Rosehips of all varieties should be collected whole, then cleaned and chopped. Do not liquidise or mince them too finely, as this will spoil the flavour of the wine.
Ingredients
2 lb fresh rosehips (or 0.5 lb dried)
8 oz raisins, hot washed and finely chopped
3 lb sugar
6 pints boiling water
Wine yeast
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
1 teaspoon citric acid
4 teaspoons grape tannin or a cup of strong tea
1 teaspoon pectin enzyme
Campden tablets
1 teaspoon potassium sorbate
Method
Sprikle yeast granules into a cup of boiled tepid water, cover and leave to stand for about an hour. Rinse rosehips in a solution of 2 Campden tablets to 1.75 pints water. Drain and chop them coarsely. Place the rosehips, raisins, sugar, yeast nutrient, citric acid and tannin or tea in a fermentation bin and pour over ther boiling water. Stir well to dissolve the sugar, cover and leave to cool until lukewarm. Add the activated yeast and pectin enzyme and cover again. Stir daily for 8 days, then strain into a demin-john and fit bung and air-lock. Leave to stand until wine clears, then siphon wine off sediment into a clean demi-john adding 1 crushed Campden tablet and the potassium sorbate and top up with cooled boiled water if necessary, to shoulder of demi-john. Bung tightly and leave for 3 months. Siphon into sterilised bottles, seal tightly and store in cool, dark place.
Taken from Favourite Country Wines and Cordials

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