Download Spikenard Berry Wine

Spikenard Berry Wine
By Christine Dennis
Characteristic of many ginseng family plants, Spikenard (Aralia racemosa) is a woodland
plant which grows in moist rich soil. It is a perennial growing up to 5 ft tall, with
compound leaves containing 6 to 21 toothed leaflets and small greenish white flowers
formed into a thick raceme. The berries are a dark purple, hanging in heavy long clusters.
The root of this plant has been used traditionally as a blood purifier, for lung ailments and
as a tonic. The berries are said to be adaptogenic.
Close observation leads one to a further understanding of its traditional medical uses. The
plant stands strong and firmly rooted, exuding a sense of power and strength. Each leaflet
is a deep green and slightly heart shaped on smooth reddish-purple stems leading one to
think about the heart and circulatory system. The flowers, forming airy umbels, clustered
together which are seemingly pulled upwards to the open air reminding one of the breath
and little alveoli. The flowers soon give way to heavy, densely clustered fruit that draws
the racemes back down towards the grounding earth. The deep purple berries resemble
the deep dark rich soil of which it is grows in. The juice from the berries is a dark, deep
red and clearly full of rich bioflavonoids.
Making Spikenard berry wine
2 L of fresh spikenard berries
4 L of boiling water
4 cups of sugar (or 3lbs of honey)
1 tsp of bread yeast
Remove 2L of berries from stems and place in a 4L jar. Fill with boiling water, stirring to
crush the berries. Cap and let sit for 24 to 36 hrs. Strain off the liquid into a sterilized 4L
jug, pressing the remaining berries to make sure you get all the juice. Top up the jug to 4
L with boiling water. Add sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Sprinkle 1 tsp yeast
on top. Place airlock and bung in top of jug and move to a warm room. Within a few to
24 hours you should see the yeast bubbling and the airlock releasing bubbles – beginning
to ferment.
For the first week or two it will bubble away enthusiastically gradually slowing down.
After about a month, a sediment will settle out on the bottom of the jug and the wine will
be clear. At this point, “rack” the wine – siphon carefully without disturbing and leaving
the sediment at the bottom, into another sterilized jug with an airlock and bung and
continue to let it sit for a few more months. When you are certain it is no longer
fermenting/bubbling, it is time to bottle and cork. I have found the wine ready to
“sample” by Christmas but of course it gets better with age.
Tasting
Being heavy and quite leggy, I find it best when served at room temperature. It is deeply
red in colour and quite expressive. An initial fruity scent soon gives way to an earthy
aroma It is big and wonderfully complex with a lively wild fruity taste that is slightly
musty and faintly reminiscent of elderberries. Spikenard berry wine is elegant and
complete resulting in a marvelously seductive wine …… or put quite simply, it packs and
good punch and gets the job done.