Nanking Cherry Wine Recipe

Nanking Cherry Wine Recipe

The frozen cherries patiently waiting in the main fermenter

Brewing date: August 24th, 2015, 12:41 pm

Makes 2-gallons

RECIPE

7.5 lbs ripe Nanking cherries ( both white and red cherries)

4 lbs granulated sugar

2 11-oz cans Old Orchard frozen grape (Concord) concentrate

Enough water for two gallons must

1 crushed Campden tablet

1/4 tsp grape tannin

1 tsp pectic enzyme

1 tsp acid blend

1 tsp yeast nutrient

LALVIN EC-118 wine yeast

Add half the water and sugar to a large stock pot and bring to a boil. Simmer the water and sugar for ten minutes. To a large fermentation bucket, add the frozen cherries. Pour the boiling water over the cherries and mash with a potato masher to release the color. Add the cans of frozen grape concentrate and top up with cool water to make 2-gallons of must. When completely cool, add the tannin, yeast nutrient, acid blend and 2-crushed campden tablets and mix well. Wait 24 hours and add the pectic enzyme. Add the yeast 12 hours after the pectic enzyme. 

NOTES:

I added the pectic enzyme at approximately 10 am on Tuesday morning. Will need to add yeast wednesday morning a the same time. 

August 26th, 9a.m. Pitched yeast

Starting Gravity: 1.098, Approx. 13% Alcohol

September 1, 8 p.m. First racking

September 13, 2nd racking. Topped with spare must from fridge.

November 18, 2015: wine is clarifying.

December 16, 2015: Racked wine and added American Oak chips. The flavor is very tart, with a rich amber color. This should sit about a month at least on the oak chips. 

March 20, 2016: My 3-gallon carboy has been sitting in the basement for three solid months with the oak chips added. I usually rack off the oak chips earlier, but sometimes it's good to see how the flavor changes over time. Today I finally stabilized the wine and bottled it. I added Potassium Sorbate, 1 ounce glycerine and 1 ounce of sugar syrup to the racked wine, mixed well and bottled.