I've made my first ever batch of fruit wine. It is a mix of fruits, added over about ten days time as they became available. It started with the skins and pits of wild plums which were left over from making plum jam. In fact they were rather sterile as it had all been boiled and strained to get the flesh of the fruit for jam. I added water and sugar, plus a bit of bread yeast.

I cannot tell you the order, but I ended up adding some more plum puree, some peach skins and a bit of peach flesh, some applesauce, grape juice, a couple quarts of left over syrup in which peaches were boiled for canning.. A few ripe mashed figs were the last thing added. I had to add sugar several times because I had too much water compared to fruit in the beginning. I did not use a recipe and did not even read one beforehand.

I stirred the pot, raising the liquid with a ladle and pouring it back into the pot twice a day for oxygenation. Of course I had to taste it each time. Interesting to see the progression, the fizz, the development of alcohol. At first when it was fizzy, thin, and sweet, it made me think of the fruit punches that used to be served at childrens' birthday parties, and --where I grew up-- the nonalcoholic punches served at weddings. It still isn't finished fermenting, but has enough alcohol that I can feel it when I drink a glass.

Oh, one funny thing. I had the pot sitting on the dining table which also serves as my desk. Whenever I was on the internet, I kept noticing the aroma of doughnuts! Sweet and yeasty. I think both the yeast smell and taste has subsided a lot, so I would be okay with continuing to use bread yeast any time I might be starting with a boiled, sterile fruit base. I mean, this is no award winner of a wine, but for me it is good enough.

All in all, I happy enough with this fruit wine. I am encouraged to make more wine in the future.