Wine recipes + dried fruit

[leicestershirelass]

This year I'd like to make more of my own wine, but notice that many recipes include sultanas or raisins ... why is it necessary to include these dried fruits / are they essential to the wine making process?

[rustylady]

It's not essential, but they do add flavour and body to the wine. And also sweetness (sugar).

[leicestershirelass]

It's not essential

That's good news as I don't really like either of them!

Is it adviseable to substitute something else or increase sugar?

[shirlthegirl43]

It's not essential

That's good news as I don't really like either of them!

Is it adviseable to substitute something else or increase sugar?

You won't actually taste them in the finished wine - after all wine is traditionally made with grapes and raisins are just dried grapes. Experiment if you like but you might find your finished wine is 'thin' and lacking depth of flavour.

[leicestershirelass]

after all wine is traditionally made with grapes and raisins are just dried grapes.

Ahhh! hadn't given any thought to logic ....

Maybe make half with and half without, that way if I don't like taste I've not wasted effort etc.

[shirlthegirl43]

I forgot to say, if you don't want to use raisins/sultanas, you can add grape juice concentrate (which you can get from your homebrew store or Wilkinsons)

[Flummery]

Wine yeasts were developed to use the fruit sugars found in grapes. They are given sucrose instead in home wines. They do much better, ferment for longer etc. if they get some grape juice or some minced dried vine fruits. Nature's way!

[Guttata]

They add to the "vinosity" of the wine. Don't ask me to describe what it means as all I can come up with is makes it more "winey". I use a liter to one and half liters of grape juice in mine instead, cheaper than concentrate and pretty much does the same job.

You also have to remember how old some of those recipes are. Before more scientific work went on for the homebrew side they also added some essential nutrients and vitamins to the must. All of which you can get from the shop in powder or tablet form now.

[leicestershirelass]

thanks everyone for your responses ... here's hoping for a productive wine making season

[ohbeary]

LL, I hope this helps, I am currently drinking a rather nice medium Rhine style white wine, made with 1ltr apple & elderflower juice drink, 1ltr white grape juice, 1lb 5oz sugar, 1 tsp yeast nutrient, champagne yeast(99p from homehardware) and tap water to 4.5ltr, around £4 a gallon including the use of a 5ltr bottle of springwater from the supermarket!, simply combine juices, yeast, nutrient and water in 5ltr bottle, cover neck with clingfilm and keep in a warm (20C) place, when starting to clear move to a cooler place, when fully clear siphon into clean 5ltr container, keep for up to 6mnths or just drink it, it will improve up to a point, but not beyond 4mnths

[leicestershirelass]

Wow ... that sounds good, will look out for ingredients next time I'm shopping. Thanks

May also have a go at making own elderflower and apple juice drink when supplies available.

Cheers

[Hilary B]

If I was going to make wine in a bottle that came with water, I think I would use the water from the bottle (unless I had already drunk it).
Only place I buy water in bigger than 2 litre bottles is Spain, and then we take the empty ones to the local Bodega to bring home 8 litres at a time of local wine! (no I don't drink it, OH does, I stick to Cava!)

[Brengirl]

I'll tell you all something. Over the years I have spent a fortune on cheap plonk. Never again!! The 'chardonnay' kit from Youngs has surpassed all expectations. Can't wait to brew some of my very own.

[Flummery]

LL, I hope this helps, I am currently drinking a rather nice medium Rhine style white wine, made with 1ltr apple & elderflower juice drink, 1ltr white grape juice, 1lb 5oz sugar, 1 tsp yeast nutrient, champagne yeast(99p from homehardware) and tap water to 4.5ltr, around £4 a gallon including the use of a 5ltr bottle of springwater from the supermarket!, simply combine juices, yeast, nutrient and water in 5ltr bottle, cover neck with clingfilm and keep in a warm (20C) place, when starting to clear move to a cooler place, when fully clear siphon into clean 5ltr container, keep for up to 6mnths or just drink it, it will improve up to a point, but not beyond 4mnths

Do take care when using juice drinks to ferment. They are often sweetened with aspartame which doesn't ferment out. You can end up with a sickly sweet wine. Ask me how I know!

[lisab]

Hi Ohbeary, the wine you mentioned... was it sparkling since you used champagne yeast? i've never made anything sparkling, as i've heard such stories about them exploding and makng a mess!