How to Make Elderflower Wine at Home

Elderflower wine is one of Britain's most traditional country wines and remains a favourite among home winemakers today.

Made from freshly picked elderflowers, sugar and a handful of winemaking ingredients, it produces a light, floral wine that rewards patience and careful preparation.

If you've never made country wine before, elderflower wine is an excellent place to start. The ingredients are inexpensive, the flowers are widely available throughout the UK and the finished wine develops beautifully with age.

In this guide we'll cover when to pick elderflowers, what equipment you'll need, common mistakes to avoid and our tried-and-tested elderflower wine recipe. Not sure how to pick the best flowers? Read our guide on How to Pick Elderflowers for Wine Making first.

What Does Elderflower Wine Taste Like?

A well-made elderflower wine is light, floral and refreshing.

Many people compare the aroma to elderflower cordial, although the finished wine is usually much more subtle and complex.

The best examples have delicate floral notes, gentle citrus character and a crisp finish that improves significantly with age.

One of the most common mistakes beginners make is assuming more elderflowers will create a better wine. In reality, using too many flowers often creates an overpowering perfume-like character that can spoil the finished wine.

When Should You Pick Elderflowers?

Timing is one of the most important factors when making elderflower wine.

Always pick elderflowers on a dry, sunny day when the flowers are fully open. Avoid picking immediately after rain, as much of the pollen and aroma can be washed away.

Before collecting large quantities, gently pinch a floret between your fingers and smell it. The aroma you detect at this stage is often a good indication of the character your finished wine will develop.

Look for flowers that are light, fragrant and fresh. Avoid any that have a strong unpleasant smell. For a full guide on selecting the best blooms, see our Elderflower Picking Guide.

Equipment You'll Need

Before starting, make sure all equipment is thoroughly cleaned and sanitised.

• 1 Gallon Glass Demijohn
• Airlock
• Bung
• 10l Fermentation Bucket
• Syphon Tube
• Hydrometer
• Sanitiser
• Wine Bottles

Good sanitation is essential for successful winemaking and can prevent many of the problems beginners encounter.

How to make Elderflower Wine

• 3 large heads of elderflower florets
• 250ml white grape concentrate
• 1 kg brewing sugar
• 5g citric acid
• 5g grape tannin
• Gervin No 3 Champagne yeast
• 1 level teaspoon yeast nutrient
  
• Campden tablets
• Water to 1 gallon

What Elderflowers are best to use?

• Check before you pick the flowers that they are a variety suitable for winemaking, as some have a very unpleasant smell!
• They should be light and fragrantly scented, not 'catty'.
• Pinch a floret between your fingers and check the nose; this is the nose that the finished wine will have.
• Always pick when the sun is out, and the flowers are dry and fully open.

Day 1

• Strip the florets from the stalks and place them in a bucket.
• Add 4 pints (2.25 litres) of boiling water and leave covered for two days, stirring at least twice daily.

Day 3

• On the third day, dissolve the sugar in 2 pints (1.13 litres) of warm water and pour into a sterilised demijohn.
• Strain off the flowers adding the liquid to the demijohn along with the white grape concentrate, tannin, citric acid, nutrient and B1 tablet.
• Top up the demijohn to the shoulder with cold water, and add the yeast.
• Fit an airlock and bung and leave the wine at the correct temperature, 18-22 °C, until the fermentation is complete.

After Fermentation

• Syphon the wine off the sediment into a clean demijohn.
• Top up to the shoulder with cool water if necessary.
• Add a Campden tablet and leave it to mature in a cool place.
• Rack at three-month intervals and add another Campden tablet if there is sediment at the bottom.

Ending Notes

This wine is drinkable in 9 months but is better left for a year.

Do not be tempted to use a greater quantity of elderflowers in this recipe.

Elderflowers are very easy to collect, but if you use too many you may find that the strong bouquet spoils the wine.

Common Elderflower Wine Mistakes

Using Too Many Elderflowers

This is by far the most common mistake. While it can be tempting to add extra flowers, doing so often creates a wine that is overly perfumed and unbalanced.

Picking Flowers in Wet Weather

Wet flowers often lack the aroma and pollen that contribute much of the wine's character.

Rushing the Maturation Process

Elderflower wine improves dramatically with time. While it may be drinkable after nine months, many winemakers find it reaches its peak after a year or longer.

Poor Sanitation

As with any wine recipe, poor cleaning and sanitising can ruin an otherwise excellent batch.

How Long Does Elderflower Wine Need to Mature?

Patience is rewarded with elderflower wine.

Although the wine is usually drinkable after around nine months, most home winemakers agree that twelve months produces a noticeably smoother and more rounded wine.

If you can resist opening the first bottle too early, you'll often be rewarded with a significantly better result.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make elderflower wine without grape concentrate?

Yes, but the finished wine may feel thinner and lack some body. The white grape concentrate helps create a more balanced wine.

Can I use wine yeast instead of champagne yeast?

Yes. Many general-purpose wine yeasts will work well, although Gervin GV3 Champagne Yeast remains a popular choice because of its reliability.

How much alcohol will elderflower wine produce?

With the ingredients listed above, you can generally expect a wine around 11-13% ABV depending on fermentation performance.

Can elderflower wine be sparkling?

Yes, although additional care is required when bottling sparkling wines to avoid excessive pressure.

Final Thoughts

Elderflower wine remains one of the most rewarding country wines a home winemaker can make. The ingredients are inexpensive, the flowers are widely available and the finished wine develops beautifully with age.

If you've never made a country wine before, elderflower wine is an excellent place to start. Before you begin, make sure you've read our guide on How to Pick Elderflowers for Wine Making to get the best possible harvest.

Browse our full range of Wine Making Supplies, Wine Yeast and Winemaking Equipment to get everything you need for your next batch.