(Mahonia)

3 lb. Oregon Grapes

1/2 pt. Red grape concentrate or 1 lb. Dark raisins

7 pts. Water

1 3/4 lb. Sugar

1/2 tsp. Pectic Enzyme

1 tsp. Nutrient

1 Campden, crushed

1 pkg. Wine yeast

METHOD:

Although they look like grapes, these fruit come from a different part of the plant world. But for winemaking purposes, these berries can be treated as wild grapes. The sugar and acid content will vary greatly, so use your hydrometer and acid tester to adjust to:

S.G. 1.095 - 1.100

Acid Level: .65%

If you can wait, pick late in season.

1. Wash, remove from stems, and discard moldy or badly bruised berries. Using nylon straining bag or press, crush berries and strain juice into primary fermentor.

2. Keeping pulp in bag, tie top, and place in primary.

3. Stir in all other ingredients EXCEPT yeast, adjusting sugar and acid content. Cover primary.

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

5. Stir daily, check S.G., and press pulp lightly to aid extraction.

6. When ferment reaches S.G. 1.030 (5-6 days) lightly press juice from bag. Then siphon wine off sediment into glass secondary. Attach airlock.

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

8. To aid clearing, siphon again in 2 months and again if necessary before bottling.

At bottling, add 1/2 tsp. stabilizer, then 1/4 lb. dissolved sugar per gallon.

VARIETIES

Oregon Grape (Mahonia Aquifolium), 3/8" blue-black berries in clusters look grape-like, with holly-like leaves. Attractive all year. Along with Desert Mahonia (M. fremontii), California Holly Grape (M. pinnata), Creeping Mahonia (M. repens) found in the wild and some from nurseries.