20 Recipes

Wine Recipes

From hedgerow to bottle — tried and tested UK country wine recipes.

🌸 Flower Wines

beginnerReady in 6 months

Elderflower Wine

Light, fragrant, and utterly British — elderflower wine is one of the finest country wines you can make. Delicate floral notes with a hint of muscat. Ready in as little as 6 months.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →
intermediateReady in 9 months

Dandelion Wine

A springtime classic that turns a garden pest into something truly special. Golden, honey-like, and uniquely flavoured — worth the effort of picking those petals.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →

🍇 Berry Wines

intermediateReady in 1 year

Elderberry Wine

Rich, deeply coloured, and full-bodied — elderberry wine is often called the Englishman's grape. Outstanding with red meat when matured for 2+ years.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →
beginnerReady in 9 months

Blackberry Wine

Free from the hedgerows and utterly delicious — blackberry wine is one of the most rewarding wines a beginner can make. Fruity, approachable, and ready relatively quickly.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →
beginnerReady in 8 months

Gooseberry Wine

The green gooseberry makes a wonderfully crisp, dry white wine — often compared to a modest Sauvignon Blanc. One of the most food-friendly country wines.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →
beginnerReady in 1 year

Blackcurrant Wine

Deep, intensely flavoured and rich — blackcurrant wine is essentially cassis in wine form. Superb with game and aged cheese.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →
intermediateReady in 1 year

Rosehip Wine

Rich, orange-coloured wine from the dog rose — a traditional British country wine with a distinctive fruity character. Best made in autumn after the first frosts.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →
intermediateReady in 6 months

Strawberry Wine

Summer strawberries make a delicate, fragrant rosé-style wine. Use the ripest, most fragrant berries you can find for the best results.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →
beginnerReady in 1 year

Hedgerow Wine

A blend of whatever the British autumn hedgerow offers — blackberry, elderberry, rosehip, sloe, and more. Every vintage is unique.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →
beginnerReady in 6 months

Mixed Summer Fruit Wine

A celebration of British summer — raspberries, strawberries, and redcurrants in a bright, fragrant rosé-style wine.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →
intermediateReady in 1 year

Sloe Wine

The other side of sloe gin — these tart little berries make a tannic, complex wine that rewards long maturation. One for the patient winemaker.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →
beginnerReady in 6 months

Raspberry Wine

Vibrant, aromatic, and absolutely delicious — raspberry wine is one of the finest fruit wines you can make. Best drunk relatively young.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →

🍑 Stone Fruit

intermediateReady in 1 year

Damson Wine

One of the finest country wines Britain produces. Rich, complex, and worth the wait — damson wine at 2+ years rivals many commercial wines.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →
beginnerReady in 1 year

Plum Wine

Garden plums make a rich, full-bodied wine with beautiful colour. Excellent with cheese and charcuterie. A great way to use a glut from the garden.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →
intermediateReady in 9 months

Cherry Wine

Whether you use morello, sweet, or wild cherries, cherry wine is a delight — fruity, perfumed, and beautifully coloured.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →

🥬 Vegetable Wines

intermediateReady in 9 months

Rhubarb Wine

Garden rhubarb makes a surprisingly delicate, pale pink wine with a pleasantly tart finish. Best drunk young and slightly chilled.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →
intermediateReady in 1 year

Parsnip Wine

A traditional English country wine with a surprisingly smooth, almost sherry-like quality. One of the best vegetable wines — and a great way to use up a winter glut.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →

🍎 Fruit Wines

beginnerReady in 8 months

Apple Wine

A great way to use a glut of windfall apples. Clean, crisp, and versatile — apple wine is the blank canvas of country winemaking.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →

🌶️ Spice Wines

intermediateReady in 6 months

Ginger Wine

Warming, spicy, and deeply satisfying — homemade ginger wine puts commercial versions to shame. Perfect in winter, served warm or over ice.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →

🌿 Plant Wines

intermediateReady in 9 months

Nettle Wine

Turn a garden pest into a genuinely pleasant light white wine. Best made in early spring with young shoots. Surprisingly fresh and clean.

Yields 4.5LView recipe →