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 the natural balance of grapes, 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 turn into something really good after six months to a year in the bottle.
Popular country wines
Country Wine · DryDandelion Wine
Easy homemade dandelion wine recipe for one demijohn (1 gallon). Two litres of petals, oranges, lemon and patience. The lawn finally pays rent.
Country Wine · DryElderflower Wine
Easy homemade elderflower wine recipe for one demijohn (1 gallon). Twenty flower heads picked free in June, sugar and lemons, drinkable by Christmas.
Country Wine · DryPineapple Wine
Easy homemade pineapple wine recipe for one demijohn (1 gallon). Two ripe pineapples, sugar and sultanas. More sensible than it sounds.
Country Wine · DryCherry and Mixed Berry Wine
Easy homemade cherry and mixed berry wine recipe for one demijohn (1 gallon). The cherries and berries kit favourite, made with actual fruit.
Country Wine · DryRaspberry Wine
Easy homemade raspberry wine recipe for one demijohn (1 gallon). A little fruit goes a long way and it is drinkable sooner than most country wines.
Country Wine · DryApple Wine
Easy homemade apple wine recipe for one demijohn (1 gallon). Mixed apples, sugar and patience. Not cider, a proper white wine from orchard leftovers.
Country Wine · DryRhubarb Wine
Easy homemade rhubarb wine recipe for one demijohn (1 gallon). Cold sugar extraction, no boiling, and a proper use for the patch that will not stop.
Country Wine · DryCherry Wine
Easy homemade cherry wine recipe for one demijohn (1 gallon). Sweet or sour cherries, sugar and patience. Worth the purple fingers from stoning.
Country Wine · DryBlackberry Wine
Easy homemade blackberry wine recipe for one demijohn (1 gallon). Hedgerow fruit, sugar and patience. The cheapest full bodied red you will ever make.
Country Wine · DryPlum Wine
Easy homemade plum wine recipe for one demijohn (1 gallon). Victoria plums, sugar and a bit of patience. A good home for a glut you cannot eat fast enough.
Country Wine · DryStrawberry Wine
Easy homemade strawberry wine recipe for one demijohn (1 gallon). Ripe fruit, sugar and patience, nothing clever. Best made when strawberries are cheap.
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 Wine FAQs
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 to 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.
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