Spanish Style – Dry Red Wine

NB: If you are new to winemaking, it is worth checking out our guide to success.

Ingredients

• 450g Elderberries
• 750ml Sloes
• 100g Banana Pulp (Flesh)
• 200ml Red Grape Concentrate
• 600g Granulated Sugar
• 15g Oak Granules
• Sufficient Pectolytic Enzyme
• Gervin No. 8 Yeast
• 2-3g / ½ Teaspoon Yeast Nutrient
• Water to 4.5 Litres

Method

The intention with this recipe is to produce a lighter Rioja style.  Such a wine needs at least a year of aging in the bottle, and preferably two years so be patient if you want to make the most of this recipe.

The Spanish red wines usually are characterised by having a fair amount of sweet oak on both the pallet and the nose.

To give the wine a little extra body I have included just 100g of banana flesh.

I must emphasise that the sloes must be really ripe.  Otherwise, the wine will develop an unpleasant ‘green’ flavour.  This means leaving the sloes to ripen on the bush until they begin to show a slight wrinkling.