseberries
• 1-1/2 lbs fine granulated sugar
• 11-oz can 100% Welch’s White Grape Juice frozen concentrate
• 61/2 pts water
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
• 1/4 tsp tannin
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 pkt Champagne wine yeast

Bring water to boil while dissolving sugar in it and remove from heat. Meanwhile, wash, destem and sort gooseberries, discarding any that are not fully ripe. Put gooseberries in nylon straining bag and tie end securely. Put in primary and crush berries with piece of hardwood or potato masher. Pour water over crushed berries. Add white grape juice frozen concentrate, tannin and yeast nutrient. Stir well, cover primary with clean cloth and set aside to cool. When at room temperature, add crushed Campden tablet and stir. Recover primary and set aside for 12 hours. Add pectic enzyme, stir, recover primary, and set aside another 12 hours. Add activated yeast. Stir daily for 8 days. Drip drain (do not squeeze) nylon straining bag over primary, discard pulp, recover primary, and allow to settle overnight. Rack into secondary, top up if required and fit airlock. Rack, top up and refit airlock every 30 days until wine clears and no new sediments form during a 30-day period. Stabilize, sweeten if desired, wait 10 days, and rack into bottles. Allow to age 12 months before tasting. [Author’s own recipe]