Chapter 4

Flower & Herb Wines

Dandelion is probably the most common flower wine, but many other kinds of flowers make delicious wines. To make these wines, you essentially are brewing a strong sweet tea and then adding wine yeast. When using dried herbs, I recommend using at least 1 ounce per gallon of wine — more if you want a more intense herbal flavor. Flowers and herbs don’t contain any natural sugar, so I add raisins (usually close to 1 pound per gallon) to feed the fermentation and add body to the wines.

Flower wines can be consumed much like traditional wines and are easy to pair with foods. Herb wines can make interesting dessert wines if they are sweet enough. Dry herb wines may be more difficult to pair with a meal, but they can be unique complements to cheeses, crackers, breads, and fresh fruits. Herb wines can add an interesting element to cocktails made with vodka or gin, and they also work very well as cooking wines.

Black Locust Flower

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

Once when I was driving from St. Louis back home to Colorado, I noticed a strong fragrance along the interstate in Missouri. I realized it was the smell of all the black locust trees in bloom along the highway. Black locust is native to the southeastern United States, but it and several other locust species have been widely planted elsewhere. I decided to stop and pick some flowers for wine.

A couple of hours later, I was 30 feet up in a tree, scratched and bleeding from thorns, precariously stretched out to pick another bunch of flowers, when I realized that perhaps I was getting carried away. I headed back to my car, and I could smell the large bagful of flowers all the way home. They made a delightful wine. A few years later, when I spotted a grove of locust trees in bloom near my home in Fort Collins, I made another wine that was just as good. I didn’t weigh the fresh flowers but used enough of them to fill a gallon container.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and flowers in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 4 to 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Blue Spice Basil

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

Basil has always been one of my favorite herbs, and one year I planted eight different varieties. I had never heard of blue spice basil, but when I saw the seed packet I had to try it. As soon as I smelled the unique fragrance of the young plants, I knew I wanted to use them to make wine. I harvested and froze the leaves all summer until I had enough to make wine. (Basil loses much of its delightful fragrance and flavor when dried, so I always freeze it when I wish to save it for cooking or winemaking.) Blue spice basil makes a spicy dessert wine.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and basil in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 4 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Chamomile

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

This wine came about when neighbors in our community garden were giving up their space, which held a large amount of chamomile plants. I spent several hours picking the flowers, and after drying them, I had a 1-gallon bag full of dried flowers — perfect for making 5 gallons of wine. This wine has a strong chamomile flavor reminiscent of chamomile tea.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and chamomile flowers in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 3 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Chamomile-Star Anise

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

The first time I made a chamomile wine, I purchased dried chamomile flowers from my local co-op. I had a couple of ounces of whole star anise in my spice cabinet and decided to add it to what I thought would be 5 gallons of a rather mild-tasting wine. The star anise added a nice touch, although its flavor dominated the chamomile. It was still a very nice, interesting wine.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins, chamomile flowers, and star anise in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 3 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Chocolate-Chocolate Mint

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

This wine was the first in which I experimented with using chocolate. I had wanted to make a calamondin orange–mole pepper wine with chocolate (see recipe), but I didn’t want to waste my moles and calamondins if the chocolate didn’t work out. But I had a large patch of chocolate mint growing in my yard and wasn’t afraid of wasting it should the experiment not turn out well. The wine turned out very well and gave me the confidence to use chocolate in other wines. I used cocoa powder in my first couple of batches, but I have recently switched to using cocoa bean hulls, as they give a much stronger chocolate flavor.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins, mint, and cocoa bean hulls in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 4 to 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Cinnamon Basil

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

I love all types of basil, and cinnamon basil is one of my favorites. I consider it to be more of a dessert spice, so I designed this vintage to be a dessert wine.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and basil in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Rosemary, Blue Spice Basil, Cinnamon Basil, Triple Basil, Blueberry-Chocolate-Chocolate Mint, Double Lemon-Lime-Basil

Dandelion

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

Dandelion wine is a traditional and popular flower wine. It is also the most labor-intensive wine I have ever made. You must separate the yellow petals from the green sepals surrounding them to prevent bitter flavors in your wine, and you must do so quickly since the flowers will close up a short time after you pick them. Either pick a small quantity and process them before picking more, or have help so that several people can process flowers while more are being picked. It’s much quicker to pick the flowers than to process them.

The petals can be dried for later use, allowing you to harvest them over several days or weeks. Be warned that the sepals can stain your fingers green for a short period. Another concern is the location where you pick; be sure the property hasn’t been treated with chemicals that could be harmful to ingest. I prefer to use golden raisins in this wine, but any raisins will be suitable.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and dandelion petals in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 4 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Double Lemon-Lime-Basil

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

I was growing lemon basil and lime basil to use in cooking. I would chop them in a blender with a little water and freeze the basil slurry in ice cube trays for later use. I had several 1-gallon bags of these basil cubes in the freezer when I came up with the idea of using them with lemons and limes in a wine. This is a spectacular sweet wine with intense citrus flavor and hints of basil. People who love lemons will really like it as a dessert wine, and it also makes an incredible cooking wine.

