Last summer, I spent hours wandering the hedgerows, collecting blackberries for homemade wine using my dad’s recipe.
The wine comes out dry and full-flavoured, and I usually leave it to age – or “leżakować” in Polish – for a year or two. This ageing process is important because it allows the flavours to develop, harsh notes to mellow, and aromas to deepen. The longer it rests, the more balanced and smooth it becomes, and opening that first bottle after months or years of patience is incredibly satisfying.
Alongside blackberries, I also picked rose hips for jam, wild plums to add extra depth to the wine, and elderberries to use in wine and syrup. There’s something really special about foraging and then transforming the fruits into something you can enjoy months later. Each jar or bottle carries a memory of time spent outdoors, the smell of ripe fruit, and the satisfaction of making something yourself.
Now, making wine is my main focus. I follow my dad’s recipe carefully, and over the years I’ve learned a few tricks myself. For example, the ageing process isn’t just waiting – it involves keeping the bottles in a cool, dark place, checking them occasionally, and letting the wine settle. Some fruits, like plums or elderberries, change the colour and flavour over time, so patience really pays off. After a year or two, the wine has a deeper aroma, smoother taste, and more complex balance between sweetness and dryness.
For me, wild fruits are more than food – they’re memories and experiences in jars and bottles. Foraging and then making jams or wine connects me to the seasons and to the traditions my parents passed down. It’s satisfying to spend hours outside, working with your hands, and then months later enjoy the results.
The taste of homemade blackberry wine or sweet rose hip jam is a reminder of time spent in the forest, childhood adventures, and the simple joys of creating something from what nature gives.