Chapter 5

Hot Pepper Wines

Straight hot pepper wines may be good for cooking, but they wouldn’t be much fun for sipping. All of the hot pepper wines included here pair hot peppers with fruit (most often citrus), so that the wines are drinkable on their own, though they do also make extraordinary cooking wines.

Because of the heat level in these wines, I suggest serving them before a meal to stimulate the appetite, like an aperitif, although they do pair well with some foods, including sushi. For sipping, these spicy wines are best served chilled in 1-ounce servings. These wines age extremely well, and the heat level mellows as the wine ages.

Blood Orange-Thai Dragon

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

Blood oranges are my favorite large citrus. I decided to pair them with Thai Dragon peppers partly just because I liked the name. These peppers are tiny but rather hot (though milder than the superhots like ghost and habanero), so I used only about half a pepper per bottle. This turned out to be one of my best citrus–hot pepper wines. It works well as a cooking wine, especially with chicken.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the oranges, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, oranges, and peppers 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 liquid 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.

Buddha’s Hand-Cherry Bomb

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

This is my favorite wine name because it perfectly describes the taste of this wine. People who sample my citrus–hot pepper wines often remark on the way the taste changes in the mouth. This wine starts off soft and sweet like the Buddha, with the citrus in front, and then the cherry bomb hot pepper explodes after swallowing. Cherry bomb hot peppers are just a little milder than jalapeños, with a rating of 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville heat units (jalapeños range from 2,500 to 10,000 units). This wine is best served a little sweet, so I use 3 pounds of sugar and 1 pound of raisins.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the citrons, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, citrons, and peppers 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.

Calamondin Orange-Cherry Bomb

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

Calamondin oranges are my favorite oranges for cooking and winemaking. Orange flavors complement hot peppers extremely well, and my orange–hot pepper wines tend to be my most popular hot pepper wines. This cherry bomb blend produced a sweet wine with a medium-hot spiciness. If you can't find calamondins, you can use navel oranges or tangerines instead.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the oranges, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, oranges, and peppers 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.

Calamondin Orange-Chocolate-Habanero

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

I make this wine using dark cocoa powder, so it has just a hint of chocolate flavor as a bridge between the initial citrus taste and the hot pepper finish. For a stronger chocolate flavor, try using cocoa bean hulls instead. This wine has a nice orange flavor with just hints of chocolate and habanero.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the oranges, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, oranges, peppers, and cocoa powder 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.

Calamondin Orange-Habanero

This sweet, citrusy wine has a good level of hot pepper spice. You can save the pulp and use it to make Calamondin Orange-Peach-Habanero.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the oranges, including the peel, and the pepper. Combine the raisins, oranges, and pepper 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, saving it if you’d like to make the orange-peach-habanero wine. Pour the liquid 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.

Calamondin Orange Mole

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

This was the wine that first prompted me to consider using chocolate in wine, since chocolate is integral to making traditional mole sauce. Mole peppers, also called pasillas or chiles negros, have a rich, smoky, earthy flavor and a mild Scoville rating of 1,000 to 2,500 heat units. They have become my favorite peppers for cooking.

This wine has an interesting, complex flavor that combines the earthy, smoky flavor of the peppers with the flavors of the chocolate and oranges, although it doesn’t carry much spicy heat. Individual mole peppers seem to vary in heat more than other peppers, and there is no way to tell which are hotter without tasting them. I like this wine well enough that I have made it several times.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the oranges, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, oranges, and peppers 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.

Calamondin Orange-Peach-Habanero

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

This was the first wine in which I reused pulp to make what would be considered a second wine, although I also added fresh peaches. After pressing out the pulp from a batch of Calamondin Orange-Habanero wine, I could tell it still had a lot of flavor left. I had a large crop of peaches at the time, so I added some to the pulp. This is a very tasty wine — definitely sweet, with nice orange overtones and just a hint of habanero spiciness. To make a similar wine without leftover pulp, use 1 pound of calamondins, 2 pounds of peaches, and one habanero per gallon.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Pit and chop the peaches. Combine the peaches and pulp 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.

