Expert: Paul Wagner - 11/13/2007

Question
As the Beameister line of ceramic crock bottled German wines faded into the sunset, who else makes a similar May Wine flavored with Woodruff?  This was a favorite of mine during a misspent youth and I have a craving to taste it again. Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Hi Keith

Oh Gosh---I just taught a class about these wines at Napa College, and had a student from Germany just rave about them.  We had to make our own for that class...

I don't know anyone who sells it in the USA, but if you can find the woodruff, it isn't hard to make.  Just soak the woodruff in the wine overnight.  I prefer to use two bottles of wine...one with the woodruff, and one without.  Then I can back blend to get just the intensity I want.

And here is a recipe from Chef Emeril for a May Wine punch.  

MAY WINE PUNCH
from Cooking Section, May 2003

Ingredients needed:

15 sweet woodruff sprigs
1 1/2 quarts of Rhine or Moselle wine
1 pint strawberries
1 pint raspberries
1/2 cup super fine sugar
1 quart soda water
Edible flowers (violets or pansies)

Place woodruff sprigs on a non-greased cookie sheet in a 200-degree preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove the sprigs from the oven and place in a pitcher that has a lid. Add the wine to the sprigs, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Wash the strawberries and raspberries, remove all stems, and cut strawberries in half. Place the berries in a bowl, sprinkle with the sugar, cover and refrigerate overnight. Strain the wine (removing the woodruff sprigs); add the berries and soda water. Serve in chilled wine glasses.

It's the wrong time of year for this stuff....but it is lots of fun to drink.

Hope that helps

Paul Wagner