🍇 How to Make Homemade Mixed Orchard Red Wine (~13–14% ABV)

If you’ve ever wanted to turn seasonal fruits into a rich, dry red wine, this recipe is for you. By combining blackberries (or sloes) with apples and pears, you can create a full-bodied, balanced wine that ages beautifully. The secret to success is splitting the sugar additions, which avoids stressing the yeast and helps you hit that smooth 13–14% ABV without the risk of a stuck fermentation.

🍷 Ingredients (1 Gallon / 4.5 Litres)

• 1 kg blackberries (or sloes, or a mix)
• 1.5–2 kg apples and pears (roughly chopped, cores out, skins on)
• 850 g white sugar (split across two stages)
• 1 tsp pectic enzyme
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 Campden tablet (optional, for sterilising must)
• 1 sachet of red wine yeast (Lalvin RC212, BM4x4, or EC-1118 recommended)
• Water to make 4.5 L

🥄 Method

Step 1 — Primary Fermentation (Days 0–7)

1. Crush the fruit into a sterilised fermenting bucket.
2. Dissolve 600 g sugar in hot water, pour over fruit. Top up with cold water to ~3.5 L.
3. Stir in pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient, and crushed Campden tablet if using. Cover and leave 12–24 hours.
4. Take a hydrometer reading. Target OG: 1.070–1.075.
5. Pitch yeast and cover loosely. Stir daily with a stirring spoon for 5–7 days.

👉 Checkpoint: Once SG drops to around 1.020–1.030, strain fruit and move liquid to a demijohn.

Step 2 — Secondary Fermentation (Week 1+)

1. Dissolve the remaining 250 g sugar in cooled water. Add this to the strained liquid in the demijohn.
2. Top up to 4.5 L with water.
3. Check hydrometer again. Target OG: 1.095–1.100.
4. Fit airlock & bung and allow fermentation to continue until complete.

👉 Final Gravity (FG): ~0.995 for a dry red wine at 13–14% ABV.

Step 3 — Clearing & Bottling

• Rack the wine off sediment every 2–3 months.
• Allow it to clear naturally (you can use finings if in a rush, but patience gives better results).
• Bottle using bottling equipment & caps once stable and crystal clear.

Ageing: Minimum 9–12 months. The longer you leave it, the smoother and more complex it becomes.

💡 Tips for Success

• Use a hydrometer to monitor sugar levels.
• Split sugar feeding helps yeast thrive and prevents “stuck” fermentations.
• Patience pays off: This red benefits from ageing.
• Fruit flexibility: Blackberries, sloes, or a mix work well; apples and pears provide body and balance.
• Sterilisation matters: Always clean your fermenting bucket and equipment properly.

🍷 Final Thoughts

Homemade red wine is all about balance — between fruit, sugar, and patience. By splitting sugar additions and letting the yeast work gradually, you’ll end up with a rich, dry red wine that can rival store-bought bottles. Once bottled, resist the temptation to drink it too soon — give it time to develop, and you’ll be rewarded with something truly special.