Oregano Wine Recipe
Jun 8th, 2007 by Erroll
And you thought tomato wine sounded strange! Years ago I started an oregano bush from seed. Each year I harvest a little for cooking, but it’s huge and most of it goes to waste. What’s a winemaker to do? Use this recipe from Terry Garey’s Joy of Home Wine Making
Ingredients
4-6 cups (1-1.5 liters), packed lightly, of fresh herbs
1 gallon (3.785 liters) water
3 lb (1.4 kg) sugar or 3.5 lb (1.6 kg) honey
1 tsp (5 grams) yeast nutrient
0.125 tsp (0.3 grams) tannin
3 tsp (15 grams) acid blend
sulfite to 50 ppm (equivalent to 1 campden tablet)
wine yeast
Equipment
Today, I’ll need a fermenter, a hydrometer, a thermometer, a stirring spoon, measuring spoons, and a couple of pots. Later, I’ll use a gallon jug, a racking cane, some siphon hose, and pH papers.
Procedure
I always start by sanitizing my clean equipment by immersion in boiling water or sanitizing solution. Earlier, Marsha and I harvested 6 cups (about 1.5 liters), lightly packed, of oregano. The next step is to remove dead leaves and any other plants that have gotten mixed in. After a quick rinse in cold water, I placed the oregano in a 2 quart (2 liter) saucepan, added 1 quart (1 liter) water, and brought it to a simmer. As soon as it started simmering, I took it off the heat and let sit for 1-2 hours. In the meantime, I dissolved the sugar in boiling water.
I strained the oregano and infused water, which gave off a pleasant, but unexpected mint aroma. After that, I added the sugar water. Next, I dissolved the tannin, nutrient, and 1 tsp of the acid, in water and added that to the fermenter. I’m waiting until fermentation is complete before adding the rest of the acid because I’m afraid the pH could drop too far and inhibit the yeast. Finally, I added 1 tsp of sulfite solution (equivalent to 1 campden tablet).
Always take a hydrometer reading, before pitching the yeast. I recorded the specific gravity as 1.108 @ 82 Fahrenheit (about 28 Celsius). Since my hydrometer is calibrated to work at 60F (15.5C), I adjusted for the higher temperature. The adjusted SG is 1.110, which means the potential alcohol is 15%. I thought it might turn out to be high, but I like to follow recipes closely the first time. I’ll probably cut the sugar and aim for and SG of 1.090 (12% alcohol) the next time.
I’ve never made a wine from herbs, and I’m excited to find out how this one turns out!
[...] let Erroll take it from here. You can get the recipe and detailed instructions on his blog, WashingtonWinemaker.com. The next time I’ll work on the wine is when we bottle as that is another one of my [...]
[...] a photo of the oregano wine I started the other day. It was quite frothy just after I stirred it, but the bubbles subsided [...]
can we buy campden tablet here in the philippines?
Hello Maurene,
I really don’t know what is available in the Philippines. If you can’t find winemaking supplies, like campden tablets, locally then you might try online retailers in other countries – maybe they ship to the Philippines. You may be interested in this Yahoo group of homebrewers in the Philippines:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/homebrewers_philippines/
Are you planning to make oregano wine?
Erroll
can we get wine yeast here in the philippines?
thank u 4 da reply that u dont know that we cant campden tablet here in the philippines its ok dont worry
Hello — Would you be interested in submitting your recipe for oregano wine to WineMaker magazine for publication?
Betsy Parks
Associate Editor
WineMaker Magazine
Hello,
This afternoon I was staring down at a bunch of oregano I harvested from the garden and I was wondering what to do with it. Since I already make wine I came upon your blog and will be trying out your Oregano recipe. I’ve made wine from mint with excellent results but never wine from something savory.
How did your wine turn out?
I plan to make a sage wine next; and am gearing up for when fruit is in season and cheap!
Erroll,
I’m curious about this recipe. I admit for the last three years, every time I have come upon this page on your site I’ve balked at the idea of an herb wine. It just seems…weird! Then, I’ve always thought that of flower wines, too, and I just recently started a honeysuckle wine (which has since suffered from stuck fermentation; I suspect it’s a PH problem, as you mention above…) which smelled great while it was in primary fermentation. I know it sounds weird, but I have gained the ability to determine whether or not a wine will taste good to me based on the smell it produces during primary fermentation. I think this honeysuckle will come out great if I can get fermentation going again…
Anyway, I wonder, since it’s been a few years since you wrote this post. How did your oregano wine come out? Have you had a chance to try it yet? Let us know!
- John Hance
John,
This wine surprised me almost every time I opened a bottle. I’ve noticed wines change as they age, but this was different. One bottle had a nice flavor – different enough that it was obviously not from grapes, but no strong flavor of oregano either. Next bottle oozed oregano. And so it went with almost every bottle being different. Some I liked, some I didn’t. I do want to try it again, but next time no acid until it’s fermented out!
Erroll