
"I have a great fondness for daisies and I was wondering if you have a recipe
to make wine from these great flowers." Ann Dynes, location unknown
There are a number of flowers referred to loosely as daisies. These include such diverse plants as the yellow (center) and white (petals) Chrysanthemum leucanthemum, or oxeye daisy, the completely yellow Englemannia pinnatifida, or Englemann's daisy, and the variously colored Bellis perennis, or European daisy. Both oxeye and shasta daisies are rayed flowers with yellow centers and white petals that are common in America, although they are Eurasian in origin and wild in America only after escaping cultivation. Both make a decent wine.
Pick the flower heads only, without stems, after morning dew has evaporated. Wash and place in primary. Pour water, hot or cold, over flowers and cover primary. Let stand for two days, then strain off and retain liquid, squeezing the blossoms to get maximum flavor. Discard flowers and add remaining ingredients, stirring well to dissolve sugar completely. Recover and set aside for two weeks, stirring daily. Strain liquid into secondary, discarding citrus and raisins. Fit airlock and set aside until fermentation ceases and wine clears. Rack, top up and refit airlock. After one month, rack again. After additional month, rack into bottles and enjoy immediately. This wine will keep well, but will not retain its bouquet more than a year. [Author's own recipe]
My thanks to Ann Dynes for his request.