Port Wine

• 1 gallon can California Red Grape Concentrate
• 12 lbs fine granulated sugar
• 5 gallons warm water
• 6 oz dried elderberries
• 16 oz dried, non-glazed, banana chips
• 2 tsp yeast energizer
• 3 oz acid blend
• 5 crushed Campden tablets
• 1 pkg Port wine yeast

Prepare yeast starter 3 days in advance according to instructions on yeast packet. Separate banana chips in primary, add elderberries, grape concentrate, water, 1/2 sugar (6 lbs), yeast energizer, acid blend, and crushed Campden tablets. Stir well to dissolve sugar, cover well, and wait 24 hours. Add yeast starter and stir gently once a day. When specific gravity is 1.040, draw off 4-6 cups of must, slowly dissolve additional 3 lbs of sugar into it, then stir it into primary. When S.G. is at 1.030, strain out elderberries and banana chips and siphon wine into secondary. Attach air lock and check S.G. daily. When S.G. is at 1.010, draw off another 4-6 cups of must and slowly dissolve remaining 3 lbs of sugar into it. Gently add this back into secondary. Rack as deposits form, but not more often that every three weeks. When no more deposits form, allow one month for wine to clear. If wine fails to clear, stabilize wine and add fining according to instructions for particular fining agent. Wait 10 days, rack wine one last time, sweeten to taste, then add 60 oz brandy and bottle wine. Age one year before tasting or using for cooking. [Adapted from Stanley F. Anderson and Raymond Hull’s The Art of Making Wine. ]