Just when the cherry harvest was at its peak – and my friend and I arrived from Cromwell with around 200 kg of Cherries – soon our trusted Cherry Pitter decided to take a break. A little rebellion in the kitchen for more pay and variety!

Still, the bounty of the season did not go to waste. In the warm, fragrant kitchen, we quickly transformed the cherries into Cherry Wine, Cherry Cordial, Cherry Jam, Cherry Preserve and Cherry Grappa – treasures to carry the taste of summer through the year

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🍷 Vino di Ciliegie — Cherry Wine, La Fattoria Style

In true Italian farmhouse fashion, our cherry wine is simple, hands-on, and made with love:

1. Prepare the Fruit: Place pitted cherries in a clean fermentation vessel and cover them with boiling water
2. Sweeten & Balance: Once cooled to room temperature, add sugar to taste and adjust the acidity as needed
3. Add Life: Stir in wine yeast (Mangrove Jack’s MA33 and AW4) and yeast nutrients
4. Ferment on the Must: Let it sit for about a week, stirring daily, allowing the fruit and yeast to mingle and awaken

If the yeast seems hungry, a little more sugar or nutrients keeps it happily working

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🍶 Secondary Fermentation

1. Strain and siphon the liquid into a clean demijohn (damigiana) with an airlock
2. Watch as it gently bubbles away, slowly transforming into wine over several weeks
3. When the fermenting slows, rack into a clean vessel and leave for about four weeks to ensure the wine is fully at rest

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🍾 Bottiglia e Godimento — Bottling and Enjoying

Once the wine is clear and quiet, it is ready to:

Bottle – Seal – Label – Store

A simple, rustic cherry wine, carrying the warmth and charm of the Italian countryside – perfect for sharing with family, friends !!