To Make Raspbery Wine

This recipe comes from the household manuscript of Penelope Patrick (1646-1725), dating from the early 1670s. In the 17th century, home winemaking was an important method for preserving the delicious fruits of the summer for year-round enjoyment, and fruit wines such as this raspberry wine would have been both a treat and a form of nutritional storage. Patrick, an Englishwoman in the Restoration era, likely recorded and adapted recipes circulating within her household and social networks. Fruit wines like this were a popular feature on genteel tables, evidencing both the resources and culinary ingenuity of historical homemakers.

Back in the 17th century, this raspberry wine would be made using basic kitchen implements. Water was boiled over an open hearth in a large cauldron or kettle. The fruit and sugar mixture was combined in an earthenware pot (sometimes referred to as a 'pott'), and the mixture was covered, commonly with a sheet of lead or a cloth. Straining would have been done with fine cloth or sieve, and the finished wine would be stored in glass bottles, often sealed with cork and wax. Today, you'd use a large stockpot, non-reactive fermentation vessel, measuring jugs, citrus juicer, fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, and modern glass wine bottles with appropriate closures.