Folly or Faux Wine Recipe – Dry White Table Wine

This Folly Wine (or Faux Wine) recipe transforms young vine shoots, leaves, and prunings into a light, dry homemade white wine. It sounds odd, but it works — and it’s a great way to use up spring vine cuttings. The batch makes around 4.5 litres (1 UK gallon), perfect for a standard demijohn.

The result is a neutral, slightly earthy white table wine that’s best served chilled. Great with food or as a novelty project for gardeners and vineyard keepers.

What Does Folly Wine Taste Like?

Dry, pale, and lightly herbal. It doesn’t taste leafy or green — think more like a dry country white wine with subtle earthy notes and a clean finish. The bananas and grape concentrate round it out, while the vine matter adds an unexpected minerality.

Essential Equipment Needed for Faux Wine

Ingredients for Folly Wine

Best Yeast for Folly Wine – Top Picks

Go for a clean, dry-finishing wine yeast that won’t add too much fruit character. You want subtle and stable.

  1. Gervin GV1 – Ideal for white country wines. Balanced and clean.
  2. Lalvin EC-1118 – Ferments dry, neutral, and strong. Good fallback yeast.
  3. Mangrove Jack’s CY17 – Adds slight floral/fruity edge if you want something softer.

How to Make Folly Wine: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Cook the Vine Shoots

  • Wash the vine shoots, leaves, and pruning's thoroughly.
  • Chop roughly and place in a pot with 4L of water.
  • Peel and slice bananas, add to the pot.
  • Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool.

Step 2: Strain and Prepare the Must

  • Strain out and discard the solids. Retain only the liquid.
  • Add grape concentrate, sugar, citric acid, tannin, yeast nutrient, and yeast.
  • Top up to 4.5L if needed. Transfer to fermentation jar and fit an airlock.

Step 3: Ferment & Rack

  • Ferment to dryness (~0.995–1.000 SG).
  • Rack into a clean demijohn, add 1 crushed Campden tablet, and airlock again.
  • Store somewhere cool until fully clear. Rack again if needed.

Step 4: Age & Bottle

  • Store in bulk for 6–12 months before bottling.
  • Bottle into sterilised wine bottles, seal, and label.
  • Serve cold as a dry white table wine.

Pro Tips for Faux Wine

  • Use only clean, green, young vine shoots — avoid woody, mature ones.
  • This wine benefits from aging. Give it at least 9–12 months to round out.
  • Don't over-boil. A 30-minute simmer is enough to extract flavour without bitterness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will it taste like leaves?

No — the flavour is much cleaner and milder than you'd expect. It drinks like a very neutral dry white wine.

Can I use pruning's from fruiting vines?

Yes, as long as they’re fresh and green — not brown, woody, or disease-affected.

Is this just a novelty or actually drinkable?

Surprisingly drinkable! It’s not a showstopper, but after a year in the bottle, it holds its own as a dry country white.