Chocolate-Peach-Cherry Bomb

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

The year I had a large peach crop, I decided to add hot peppers to a peach wine and couldn’t resist also adding dark chocolate. The chocolate flavor was very mild, as was the pepper spice, since I used the relatively mild cherry bombs.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Pit and chop the peaches. Chop the peppers. Combine the peaches, peppers, and cocoa powder 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.

Citrus Symphony

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

This has become one of my favorite wines, and it is also very popular with my friends. The pulp left over from my citrus–hot pepper wines still has a lot of flavor, and I store it in the freezer. When I have the remains of two or three batches, I combine them to make a “symphony” blend, adding 3 pounds of sugar and 1⁄2 to 1 pound of raisins per gallon. This makes a very sweet wine with a strong citrus flavor, but the hot pepper is very mild the second time around, producing just a slight tingle in the back of the throat in the aftertaste — perfect for those friends who think straight citrus–hot pepper wines are too spicy. I’ve made second wines in this manner several times, and each batch is unique, arising from a unique blend of citrus–hot pepper pulps. You can also add 1⁄4 pound of cocoa bean hulls for a nice 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 and pulp 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.

My Citrus Symphony Wines

A few years ago I realized that leftover citrus pulp containing the peel had plenty of flavor left. After previous success with reusing pressed-out blueberry pulp, I decided to freeze the citrus pulp and reuse it later (thawing it before use). My citrus symphony wines are citrusy, usually sweet, and contain much less heat than the original wines. People who don’t like the spicy heat in the first wine often like this second wine. Sometimes I will add other pressed-out fruit, like pineapple, with good results.

Jalapeño-Lime

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

This was the first citrus–hot pepper wine I made. At the time, skeptical onlookers told me that no one would ever be able to drink it. No one — not even I — could have predicted that citrus–hot pepper wines would become the most remarkable and popular wines in my cellar. Because jalapeños are so common, and they pair well with lime in cooking, this blend was a logical first experiment for this new style of wine. I’ve made this blend several times since. I use a full 3 pounds of sugar per gallon to give it some sweetness as a balance to the hot pepper fire. It’s great for sipping and also makes a spectacular cooking wine. You can add a splash to sautéed meats or vegetables or use it as a baste for meats on the grill.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the limes, including the peel, and the jalapeños. Combine the raisins, limes, and jalapeños 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.

Key Lime-Cayenne

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

Key limes, called Mexican limes in some areas, are smaller than regular Persian limes. They are mostly known for making Key lime pie. Key limes have a sweeter and fruitier taste, stronger aroma, and thinner rind than other limes. While cayennes are hotter than some other chiles, rating between 30,000 and 50,000 Scoville heat units, the intense Key limes and residual sweetness are enough to balance their heat, making this a very tasty wine.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the limes, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, limes, and peppers 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.

Key Lime-Cherry Bomb

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

I enjoyed the Key Lime-Cayenne wine so much that when my local grocery store had Key limes on sale the next year, I couldn’t resist making more wine with different peppers. Cherry bombs are milder than cayenne peppers, so this wine was less spicy than the Key Lime–Cayenne. As always, you can adjust the amounts here to suit your taste.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the limes, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, limes, and peppers 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.

Key Lime-Golden Cayenne

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

I always have trouble keeping enough of my hot pepper wines on hand to share with my friends who love them, so I couldn’t resist making another blend of Key lime and cayenne, this time with Golden Cayenne peppers. Golden Cayennes are typically slightly less spicy than red cayennes, so this wine has less of a kick than Key Lime-Cayenne.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the limes, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, limes, and peppers 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.

Kumquat-Cayenne

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

While blood oranges are my favorite large citrus to use in winemaking, kumquats are my favorite small citrus because I like the sweet-sour contrast between the peel and the pulp. This contrast is similar to that of the calamondin orange, which is a cross between kumquats and mandarin oranges. Kumquats can be expensive to purchase, but I had several large plants in my greenhouse that produced enough to make wine. I used a full pound of raisins in this wine because I wanted this one to be relatively sweet.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the kumquats, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, kumquats, and peppers 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.

