When looking last night for a quote I recall that connects grapes to the sun and the matter of the universe (which I never did find) I came instead upon a web page that reprints Benjamin Franklin's recipe for making wine, first printed in his Poor Richard's Almanack, 1743. Below, find the beginning of his recipe and the link.



'Benjamin Franklin - Winemaking Instructions

'Friendly READER,

'Because I would have every Man make Advantage of the Blessings of Providence, and few are acquainted with the Method of making Wine of the Grapes which grow wild in our Woods, I do here present them with a few easy Directions, drawn from some Years Experience, which, if they will follow, they may furnish themselves with a wholesome sprightly Claret, which will keep for several Years, and is not inferior to that which passeth for French Claret.

'Begin to gather Grapes from the 10th of September (the ripest first) to the last of October, and having clear'd them of Spider webs, and dead Leaves, put them into a large Molosses- or Rum-Hogshead....'

He ends his article, writing: 'These Directions are not design'd for those who are skill'd in making Wine, but for those who have hitherto had no Acquaintance with that Art.'


The link to the image of the Almanack (from Wikimedia Commons): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Poor_Richard_Almanack_1739.jpg

The link to the winemaking article from the website wineintro.com : http://www.wineintro.com/history/regions/franklinwm.html