Raisin wine

[metalmickey]

Hi All, sorry for the duplication in the wine section, but i just discovered the recipes section!

im a big fan of the greek brew Vin Santo and wondered if it was possible to make it myself from raisins. I think the greeks/tuscans dry their vines until almost all the water has evaporated, which is as near as damn it raisins.

anyone have a method that i could try?

ive only ever made wine from kits before.

Hope someone can help

nEIL

 

[Samarith]

Based on the CJJ Berry recipe.

3.5kg raisins, washed and minced.
1 lemon (juice only)
1 campden tablet
1tsp yeast nutrient
1 tsp GP Wine Yeast
1 tsp Pectolase
Water to 1 gallon

Put raisins, lemon juice, pectolase and the campden tablet (crushed) in the FV and add cold water to the 1 gallon mark. I'd dump the raisins in whole with some of the water and use an electric hand blender to mince them.

Put on the lid and leave for 2 days, then add yeast and nutrient.

Place some warm for 3 days (21C), then move it to somewhere cooler (17C), stir daily. I only ever made this once when we had a huge surplus of raisins after Christmas and I wasn't too fussy about the temperature control (3 days in the living room and then under the stairs).

After about 10 days strain of the liquid into a DJ, top up with water and leave under airlock for 3 months before racking and bottling.

 

[metalmickey]

Thanks samarith, ill give it a try.
what did it taste like?

 

[Samarith]

Now you're asking, I made it..umm...23 or 24 years ago I think.

As I recall it finished medium dry, I'm tempted to say it was like sherry-lite but that makes it sound inferior which it wasn't.

Definately very full bodied and mellow, it was about 10 months before we opened a bottle. The stomach warmth you get from port, sherry or a good whiskey but toned down a couple of knotches.

I'm not describing it very well am I?

 

[CptnCrackoff]

Hi, i did a raisin wine, with a similar recipe to the ccj, i did change it a bit.

I bottled it in jan 2010, so far havnt tried it, although when it was bottled it was strong, a bit harsh, and hopefully will mellow a bit with time, my book said leave it 12-18months, so christmas time it'll get an outing!!

Cc

 

[metalmickey]

Thanks to you both for replying.

the brew sounds just the ticket..i think vinsanto has that sherry like smoothness and its what im after.

i;ll get back to you when i brew up and let you know how i get on.

thanks again.

Neil

 

[unclepumble]

Its not bad with a quantity of rice in it either sudo sake

I used to make a rice a raisin wine years ago that was a good one can't remember the exact recipe though, it was 25+ years ago.

UP

 

[Moley]

I used to make a rice & raisin wine years ago that was a good one can't remember the exact recipe though, it was 25+ years ago.

3 lbs raisins (do not chop or mince)
5 lbs long grain rice
8-9 lbs sugar
2 tbsp citric acid
3 gallons water

Boil sugar in some of the water, allow to cool, mix it all together in a bucket, add yeast & nutrient, cover, leave in a warm place, stir daily for 3 weeks, strain to DJs.

Don't discard the pulp, add 6 lbs sugar and 2 gallons water and go again. This time, mash any raisins which are still intact.

Fine and/or filter as appropriate when fermentation is finished. Ready for drinking almost immediately, or add 1 campden tablet per gallon and leave for 6-9 months.

 

[metalmickey]

Thanks moley.

i like wines i can drink almost immedialtely.
can i divide the recipe by3 for a single demijohn? im a beginner and want to minimise waste should it all go titsup.

 

[Moley]

can i divide the recipe by 3 for a single demijohn?

Of course, most recipes can simply be scaled up or down.

 

[metalmickey]

Update on the raisin wine.

All going well and have added KWIK clear finings but the brew is crystal clear at the top and hazy at the bottom.

Shall i double dose for the finings or rack it off the sediment into a fresh DJ.

Neil

 

[terminal500]

I've just had a go at this, just wondered, would you expect it to be doing much after 24 hours from adding the yeast. I lifted the lid tonight to give its daily stir and the raisin had all floated to the top, I didn't know if I should break it up or not, but the recipe says stir daily. Once stired there was no fuzzing or sign of fermentation, I only ask because the prune wine I added yeast to at the same time last night is fizzing and fermenting like a good un. Is this normal or should I start thinking about doing something to it. I am a beginner at this from scratch not a kit stuff sorry.

Regards
Tom.