Madeira Style (1) - 25 Litres   02/07/1996

Ingredients

14 Kg. Victoria plums

5 Kg. Peaches (canned)

8 litres White grape juice

300 ml. Peach Conc.

5 Kg. Sugar

10 Benerva Tabs.

Pectolase, Amylase and yeast nutrient.

Gervin Strain GV4(26) yeast ( or any yeast which can yield 20% alcohol)

Method

Freeze the plums when picked. Thaw when ready to make the wine. Stone the plums. Add liquidised peaches. Do not overdo this or you will produce a puree which will clog up the winepress. Add 4 kg. Sugar and stand for 24 hours, then add the grape juice and stir very well to dissolve the sugar. The S.G. should not exceed 1.130 at this stage or the yeast may not be able to start fermenting. If high, add water to lower the S.G. Add pectolase (10/12 teasps), amylase, nutrient, Benerva tablets(crushed) and yeast and ferment on pulp for 7 days. Press and continue the fermentation, adding further sugar in increments of 100 gm. as the gravity drops below 1.005. The aim is to achieve about 20% alcohol. Rack about 6 weeks after fermentation has ceased and add 2 Campden tablets per gallon or 10 ml/gallon of 10% Sodium Metabisulphite solution. Rack at 3 month intervals and add more pectolase if a haze persists. Remember that plums are very high in pectin! At 6 months sweeten with more sugar, to balance the wine to taste. I think that med/sweet is best. When the wine is fairly clear and to your taste it should be stored in your loft or in a warm cupboard for several years (at least 5 years) to allow the typical Madeira flavour to develop. The loft is best because of the higher temperatures you can achieve and because there is less temptation to have a ‘sneak preview’.

Patience is very much a virtue in making Madeira style wine, but the finished product is a superb wine!

MADEIRA  Style (2) - 25 Litres - 25/8/1994

Ingredients

Method

Thaw gooseberries & strawberries. Add crushed peaches & 4 Kg sugar. Stand for 24 hours. Add 3.5 litres water. Stir well to dissolve all sugar and give thorough mixing. Check S.G. If over 1.130 ad more water. Note this S.G. Add pectolase, yeast nutrient and Gervin No. 3 yeast. Ferment on pulp for 7 days. Press. Note volume obtained.

Thaw apples & rhubarb. Press. Discard pulp. Note volume and S.G. of juice. Add sufficient grape conc. & water to this juice to give the final desired volume and gravity of must ( i.e. 25 Litres and an original S.G. not exceeding 1.125) when added to the original must.

Ferment on till dry or fermentation ceases.

Rack about 2 months after fermentation has stopped. Sweeten to taste. Add 2 campden tablets/gall or 10 ml. of 10% Sod. Metabisulphite/gall.

Rack again 6 months later but do not add any more Sulphite.

Store in a warm place or in your loft. The idea is to heat treat the wine to emulate commercial Madeira. Be warned this process may take 5/6 years or more depending on the storage temperature.

N.B. - Commercial Madeira is heat treated at temperatures from 38Cº - 70Cº .

Madeira_rec  25 Aug 1994 Jim Shanks  The Denny Wine Club