Lemon basil and lime basil aren’t as readily available in grocery stores as sweet basil, so you may have to grow them yourself. Any large, well-stocked garden center will carry seed packets of these varieties.

photo of limes and lemons

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the lemons and limes, including the peel. Combine the raisins, lemons, limes, lemon basil, and lime basil in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 4 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Elderflower

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

Elderflowers make an exquisite white wine. While you can pick fresh elderflowers if you have access to them and don’t care about reducing the elderberry harvest, I purchased dried elderflowers from a local food co-op that sells them for use in teas. This wine is mildly sweet; adjust the amount of sugar and raisins if you want a sweeter or drier wine. When making wine from white flowers, I prefer to use golden rather than dark raisins. If you like white wines, you should definitely consider making elderflower wine.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and elderflowers in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 3 to 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

French Tarragon

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

I have always had a special attraction to the culinary herb tarragon. After making a number of other herb wines, I decided it would be next on the list. I used fresh cuttings of French tarragon (not to be confused with Russian tarragon, which has little flavor). Because I thought the tarragon flavor would best complement a sweet wine, I added 3 pounds of sugar and 1 pound of raisins. This wine has a strong tarragon flavor. I recently pulled a 19-year-old bottle of it out of the cellar and found it to be spectacular. It was judged the best wine out of a dozen from the cellar that I served at a wine-tasting party.

fresh tarragon sprig

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and tarragon in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 3 to 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Ginger-Green Tea Sake

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

I’ve made a number of wines that I call “sake.” Some contain rice, like traditional sake, and some don’t. I don’t use special sake yeast strains but the same wine yeast strains I am familiar with. While some may argue these are not true sakes, a number of sushi chefs of my acquaintance love these wines and have no problem calling them sake. To make this version, I used rice, raisins, green tea, and, to spice it up, fresh ginger. The wine came out a little sweet, with a nice green tea flavor and a hint of ginger. It tastes good chilled or hot.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Cut the ginger into small pieces. Combine the raisins, ginger, rice, and tea bags in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Hibiscus Flower

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

There are many species of hibiscus, and the dried petals of several are used in teas, foods, and medicines. The most commonly used is Hibiscus sabdariffa, also called roselle. This species has thick, fleshy sepals with a stronger flavor than tropical hibiscus flowers. I didn’t have access to this species, but I was growing several tropical hibiscus plants (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) with red and orange flowers, so I used them instead. The color of this wine will depend on the color of the flowers. This is a light wine that is best paired with chicken or fish.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and hibiscus flowers in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Jasmine Flower

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

A large 20-year-old fragrant jasmine bonsai that was growing in my living room inspired this wine. I saved and dried the jasmine flowers for several years until I had four packed quart jars, which I used to make 5 gallons of wine. You may also be able to find dried jasmine flowers at tea shops. This delicate white wine compares favorably with Black Locust Flower and Elderflower wines. A well-rounded cellar should definitely have at least one of this type of flower wine.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and jasmine flowers in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 3 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Lavender

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

A 1986 lavender wine is the oldest vintage in my cellar. I tasted it recently, and with more than three decades behind it, it has aged extremely well. This is typical of all the herb wines I’ve made. I used fresh foliage and flowers from a French lavender bonsai plant. Lavender wine is best paired with an appetizer, like cheese and fresh fruit.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and lavender in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 3 to 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Lilac Flower

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

The first time I made lilac wine I used too many flowers (I’ve since reduced the volume by two-thirds) and did not care much for it. I put the wine away in the cellar and forgot about it. Twenty years later I was looking for an old wine to be part of a wine-tasting party, and I came across a case of this lilac wine. When we opened a bottle, I was delightfully surprised by its deep, complex flavor. While I am not sure when the taste changed, it shows how well some wines can age over long periods. This is why I recommend putting aside a few bottles of every wine to age. Develop the patience needed to let some wines age for 5, 10, or even 20 years and you will have unique treasures in your cellar.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and lilac flowers in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 9 to 12 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling to reach the complex flavor described here.

