Country wine — or fruit wine — is the great British tradition of making wine from whatever the hedgerow, orchard and garden provide, rather than grapes. Elderflower in early summer, elderberry and blackberry in autumn, rhubarb in spring: a glut of almost anything can become a bottle worth keeping. Elderberries are even known as 'the Englishman's grape' for how well they take to winemaking.
How country wine is made
The principle is the same as grape wine: draw the flavour and sugar out of your fruit, flowers or vegetables, then ferment it with wine yeast. Because most fruits lack grapes' natural balance, country wine recipes add sugar for strength, and often acid and tannin to round the wine out — plus yeast nutrient to keep fermentation healthy.
After fermenting, country wines are left to clear and age. Many reward patience: a rough young elderberry wine can become something genuinely special after six months to a year in the bottle.
Popular country wines
Country Wine · Country Fruit Wine · Still · Dry–MediumGooseberry & Ginger Country Wine
Gooseberry wine is a classic British country wine with a long history of home production. This gooseberry and ginger wine recipe adds a warming kick of fresh ginger root to the naturally tart, sherbet-sharp flavour of green gooseberries, creating a lively, versatile country wine. It's dry enough to pair with food, and fragrant enough to enjoy on its own. This easy homemade gooseberry wine is perfect for early summer when gooseberries ripen in the garden, and it ferments surprisingly quickly for a fruit wine.
Country Wine · Country Fruit Wine · Still · Dry–MediumPlum & Sloe Country Wine
Plum and sloe wine is a deeply flavoured, tannic country wine that makes excellent use of late-summer and early-autumn hedgerow harvests. This homemade plum wine recipe combines the rich, jammy sweetness of Victoria plums with the astringency of sloe berries to create a beautifully balanced, port-like country wine. It's one of the finest recipes in the British country winemaking canon, robust, complex, and absolutely stunning when aged for a year or more.
Country Wine · Country Fruit Wine · Still · Dry–MediumElderberry Wine
Elderberry wine is one of the most celebrated homemade fruit wines in British winemaking tradition. Dark, full-bodied, and rich with tannin, a well-made elderberry wine is often compared to a robust red grape wine. This elderberry wine recipe guides you from hedgerow to bottle, using fresh or frozen elderberries that are at their peak in September and October. High in antioxidants and deeply flavourful, this is a country wine that genuinely rewards patience; it only improves with 12 months of ageing.
Country Wine · Country Fruit Wine · Still · Off-DryApple & Cinnamon Country Wine
Apple and cinnamon country wine is a wonderfully warming homemade fruit wine that tastes like autumn in a glass. Made from fresh-pressed apple juice or windfall apples, this easy apple wine recipe is spiced with whole cinnamon sticks for a comforting depth of flavour. Unlike hard cider, this country wine ferments with added sugar to reach a fuller body and higher ABV. It's a brilliant way to use a glut of garden apples and requires no specialist equipment beyond a fermentation bucket and demijohn.
Country WinePlum Wine
Absolutely nothing, I made this to try and see how the app itself works!
Country Wine — frequently asked questions
What is country wine?
Country wine (also called fruit wine) is wine made from fruit, flowers or vegetables other than grapes — like elderflower, blackberry, rhubarb or dandelion.
Is country wine the same as fruit wine?
Largely, yes. 'Country wine' is the traditional British term and 'fruit wine' is the more literal one. Both cover anything fermented into wine that isn't grape.
How long does country wine take?
Expect a few weeks of fermentation, then months of clearing and ageing. Many country wines are at their best 6–12 months after bottling.
Why do recipes add sugar, acid and tannin?
Grapes naturally balance sugar, acid and tannin; most other fruits don't, so country wine recipes top them up to make a well-rounded, stable wine.
What's a good country wine for a beginner?
Elderflower, rhubarb and blackberry are popular first wines — forgiving, seasonal, and made from ingredients that are easy to find or forage.
Brewing country wine?
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