Kumquat-Kung Pao

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

As a writer, alliteration appeals to me. Plus, I always liked Chinese kung pao dishes. When I came across kung pao pepper plants at a nursery in Taos, I couldn’t resist. I had to put them into a wine name. Kung paos resemble cayenne peppers and are typically a little milder, running about 10,000 Scoville units. Use at least 2 pounds of kumquats per gallon. This wine really turned out very well, and as a bonus, I just love saying the name.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the kumquats, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, kumquats, and peppers 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.

Lemon-Cayenne

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

I had made several batches of Jalapeño-Lime before I decided to branch out to lemons. I grew lemons in my Colorado greenhouse and froze the fruits as I harvested them until I had enough to make wine. This wine will appeal to those who love the flavor of lemons. Like all citrus–hot pepper wines, it is great for cooking and works well in mixed drinks. Lemon and lime wines are especially appropriate in margaritas.

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, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, lemons, and peppers 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.

Lemon-Lemon Drop

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

When I came across lemon drop hot pepper plants in my travels, I immediately knew I wanted to pair them with lemons. The lemon drop, native to the Peruvian area of the Andean mountains, is a small pepper (2 to 3 inches long) that ripens to yellow. It is considered the most flavorful of the Andean peppers, with a citrusy and fruity flavor. With a Scoville heat range of 30,000 to 50,000, it is similar in heat to the cayenne pepper.

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, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, lemons, and peppers 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.

Limequat-Apache

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

As its name implies, a limequat is a cross between a lime and a kumquat. It’s oval and a little smaller than a chicken egg; its skin turns yellow when ripe, while the flesh is green and has a mellow lime flavor. I have occasionally seen limequats for sale in specialty markets. If you can’t find or grow them, you could combine limes and kumquats to get a similar flavor. Apache peppers are small (1 to 2 inches long) and bullet-shaped, but they pack a lot of heat at about 80,000 Scoville units. Despite this, because they are small I used four peppers per gallon.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the limequats, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, limequats, and peppers 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.

Grow Your Own

Much larger than a kumquat tree and only a little smaller than a Persian lime tree, a limequat tree can produce a large volume of fruit, even when grown indoors or in a greenhouse. At one point my largest limequat bonsai had more than a hundred ripe fruits hanging from its branches. These fruits pack a lot of flavor, and I use them extensively in cooking as well as winemaking.

Limequat-Kung Pao

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

With all the limequats I was harvesting, I couldn’t resist using different peppers with each batch. Kung pao peppers are milder than Apaches, so I used five peppers per gallon of finished wine. But because these peppers are much larger than Apache peppers, this wine turned out spicier than the Limequat-Apache.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the limequats, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, limequats, and peppers 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.

Limequat-Mariachi

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

Mariachi peppers are rather mild for hot peppers, rating only about 500 to 600 Scoville units, although they can be hotter when grown in hot, dry conditions and I’ve grown some that seemed hotter. This wine has just a little spicy heat, which works out well when sharing with friends who can’t take too much hot pepper fire.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the limequats, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, limequats, and peppers 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.

page Blood Orange-Thai Dragon; Limequat-Mariachi; Lemon-Lemon Drop; Limequat-Apache; Mandarin-Chocolate-Chocolate Habanero

Mandarin-Chocolate-Chocolate Habanero

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

I grew chocolate habanero peppers one summer, knowing I would want to pair them with citrus and chocolate. Chocolate habaneros are considered the hottest among the habanero family, rating from 300,000 to 577,000 Scoville units. I blended them with mandarin oranges and cocoa bean hulls, which I got from a local chocolatier. The chocolate flavor in this wine is well balanced, but the pepper is still strong enough to make this one of the hotter wines I’ve made.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the oranges, including the peel, and the pepper. Combine the raisins, oranges, pepper, 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 3 to 6 months. Let it age in the jug for as long as possible before bottling, at least 6 months to 1 year.

