Cherry Wine

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4.40 from 63 votes

Cherry wine is a refreshing way to enjoy the fruits of summer.

Servings: gallon (about 4 bottles)

Author: Ashley Adamant

Ingredients

If using Sweet Cherries (Black Cherries)

5-6 lbs Cherries
2 lbs sugar
2 tsp acid blend
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1/8 tsp tannin powder
1 packet wine yeast See notes

If using Sour or Tart Cherries

6-8 lbs Cherries
2 1/2 lbs sugar
Optional 1/2 to 1 tsp acid blend
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1/8 tsp tannin powder
1 packet wine yeast See Notes

Instructions

Sanitize all equipment before beginning with one step brewing sanitizer.
Juice the cherries (see note) and then dissolve the sugar in about 3 quarts of juice. Stir until completely dissolved (heating is usually not necessary).
Add the remaining winemaking additives, including acid, tannin and yeast nutrient. Place the mixture into a one-gallon fermentation vessel (narrow neck carboy).
Dissolve the wine yeast in a small amount of water and allow it to bloom for about 10 minutes. Add the yeast mixture to the carboy.
Add water (or more cherry juice) to fill.
Cap with a water lock and allow the mixture to ferment for 1-2 weeks in primary until vigorous fermentation has slowed. If the mixture bubbles up into the water lock, remove it, clean it out and re-apply.
Rack the cherry wine into a clean carboy, leaving the sediment behind. Re-cap with a water lock and allow the mixture to ferment for another 4 to 6 weeks (or longer).
Bottle the cherry wine in wine bottles and bottle age for at least a month (or longer) before opening.

Notes

Juicing Cherries ~ The cherries can be juiced in a number of ways. Left unpitted, they can:

go through a steam juicer (about 90 min)
be frozen then thawed (a few days start to finish)
be gently mashed with sugar to extract their juices into a sugar syrup, being careful not to damage the pits (about 24 to 48 hours)

If pitted, the cherries can be added directly into a brewing bucket with the other ingredients and left to ferment in a primary. Don't use a narrow neck fermenter for this, it will clog. Open ferment for about 5-7 days with a brewing bucket before straining out the cherries and proceeding with the ferment.

If using just the juice, you may begin with a narrow neck fermenter.

Sweet v. Sour Cherries ~ Black cherries have a more concentrated flavor and I'd suggest using 5-6 lbs of black cherries (weighed whole) for a gallon of cherry wine. Sour cherries contain much more water, and I'd use 6-8 lbs.

Similarly, add a 1/2 pound more sugar for sour cherries.

Sour cherries are considerably more acidic, and you can skip the acid blend all together, or add much less.

Wine Yeast ~ There are lots of options, and most any wine yeast will work. Good choices are:

Lavin B71 Wine Yeast
Montrachet yeast (Red Star Premier Classique)
Premier Blanc (Champagne Yeast)

Fruit Weights ~ If buying fruit at the farmer's market, a quart box of cherries weighs about 1.5lbs.