3 lb. Persimmons

7 pts. Water.

2 1/4 lb. Sugar

2 1/2 tsp. Acid Blend

1/2 tsp. Pectic Enzyme

1 tsp. Nutrient

1 Campden, crushed

1 pkg. Wine yeast

METHOD:

Pick fully ripe, preferably after first frost.

1. Wash and drain persimmons. Cut in half and remove seeds. Cut into chunks and using nylon bag crush, mash and squeeze out juice into primary fermentor.

2. Keeping pulp in bag, tie top and place in primary. Stir in all other ingredients EXCEPT yeast. Cover primary.

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

4. Stir daily, checking Specific Gravity and pressing pulp lightly to aid extraction.

5. When ferment reaches S.G. 1.040 (3-5 days) strain juice lightly from bag. Siphon wine off sediment into glass secondary. Attach lock.

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

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

If a slightly sweetened wine is more to your taste, then at bottling add 1/2 tsp. stabilizer, then stir in 1/4 - 1/2 lb. dissolved sugar per gallon.

VARIETIES

Persimmons (Diospyros L.) besides the fruit have outstanding ornamental qualities. One of the best fruit trees for ornamental use -- good in the garden or as a small shade tree. The American Persimmon (D. virginiana) is a 20' - 30' tree with round, yellow to orange 1 1/2" - 2" fruit (puckery until soft-ripe, then very sweet). Oriental persimmon (D. kaki) attractive autumn color even in warm winter areas. Several varieties include: Chocolate, Fuyu and Hachiya.