Mandarin-Devil’s Tongue

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

Devil’s Tongue peppers are superhot — various reports rate this pepper from 325,000 to 500,000+ Scoville units. This wine turned out very nicely, with good flavor and fairly high heat. I like the flavor of the Devil’s Tongue pepper and consider this to be one of the better citrus–hot pepper wines I’ve created.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the oranges, including the peel, and the pepper. Combine the raisins, oranges, and pepper 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.

Navel Orange-Kung Pao

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

I’m always interested in using different varieties of fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients and seeing how they affect my wines. When I had a chance to pick up navel oranges at a bargain, I couldn’t resist. I used kung pao peppers with them, but of course you could always substitute another pepper, keeping in mind the heat level you are aiming for in your wine. This wine has good orange flavor and medium spicy heat.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the oranges, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, oranges, and peppers 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.

Orange Ghost

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

This wine has great orange flavor and some serious spicy heat. If you like hot pepper spice, this is a great wine for you. I like this wine very much and am pleased with the results from using juice rather than whole fruit; whole fruit imparts a slight bitterness to the wine, which is agreeable for the complexity it adds to the flavor but unnecessary. Ghost peppers are superhot and rather well known; I found them at my local grocery store.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the pepper. Combine the raisins, pepper, and thawed orange juice concentrate 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.

Orange Mole

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

I originally made Orange Mole wine using whole calamondin oranges, but when I wanted to make the wine again and didn’t have any calamondins around, I decided to use orange juice. Orange juice is a good alternative if whole citrus is unavailable or too expensive for your budget. If you do use whole fruit, use 3 pounds of chopped oranges, including the peel. This wine turned out very well, with a strong orange flavor, mild spicy heat, nice chocolate taste, and the smoky, earthy overtones that come from mole peppers.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the peppers. Combine the raisins, peppers, thawed orange juice concentrate, and cocoa powder 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.

Peach-Cherry Bomb

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

Peach wine has never been my favorite, though I have friends who love it, and I make it primarily for them. In one year when I had a huge peach crop, I determined to experiment with peach wine to see if I could find a variation I like better. The result: this Peach–Cherry Bomb wine, along with Dark Chocolate-Peach and Chocolate-Peach-Cherry Bomb. As it turns out, I personally think that hot peppers pair best with citrus, but I know other home winemakers who like them blended with strawberries, peaches, and a wide variety of other fruits. In other words, follow your own preferences and don’t be afraid to experiment.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Pit and chop the peaches. Chop the peppers. Combine the peaches and peppers 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.

Pineapple-Cherry Bomb

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

This wine has enough pineapple flavor to balance the hot pepper heat. To get that balance right, process the pineapple in a blender so the pieces are very fine and able to thoroughly infuse the wine. Save the pulp from this wine to make Pineapple-Citrus Symphony second wine.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Roughly chop the pine­apples, including the skin, and process in a blender. Chop the peppers. Combine the pineapples and peppers 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.

Pineapple-Citrus Symphony

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

To make this wine, I combined the pressed-out pulp from my Pineapple wine with the pulp from four citrus–hot pepper wines: Buddha’s Hand-Cherry Bomb, Jalapeño-Lime, Lemon-Lemon Drop, and Mandarin-Devil’s Tongue. Because you are adding so many batches of pulp, you could make a larger amount of wine. Taste the must during primary fermentation and if the flavor is too strong for you, add more sugar water (just be sure it has cooled down first). The pineapple added a nice touch to the citrus blend, making this perhaps the best citrus symphony yet. This wine proved to be very popular among my wine-drinking friends.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Combine all the pulps 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 Grapefruit-Kung Pao

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

This wine has a strong grapefruit flavor with a little underlying bitterness. One of my friends who has tasted many of my wines claims that this one is her favorite. On the other hand, several people who are generally fans of my citrus–hot pepper wines do not care for it. My guess is, it depends on how much you like grapefruit!

