wpattison > wrote:
>Sorry to hear about the Syrah.
>
>Your pear wine sounds like it would be wonderful. Would you mind
>sharing with us the recipe, and what type of pear you used?

Three years ago, came across the following recipe;
Pear Wine Recipe (One Gallon) 4 lb Pears 6 pts Water 4 cups Sugar 2
1/2 tsp Acid Blend 2 tsp Pectic Enzyme 1 tsp Yeast Nutrient 1
Campden, crushed 1 pkg Wine yeast(good for up to 5 gallons) Use ripe to
firm-ripe pears. l. Wash, drain, remove stems, cut in half and core. Cut
into smaller pieces. 2. Using nylon straining bag (or press) mash and
strain out juice into primary fermentor. As juice is extracted
immediately add Campden to prevent spoilage and browning. Keeping all pulp in
straining bag, tie top, and place in primary fermenter. 3. Stir in all
other ingredients EXCEPT yeast. Cover primary. 4. After 24 hrs., prepare
and add yeast. Cover primary. 5. Stir daily, check Specific Gravity, and
squeeze pulp lightly to aid extraction. 6. When ferment reaches 1.040
(3-5 days) squeeze juice lightly from bag. Siphon wine off sediment into
glass secondary and attach air lock. 7. When ferment is complete (S.
G. has reached 1.000 -- about 3 weeks) siphon off sediment into clean
secondary. Reattach air lock. 8. Siphon again in 2 months and again if
necessary until clear before bottling. Age for 3 months. Cool and enjoy.

Some of the differences in my own process include;
* I use tartaric acid, rather than a blend (just because that's what I
have in the winery!). I try to shoot for a pH in the range of 3.1 to 3.3;
preferring the wine to be slightly more acidic, in that I try to keep
some residual sugar.* I use potassium metabisulfite, and use it as one would with wine
rather than 'recipe' style. I try to maintain somewhere in the region of 30
ppm from secondary through bottling.* I test sugar levels when I first make the must, and try to target a
12% final alcohol, with a little residual sugar (preferring a light fruity
wine)* I always prepare yeast starters, and get a healthy batch going before
pitching. Ergo, one packet goes a long way!* I stop fermentation at my desired hydrometer reading with
refrigeration, the use potassium sorbate to suspend any further fermentation.* This year, I sued a little bentonite, then let the wine sit for some
weeks. That gave me a clear wine, versus the slightly cloudy I had
previously made
I have been using Bosc pears for the last three years we have been
making pear wine. Why? Because we have a very productive tree of Bosc! We
stem, core, and cut into smaller chunks - but we do not peel. Some folks
do, I guess.
This year, we started with about 50 lbs of pears, used 8 gallons of
water, and added about 20 pounds of sugar, all told. After 70 grams of
tartaric acid, pH was at 3.25 - should have pushed it down further.
Hope that helps - enjoy!