Ingredients:     

4 quarts unsprayed rose petals    

5 quarts water    

3 pounds/1.5 kilo white sugar    

1 package/8 grams live baking yeast    

1 slice whole wheat bread    

 

     

Equipment:

Non-metal 2-3 gallon crock

Large cooking pot, metal okay

Clean dish towel or cheesecloth

Cooking thermometer

4-6 freshly-washed wine bottles

Bottle brush, funnel, balloons, corks

        

On a day when the wild roses are in full bloom and the air is scented and intoxicating, go out with a big basket and shake rose petals into it until you have a massive amount. A little more or a little less than four quarts will do just fine. And, yes, you can use cultivated roses so long as they have not been sprayed with nasty chemicals. Put the rose petals in the crock. (A big plastic bucket can be a crock.)

 

Boil the water in the big pan and pour it, boiling hot, over the rose petals. (If using a plastic bucket, put the rose petals into the boiling water in the pan and let it all cool, then pour the water and rose petals into your plastic crock.) Cover the crock with cheesecloth or a kitchen towel held on with a rubberband.

 

Stir, with a wooden spoon, daily for the next three days. On the fourth day, strain the rose petals out of the liquid. Pour liquid into pot and add sugar. Rose wine has the best flavor when made with white sugar.  All other sweeteners will impart their own flavors, most of which will overpower the rose smell and taste of the finished wine.

 

Bring to a boil and simmer, covered for at least 30 minutes, an hour is fine. Return to crock. (If using a plastic “crock,” let cool in the pan.) Cool until the liquid is 100 F o, blood temperature. Use a little of the liquid to moisten the yeast and spread it on the whole wheat toast. Float the toast in the crock.

 

Cover again. Listen closely from time to time.  If all is well, you will hear effervescent noises. Listen at least twice a day. When the noise dies down, it is time to bottle the wine.

 

Wash the wine bottles in very hot water with non-scented soap and a bottle brush. Let air dry for a bit, then fill. I put the whole crock in the sink and ladle wine into the bottles because I am fairly messy at such tasks. Fill bottles just into the neck, right above the shoulder. Snap an uninflated balloon over the neck of each bottle. Label, with date. Store in a dark, cool place.

Watch over your wine. The balloons will inflate a bit from gases being given off. When the balloons deflate again (and that could take months), it is time to cork your wine.

 

Soak corks in hot water to soften. You want to move quickly in corking. I take the balloon off with my left hand so the right hand can get the cork into the neck in a millisecond. Just a little more patience, and you will be rewarded. Wait.

 

Homemade wines peak at 1-3 years of age. They are still quite drinkable after that, but lose bouquet. So don’t wait too long to enjoy!