Rose petals have a delicate flavor that is best as a sweet dessert wine. Increasing the weight of sugar to three pounds will produce a heavy-bodied wine similar to a liqueur. One ounce of dried elder flowers substituted for the rose petals in this recipe makes an exquisite wine that after aging is the best drinking wine in my cellar.
• 2-3 quarts fresh rose petals
• 2 1/2 pounds sugar
• 1 pound golden raisins
• 2 teaspoons acid blend or 3 oranges
• 1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
• 1 package all-purpose wine yeast (labeled as making 1 to 5 gallons of wine)
Richard Bender is a creative herb enthusiast and nurseryman in Fort Collins, Colorado, who is currently working on a book on herbal bonsai.
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