Here is the recipe I've put together. I expect to start this in another week or two.
Cranberry Wine Recipe
Developed by Paul Braynard
November 17, 2011
I’ll expect to make a 3 gallon batch, but the volumes are for 1 gallon.
Ingredients
Cranberries – 64 oz fresh berries
Sugar – Add to bring SG to 1.100 (about 2 lbs) Edit reduce SG to 1.090
Orange Juice – 2 cups
Grated Orange Peel – 3 Tsp
Chopped seeded peeled orange – 1 Cup
orange liqueur – Used to Top Off Edit-Use EverClear also to avoid dilution
Water – Spring Water (Chlorine Free) QS to 1 gallon of liquid with other ingredients
Yeast – Lalvin EC-1118 1 pack for 1-6 US Gallon
Pectin – 0.5 tsp
Acid Blend – Used to adjust pH to 3.5 (about 0.5 tsp) Edit- No acid blend should be required with the natural low pH of cranberries
Yeast Nutrient – 1 tsp
Yeast Energizer – 0.25 tsp
K-Meta (1/4 tsp per 6 gallons of must)
Make sure to see my edits at the bottom of this post dated Dec 18
Directions
Add coarsely chop fresh cranberries , grated orange peel, and chopped seeded peeled orange to a pot. Add about ¾ gallon of water. Simmer at a medium heat until the berries become soft and mushy. This will take about 60-90 minutes. Place straining bag over fermenter. Add cooked berry liquid to fermenter. Add orange juice. Add acid blend and adjust pH. Add K-meta. Add sugar and water bringing SG to 1.100 with a final volume of 1 gallon. Stir and let must sit for 24 hrs. Add hydrated yeast (suggest using yeast starter). Put rag over fermenter and let mix ferment until SG is 1.000. Remove strainer bag gently squeezing juice into fermenter. Rack fermenter liquid into primary carboy and cover with air lock. After 2 days, rack again to remove wine off coarse lees. Rack again in two weeks. Top off wine with Triplesec or other orange liquor. Continue to rack and top off with Triplesec. After 4 months, stabilize with sulfite. Using clearing agent if necessary. If necessary, continue to rack until wine is clear. Bottle and age to 1 year before tasting if you can wait.
(Edit) Dec 18, 2001 - After trying this recipe, I most certainly would make some changes. Starting fermentation was a real problem due to the really low pH. I found the natural acid level was real high without adding any acid blend. In fact I had to add carbonate to raise the pH. Perhaps adding some apple cider at the start. This would help to raise the pH. I'd also make sure to have a real yeast starter going. I'd also consider starting with a lower SG reading, perhaps 1.085-1.090. I'd also add some Ever Clear along with the TripleSec. This will avoid excessive dilution. (End of Edit)