Learn before you pick
Only collect ingredients you can identify confidently. Use a reliable field guide and, when in doubt, do not harvest.
Foraging
From the countryside to the demijohn.
A practical guide to finding country wine ingredients responsibly, identifying them with confidence and taking only what you need.
A word about foraging
Nature provides the ingredients.
Foraging is one of the most rewarding parts of country winemaking. It connects the wine in your demijohn with the seasons, hedgerows, orchards, gardens and countryside around you.
Many traditional wines begin with ingredients that are easy to overlook — fruit, berries, flowers, leaves and other plants. The important thing is not simply finding something that looks useful, but knowing exactly what it is and harvesting it responsibly.
Identification comes first
Never use a plant, fruit, flower or leaf unless you are completely certain of its identity. Some edible plants have poisonous lookalikes, and some plants have parts that are unsuitable for consumption.
If you are unsure, leave it where it is.
The CountryWine code
Forage with care.
Good foraging protects the countryside as well as providing ingredients for the next batch.
Take only what you need
Leave plenty behind for other people, future growth and the animals and insects that depend on wild plants.
Choose clean places
Avoid roadsides, polluted ground, treated areas and places where chemicals may have been used.
Protect rare plants
Do not collect protected, endangered or uncommon species, and avoid damaging sensitive habitats.
Leave no trace
Respect paths, fences, trees and surrounding habitats. Take your litter home and leave the site as you found it.
Respect land and law
Forage only where it is lawful and respect private property, local rules and any restrictions on collecting wild plants.
Think seasonally
Good ingredients arrive at different times.
The recipe library can help you turn a seasonal find into a one-gallon project.
SpringLook for early flowers and young leaves where appropriate, always checking identification first.
SummerBlossom and soft fruit can provide some of the most familiar traditional country wine ingredients.
AutumnHedgerow fruit, orchard harvests and many berries become available as the season progresses.
Year-roundNot everything follows a strict harvest calendar. Check each ingredient and local conditions before collecting.
Make the most of your harvest
Bring it home carefully.
Pick into a clean container, keep different ingredients separate when practical, and process delicate material promptly. Good ingredients deserve clean equipment and the same care you give the rest of the winemaking process.
Then use the CountryWine recipe collection to see whether there is an established method for what you've found.
Remember the simple rule
Identify carefully. Harvest lightly. Leave plenty behind.
The aim is to enjoy the tradition of making wine from nature without damaging the source of those ingredients.