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the grapefruit, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, grapefruit, and peppers 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.

Pomegranate-Citrus Symphony

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

I first made this wine using the pressed-out pulp from a Pomegranate wine, but that didn’t give enough pomegranate flavor for my taste, so I suggest using fresh pomegranates. This is a very nice citrus symphony wine with a distinctive pomegranate twist. Because you are using so many batches of pulp, you could make a larger amount of wine. Taste the must during primary fermentation and if the flavor is too strong for you, add more sugar water (just make sure it has cooled first).

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, the seeds and pulp of the pomegranates, and the wine pulp 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.

Red Jalapeño-Lime

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

A couple of years after the success of my first Jalapeño-Lime wine, I decided to make one using only ripe, red jalapeños. In my opinion, jalapeños have better flavor when allowed to fully ripen. You seldom see ripe jalapeños in the store, though, so if you want to make this wine you will have to grow them yourself. You can freeze the peppers as they get ripe until you have enough to make your wine (it sometimes takes me 2 years to harvest enough to make a 5-gallon batch of wine). I used plenty of sugar and raisins to add some sweetness to balance the hot pepper fire. This wine is hotter and has a better jalapeño flavor than my Jalapeño-Lime wine.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the limes, including the peel, and the jalapeños. Combine the raisins, limes, and jalapeños 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.

Tangerine-Brain Strain

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

I like to collect hot peppers with unusual names for use in winemaking. When I came across someone in an online hot pepper group offering free brain strain seeds, I jumped on it. I grew four plants that summer, and they yielded enough peppers to make several batches of wine.

Brain strain is a superhot pepper, rating from 1,000,000 to 1,350,000 Scoville units. By some lists, it is the seventh hottest pepper in the world. I used nine brain strain peppers to make 14 gallons of wine. I finely chopped the peppers (wearing gloves) and left in the seeds, and I cut each tangerine into 16 pieces. This wine has good tangerine flavor and is definitely spicy. It may be the hottest wine I’ve made, yet it is quite drinkable when served in 1-ounce servings.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the tangerines, including the peel, and the pepper. Combine the raisins, tangerines, and pepper 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.

Tangerine-Cayenne

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

This was the first wine I made from tangerines. It has good tangerine flavor and a medium level of hot spice. I was very pleased after making this one, and my wine-drinking friends were too.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the tangerines, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, tangerines, and peppers 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.

Tomato-Cayenne

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

I was enamored with hot peppers after my successful foray into combining them with citrus, and I decided that tomatoes would not be a far stretch. I tried a couple of different combinations, blending tomatoes first with jalapeños (see Tomato-Jalapeño) and then cayennes. In both cases, I think the wines would have been more drinkable without the hot peppers, but they are very good cooking wines and make spectacular marinades for meats.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the tomatoes and peppers. Combine the raisins, tomatoes, and peppers 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.

Jalapeño-Lime, Tangerine-Brain Strain, Tomato-Cayenne, Navel Orange-Kung Pao, and Orange Mole

Tomato-Jalapeño

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

As with the Tomato-Cayenne, this blend is best as a cooking wine and a marinade for meats. This wine is not as spicy as my Tomato-Cayenne.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the raisins in enough water to cover overnight, then chop them, with the water, in a blender. Chop the tomatoes and jalapeños. Combine the raisins, tomatoes, and jalapeños 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.

Ujukitsu (Lemon) -Cherry Bomb

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

Ujukitsu is a pear-shaped Japanese lemon. It is sweeter than regular lemons and has a milder flavor, along with a thick rind and a rather pithy interior. Though it has a smaller proportion of pale yellow flesh than other lemons, it makes up for it by being quite large, sometimes even bigger than a softball. This is a milder wine with a less intense lemon flavor than those I’ve made with regular lemons, and it has medium pepper heat. It is a very pleasant drinking wine, but because these fruits are seldom available commercially, you would probably need to purchase a plant and grow your own if you wish to make this wine.

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, including the peel, and the peppers. Combine the raisins, lemons, and peppers 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.