A rich, full-bodied homemade port-style wine made with dark hedgerow fruits. This recipe produces a deeply coloured, fortified wine with a warming finish — perfect for sipping after dinner or gifting. Allow at least 6–12 months before drinking for best results.
Ingredients
Choose one of the following fruits:
- 2.2kg of Blackberries, or
- 1.8kg of Damsons, or
- 1.8kg of Elderberries, or
- 1.8kg of Bilberries, or
- 1.8kg of Loganberries
You will also need:
- 4.5 litres of Water
- 2 tsp of Pectolase
- 1 Campden Tablet
- 300ml of Red Grape Juice Concentrate
- 1.4–1.6kg of Sugar
- 1 tsp of Yeast Nutrient
- Gervin GV4 Yeast
- Heavy Sugar Syrup (for feeding)
- 100ml of Brandy or Vodka (for fortifying)
Method
- Place the fruit in a fermentation vessel, crush or bruise it thoroughly, then pour over 2 litres of cold water. Add the pectolase and a crushed Campden tablet. Cover and leave for 24 hours.
- Heat 1 litre of water and dissolve the grape concentrate and 500g of sugar. Allow to cool to 27°C, then add to the fruit. Stir well, then add the yeast nutrient and an active yeast starter.
- Ferment for three days, stirring twice daily. If using stone fruit, remove as many stones as possible after the first 24 hours. Press or strain the must. Heat a further litre of water, dissolve in 500g of sugar, cool to 21°C, and add to the must.
- Stir well, pour into a clean demijohn, and leave to ferment. A short delay before fermentation resumes is normal — don't be alarmed.
- Continue fermenting until the specific gravity reaches 1.005.
- Feed the wine with heavy sugar syrup, 100ml at a time, until fermentation ceases naturally. The final gravity should sit between 1.015–1.020.
- Once fermentation has stopped, rack the wine and store in a cool, dark place to mature.
- For a true port-style finish, stir in 100ml of brandy or vodka to fortify the wine before bottling.
Tip: The longer you leave this wine to mature, the smoother and more complex it will become. Dark glass bottles and a cool cellar or cupboard will give the best results.