Red currant wine?

[OhCrap]

My sister in law has informed me that she has a large amount of red currants....she is wondering would I make wine from them... Of course I said I'd try but never thought about it since. Now they're ready for picking and I'm wondering can it be done? Any help would be appreciated

 

[pjd]

Absolutely you can make wine from them! I never have done it but I certainly would try it. Here is a link to a recipe that looks doable:
http://www.finevinewines.com/redcurrant_recipe.htm

 

[OhCrap]

That's great, thanks for that
Time to go picking

 

[Arne]

Yep, they make a good wine. When picking, try to leave the little stems before you throw them into the bucket. Slow picking but easier than picking the stems out afterwards. Takes a long time to pick them, but the rewards are worth it. Freeze them before fermenting, hit them with pectic enzime, use a fermenting bag for easier removal when it becomes time. Have to check my notes, but think I went pretty light on the fruit, mostly because it takes so many berries to make a pound. They have pretty strong flavor tho. Good luck with them. Arne.

 

[Arne]

Went and checked my notes.

25 lbs red currants
sugar to 1.085 sg.
tsp tannin
3 tsp pectic enzime
Nutreient according to bottle
energizer according to bottle
5 gal. of water
used cote de blanc yeast.
Doing it now, I would add the nutrient in steps as the ferment progresses.
I must of had a lot of patience to pick that many of those little fellows. Only got 5 lbs. this year, but we had a late frost that got a bunch of our fruit. Good luck with yours, Arne.

 

[OhCrap]

Went and checked my notes.

25 lbs red currants
sugar to 1.085 sg.
tsp tannin
3 tsp pectic enzime
Nutreient according to bottle
energizer according to bottle
5 gal. of water
used cote de blanc yeast.
Doing it now, I would add the nutrient in steps as the ferment progresses.
I must of had a lot of patience to pick that many of those little fellows. Only got 5 lbs. this year, but we had a late frost that got a bunch of our fruit. Good luck with yours, Arne.

That's some amount of berries... I picked 3.5 pounds of red and 2.5 pounds black... De stemming them was a pain but all done and in freezer now till I get more )

 

[Arne]

Just checked some early notes. First time I made it I used 3 lbs per gal. and it came out ok. More fruit usually means better wine, tho. Arne.