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Apple Sherry Wine

Think of this as a sherry-style country wine that punches well above its weight class. Tart apples bring the acid backbone, dried apricots add a honeyed depth, and raisins contribute that characteristic nutty oxidative note you expect from a proper sherry. A biscuit of shredded wheat gives the yeast extra surface area to work on — a small detail that pays off in texture. Let it age a full six months before you open the first bottle, and plan on making a fresh batch every year.

The beginner trap: Skipping the two-stage fermentation process — the apples must be removed and discarded before the raisins and shredded wheat go in, or the flavor balance falls apart.

Ingredients

• 6 lbs tart apples (fresh, such as Granny Smith or Winesap)
• 1 lb dried apricot halves
• 1 lb raisins, chopped or minced (golden raisins give a lighter result; dark raisins give stronger sherry character)
• 1 large shredded wheat biscuit
• 2 lbs granulated sugar
• 7 pints water
• 1 tsp pectic enzyme
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 packet Red Star Premier Cuvée (or Champagne) wine yeast

Method

1. Wash and inspect the apples; cut out any damaged spots, then core and chop them into ¼- to ⅓-inch pieces. Place the chopped apples in a fine-mesh nylon straining bag, tie it closed, and set it in your primary fermenter.
2. Place the dried apricot halves in a pot with the 7 pints of water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Strain out and discard the apricot solids, then pour the hot apricot water directly over the bag of apples in the primary.
4. Once the liquid cools to room temperature, stir in the pectic enzyme and yeast nutrient, cover the primary, and set aside for 10–12 hours.
5. Add the yeast in an activated starter solution, recover the primary, and punch the apple bag down 2–3 times daily for two weeks.
6. Remove the apple bag, let it drip dry, and discard the spent apples.
7. Add the sugar to the primary and stir well until fully dissolved.
8. Place the chopped raisins and the shredded wheat biscuit together in a nylon straining bag, submerge it in the primary, and push it down 2–3 times daily for three weeks.
9. Remove the raisin and shredded wheat bag, squeeze it gently, and discard the contents.
10. Rack the wine into a secondary fermenter and attach an airlock.
11. Rack again after 2 months, then once more after another month to drop all remaining lees.
12. Bottle and age at least 6 months before tasting.

Why this works

The two-stage approach here is doing real science. In stage one, the simmered apricot liquid extracts color, flavor, and soluble solids from the fruit without adding pulp to your ferment — it acts almost like a tea. The apples ferment freely in the straining bag, contributing malic acid and apple esters. Stage two is where the sherry character builds: raisins are partially dried grapes loaded with concentrated sugars, amino acids, and volatile compounds that develop during drying — many of the same compounds found in oxidatively aged wines. The shredded wheat is not a gimmick; its porous structure gives yeast a massive surface area to colonize, supporting a cleaner and more complete fermentation.

Notes

Golden raisins produce a lighter, more delicate wine; dark raisins push the flavor profile toward a bolder, nuttier sherry character — choose based on your preference. If fresh apples are unavailable, a firm frozen apple sliced before freezing works in a pinch, though fresh tart varieties give the best acid balance. Chopping raisins is notoriously sticky work; a food processor with short pulses makes it far more manageable than a knife.