How To Make Nettle Wine

Homemade Wine Recipe

Ingredients: Nettle Wine

4 pints fresh nettle tops - young, spring growth
1 lb / 450 grams raisins
3 1/2 lbs / 1,600 grams sugar
Juice of 2 lemons
8 pints / 1 gallon water
Wine yeast
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient / energiser
1 campden tablet

Method - What to Do

Wash fresh nettle tops and add to a saucepan of boiling water, together with the lemon juice. Allow the nettle mixture to simmer for around 20 to 30 minutes and then strain the liquor into a winemaking fermentation container. Top up with boiling water to make 8 pints / 1 gallon and then add all of the remaining wine ingredients, except for the yeast. Mix thoroughly, making sure that all of the sugar has dissolved and allow to stand for 12 hours.

Activate the wine yeast and add to the nettle wine mixture, stirring each morning and evening for three days. Strain the fermenting nettle 'must' and pour into a clean demijohn, fitting an airlock. Rack for the first time after six weeks, and then again at around five months and eight months. When the nettle wine is one year old the clarity should be good and all fermentation should have completely stopped. At this stage, siphon the nettle wine into bottles and stand for six months to one year.


Nettle wine recipe - More Wine Recipes.