Strawberry Fruit Wine Base

Typical recipe for 5 gallons of wine:

One can of Fruit wine base product

6 cans warm water (4.5 gallons)

11 lbs white table sugar (or 13 lbs corn sugar)

7 tsp Acid Blend

3 tsp Yeast Nutrient

3 tsp Pectic Enzyme

1/2 tsp Tannin

5 Campden tablets, crushed or 5 liquid tsp SOLUTION of bisulfite

1 package of Red Star Premier Cuvee wine yeast. If a sweeter wine is desired, use Red Star Cote de Blancs wine yeast instead

2.5 tsp Potassium Sorbate to stabilize

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EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES:

· Primary fermenter, a minimum of 2 gallons larger than batch size
· Secondary fermenter, 3 or 5 gallon carboy, depending on batch size
· Fermentation locks and stopper if needed
· Nylon straining bag of size sufficient to hold fruit
· Very fine mesh cloth for fermenter cover
· Siphon/racking equipment
· Hydrometer and testing jar
· Bottles, corks and corking device
· Other useful items include cleaning brushes, funnels, plastic spoon or paddle and thermometer

TYPE OF SUGAR TO USE:

What type of sugar you should use is a matter of taste. Many wine makers use white cane table sugar. Some prefer the taste of corn sugar and say that the difference can be noted in the finished product. Corn Sugar produces a cleaner flavor profile during fermentation and is less sweet than cane sugar pound for pound. If you prefer to use corn sugar be aware that you may need to adjust your usage upward to achieve the desired level of sweetness. Wine conditioner, which is a sugar solution containing a yeast inhibitor can also be added after fermentation is complete to adjust sweetness.

WINEMAKING PROCESS:

The following process is to be used in conjunction with the recipes that appear on each can of Vintner's Harvest products. The recipes may vary slightly with each product.
Sanitize all equipment and utensils with bisulphite solution.
(See note at end of directions for making a bisulphite solution).
Put straining bag in fermenter, add fruit and tie off bag. Except Apple and Elderberry that have no fruit pieces.
Add all ingredients as directed on can label, excluding those with an "*” which will be added later. Add solution of sodium bisulphite (not powder form) and stir well to make sure sugar is dissolved.
Cover with a damp cloth or fine mesh fabric and let sit over night to allow So2 to be released.
Sprinkle yeast on top of must. Temperature should be between 70-80° F.
Next day, gently stir top half of "must" mindful not to stir sediment at bottom. Repeat daily until specific gravity lowers to 1.040 (4 or 5 days).
When gravity reads 1.040, remove bag of fruit. Press and strain juice from pulp and discard pulp. Rack "must" into secondary vessel, top up with water to minimize air space. Attach fermentation lock.
Rack wine again (3 to 4 weeks) when gravity reads 1.010 to 1.000. Add 1 tsp. bisulphite solution per gallon of must.*

After wine is clear (2 or 3 months) stabilize with potassium sorbate to prevent renewed fermentation, sweeten to taste if too dry. Enhance flavor and aroma with natural fruit flavor at this time if desired. Bottle.
Wine can be consumed at this point but will benefit with aging of 6 months to one year.
* Dissolve 5 teaspoons of sodium bisulphite in 1 cup (8 ounces) of water to make "bisulphite solution."

ON MAKING AND USING SULFITE (SULPHITE) SOLUTION

We make a distinction between using powdered sodium (or potassium) bisulphite and a sulfite solution. Please be aware of this difference as it will affect your winemaking process. Dissolve 5 teaspoons of sodium or potassium bisulphite powder into 1 cup (8 ounces) of water to make the bisulphite solution. Of this liquid, you add one liquid teaspoon per gallon of must (unfermented juice) when directed. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of liquid solution per gallon of water to sanitize equipment

1/26/2008 -- I live about an hour (if traffic is good) from the address on your website. Do you have an actual store or is everything here based solely online?

7/5/2005 -- I have read on other wine enthusiast websites where folks have made fruit wines (in this case strawberry) using a white wine juice/concentrate as the base. This allowed them to use much less fruit (3 pounds of fruit for 5 gallons) but still get a nice fruit wine. You guys carry the first fruit bases I've come across and was curious... can I still use some fresh fruit (strawberries) from my garden . . .

5/25/2005 -- I have used your strawberry fruit base and I added the campden tablets in the begining as in secound day. My must would not start fermenting so I added another packet of yeast. It is now working but very slow is that ok or should it be faster?

3/22/2005 -- I'm using Blackcurrants as a fruit base,and having just read the recipe in the Q&A's section and was curious to hear suggestions on the juice concentrations and nutrient type as I was intending to make a heavy one.

10/10/2004 -- A friend of mine is into making wine at home in his spare time. I asked him what it would take to make me some fruity wines, perhaps a blueberry or blackberry wine. He said I would need a fruit puree enough to make 5 gallons. My main question is this, would I be better off to purchase the Oregan fruit puree or the wine fruit base of my choice? How long does it usually take ship and what forms of . . .

8/2/2004 -- i was looking for a plum fruit base & came across your complete package for wine making for fruit bases. does it come with instructions on how much of each ingredient is needed & would i then be able to buy that & then 3 cans of fruit base to make 15 gallons of wine? how much sugar is needed?

3/19/2004 -- On a wine tour in NY I had a mead that was blackberry combined with mead. It was great. I would like to make something similar. If I were to combine a blackberry and mead base do you think i would get a similar results?

10/31/2003 -- Instead of ordering your peach wine base, would a large can of peaches from the grocery store work just as well?

10/25/2003 -- I have started a batch of the Strwberry Fruit Wine and went by the label, but it will not ferment. Any idea on what to do next?

7/28/2003 -- Even though you say one unit of fruit base will make 5 Gal. if I use one and a half or two units will I get a richer flavor and a fuller body wine?

6/23/2003 -- Is one unit of base enough to make 5 gallons of wine? What is the cost of shipping?