METHOD:

Use firm ripe berries for the still wine and slightly greener berries for the "Sparkle" wine. Wash, sort out blemished or moldy berries, and drain water.

1. The juice is hard to press. Use nylon straining bag, and strain out juice into primary fermentor. Keeping all pulp in bag, tie tip, and place in primary.

2. Stir in all other ingredients EXCEPT yeast. Cover primary.

3. After 24 hours, add yeast. Cover primary.

4. Stir daily, check S.G., press pulp lightly to aid juice extraction.

5. When ferment drops to 1.030 (about 5 days) strain juice lightly from bag. Siphon wine off sediment into glass secondary. Attach airlock.

6. When ferment is complete (S.G. has dropped to 1.000 -- about 3 weeks) siphon off sediment into clean secondary. Reattach lock.

7. Siphon again in 2 months and again if necessary until clear before bottling.

For the Gooseberry "Sparkle", when wine is clear and stable:

A. Siphon wine into primary fermentor.

B. Stir in 2 oz. dissolved sugar per gallon of wine and 1 package of champagne yeast (for 1 - 5 gallons).

C. As you siphon into champagne or pop bottles, keep stirring.

D. Store upright at 65 - 70 degrees for 2-3 months.

E. Check by chilling bottle, then opening.

VARIETIES

Gooseberries come from the same family (Ribes L.) as Currants. See VARIETIES under "Currants" (q.v.)