Madrone Berry Wine (1)

• 4 lbs native American madrone berries
• 1/2 lb chopped raisins or sultanas
• 1 lb 13 oz granulated sugar
• 1 sweet orange
• 7 pts water
• 1 tsp pectic enzyme
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 pkt wine yeast

Wash and cull through berries, rejecting any that are not ripe and discarding stems. Put 2 qts water on to boil. Meanwhile, chop raisins and set aside. Wash orange, prepare zest, remove remaining skin, and slice thinly. Set aside orange zest and slices. Add sugar to boiling water and stir well to dissolve. Add berries, return to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir zest into berries. Set aside to cool. When cool, hold nylon straining bag over primary and pour berries into bag. Add sliced orange and chopped raisins. Tie bag and leave in primary. Add additional 3 pints water, yeast nutrient and pectic enzyme. Stir well and cover primary. After 12 hours, add activated yeast. Recover primary and gently squeeze bag twice a day during vigorous fermentation. When fermentation settles down, hang bag to drip drain over bowl, transfer liquid to secondary and fit airlock. Gently squeeze bag to coax additional liquid, but not too firmly. Add drained liquid to secondary, top up if required and refit airlock. Rack, top up and refit airlock every 30 days until wine clears. Set in dark place 4 months, checking airlock periodically for seal. Rack, stabilize and sweeten to taste if desired. Set aside additional 14 days while checking for any signs of refermentation. If none, carefully rack into bottles and store in dark place additional 6 months. [Author’s own recipe]