Orange Wine (1)

• 4 lbs. over-ripe oranges
• 1 lb 14 oz granulated sugar
• water to make up a gallon
• 1/4 tsp grape tannin
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• wine yeast

Use over-ripe oranges only. You can usually get these from your grocer at reduced prices (or even free). If they have bad spots on them (moldy or soft) it will not matter. Put two quarts of water on to boil. Meanwhile, peel the oranges and remove all the white pith (it is bitter and will ruin the wine). Break the oranges into sections and remove all seeds. Drop them in a juicer or a blender and liquefy (you may have to add a cup of water to the blender). Mix the juice or liquefied oranges with the sugar, tannin and yeast nutrient in primary. Add boiling water and stir well to dissolve the sugar. Add additional water if necessary to make one gallon total must. Cover and set aside to cool. When cooled to 70-75 degrees F., add yeast. Ferment 7-10 days and strain through a fine-meshed nylon straining bag, squeezing to extract juice from pulp. Transfer to secondary and fit airlock. Rack every 30 days for three months. Stabilize and sweeten to taste. Wait 10 days and rack into bottles. Age one year before tasting. [Adapted from Mrs. Gennery-Taylor’s “Easy to Make Wine”]