Oregano

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

This wine, with its nice oregano flavor, is great for cooking and is a tasty companion to a cheese and cracker plate. If you want a stronger oregano flavor, use 2 or even 3 ounces of dried oregano.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and oregano in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 3 to 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Lilac Flower, Jasmine Flower, Hibiscus Flower, Oregano, and Chamomile

Peppermint

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

This is an interesting wine to serve with appetizers or alone as an aperitif. It can also work well as an additive to mixed drinks, especially with mojitos or mint juleps, to add a little extra mint flavor.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and peppermint in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 3 to 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Pink Rosebud

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

I made this wine with dried pink rosebuds purchased at my local food co-op, where they were sold for use in teas. They made a delightful, delicate wine with the pink hue of a rosé.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and rosebuds in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 3 to 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Rose Petal

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

Roses can make a great wine, especially if you pick roses that have a strong fragrance. Depending on the color of your rose petals, your wine can vary from white to rosé to deep red. Do not use commercial cut roses, as these have been heavily sprayed with pesticides. Instead, purchase organic petals sold for use in teas, grow your own, or pick roses grown by friends who can assure you they have not been sprayed. Climbing, shrub, and rugosa roses tend to be tougher and less in need of spraying than tea roses, grandifloras, and long-stem roses. During the blooming period, harvest the flowers every other day and dry the petals until you’re ready to make wine.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and rose petals in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Rose Hip

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

Rose hips are very high in vitamin C, and what could be better than getting your vitamins with a glass of wine? Rose petals imbue a wine with more flavor and fragrance (see recipe), but you can pluck the petals off your roses and make some rose petal wine, then let the rose hips ripen and make this wine later. You’ll get two harvests and two different wines in one season from the same plants.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop or process the rose hips in a blender or food processor. Combine the raisins and rose hips in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Rosemary

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

Rosemary makes an intense herbal wine that is great served as an aperitif, especially alongside cheese and crackers. It also makes a very good cooking wine. I’ve called this my bonsai wine because I used the trimmings from a rosemary bonsai that I had when I was operating my wholesale bonsai nursery.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and rosemary in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Spearmint

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

I used fresh spearmint leaves to make this wine, but dried spearmint leaves would work just as well. This minty wine would make a good addition to cocktails that are often garnished with fresh mint, like mint juleps or Long Island iced tea. It could also be used as a dessert wine and would pair well with chocolate.

fresh spearment leaves photo

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and spearmint in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 3 to 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Sweet Basil

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

Basil doesn’t keep its flavor well when dried, so when I want to preserve basil for future use, I pack the leaves into my blender with just enough water to chop them up into a thick slurry. Then I freeze the slurry in ice cube trays. Basil cubes kept in the freezer will still have strong flavor even a year later. This wine has a strong basil flavor and is a delight to those people who love sweet basil. Of course, it also makes a great cooking wine, and you could add it to cocktails made with vodka or gin. Basil wine would go well with cheese or with a tomato soup course during a meal.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and basil in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 3 to 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Thyme

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

This was another of my early herb wines. I used fresh thyme, but you can also use dried. Twenty-five years later, this wine has a complex character with an intense thyme flavor. It is good served in small glasses with bread or crackers and a mild cheese. Of course, it also makes a fantastic cooking wine.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and thyme in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 3 to 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Triple Basil

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

One summer I was growing several varieties of basil, and I made wine using three: sweet basil, cinnamon basil, and lemon basil. The combination gave me a nice light wine with mild flavor. If you’d like a stronger flavor, simply add more basil. While many herb wines can be created from dried herbs, basil loses much of its flavor when dried. If you can’t harvest all of the basil you need at once, freeze the leaves until you have enough. Chop them in a blender with a little water and pour the slurry into ice cube trays to freeze.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Combine the raisins and basils in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 3 to 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Vanilla-Rose Petal

Recipe yield: Makes 1 Gallon. Decorative watercolor paint swash.

This is one of the best wines in my cellar. I had just started a new batch of Rose Petal wine when I happened to meet and share some wines with an aromatherapist. She asked whether I had added vanilla to the rose petal batch and then explained that aromatherapists almost always add some vanilla to rose essences because it complements and helps bring out the rose flavor. When I got home, I immediately added 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to my 5-gallon bucket of fermenting rose petal wine. The wine ended up with just a hint of vanilla flavor, and the aromatherapist was right: it really enhances the rose fragrance and flavor. I heartily recommend that any winemaker make this wine.

You may wish to taste the must during the primary fermentation and adjust the amount of vanilla to suit your taste. If you are not growing your own roses, you can find organic rose petals at your local tea shop. The color of the petals will determine the color of your wine.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. If you’re using a vanilla bean, cut it up. Combine the raisins, vanilla, and rose petals in the fermentation vessel.
  2. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the boiling sugar water to the mixture in the fermentation vessel. Cover and let cool.
  3. 3. Stir in the yeast and cover. Stir twice a day until fermentation slows, 7 to 10 days.
  4. 4. Press out the pulp, pour the wine into your secondary fermentation jug, and secure the fermentation lock. Check it the next day; if there is a deep layer of lees, rack and filter the wine. Rack again every 2 to 3 months.
  5. 5. The wine should be ready to drink in 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.