Choke Cherry Wine

Recipe file created June 10, 2003.
Since Choke Cherries are too small to pit, wine or jelly is about all you can do with them.

Ingredients

The best wines are made from scratch.
  • 2 pounds choke cherries
  • 1 pound raisins
  • 5 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 campden tablets
  • 1 teaspoon nutrients
  • 1/2 teaspoon pectic enzyme
  • 1 large lemon (juice only)
  • 1 package wine yeast
  • 1 gallon water
    • Crush cherries. The goal here is the break the skin of every fruit to help the juice leach into the water, but not to damage the stones. Place them in the primary fermentor. Add enough cold water to cover. Stir in crushed campden tablet and pectic enzyme. Let sit overnight.

    Add the balance of the ingredients (except yeast). Check the specific gravity. It should be between 1.100 and 1.110. Add yeast and mix in well. Cover primary fermentor. Stir daily for five to six days, until frothing ceases.

    Strain fruit, squeezing out as much juice as possible. Put into secondary fermentor and attach airlock. Finish as for dry wine or sweet wine below.

    Finishing

    For a dry wine, Rack in three weeks and return to secondary fermentor. Rack again in three months, and every three months until 1 year old. Bottle.

    For a sweet wine, rack at three weeks. Add 1/2 cup sugar dissolved in 1 cup wine. Stir gently, and place back into secondary fermentor. Repeat process every six weeks until fermentation does not restart with the addition of sugar. Rack every three months until one year old. Bottle.

    Ths wine is best if you can refrain from drinking it for a year and a half from the date it was started.

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