Do medicinal properties of herbs transfer to wine?

I'm making chamomile wine just with that purpose in mind..I figure it will be a relaxing wine. It tastes like a very light earthy wine ( no..not like dirt!) I would think that the light essential oils in the herbs would dissolve in the alcohol and give the wine some of the medicinal benefits. But that's just my thought. I also just started up some lavender/blueberry wine. You can still smell and taste the lavender even after while, it's not as strong as when it first when in, just a light scent mixed in with the wine scent. That wine wil also be a relaxing wine I think. Just smelling it makes me relax already :)

One would expect so. That's why we have metheglin and hippocras- metheglin being derived from the same root (etymological, not herbal) as "medicine", and hippocras being named for Hippocrates.

When it comes to herbs and medicinal properties, some "require" heat while other should be extracted with cold soak. Some are enhanced by alcohol, others not. All of this was known by doctors of old by much has been lost. The use to make things like Metheglin or hippocras which Mead made using herbs and spices which were used for medicinal properties and for other purposes. ;o) You will probably have to do a bit of research. I think there is a book out on this topic. You might do a google.

Ray

The simple answer is Sometimes. It depends on what the medicinal agent in the herb is soluable in. If it is soluable in Alcohol then yes it will transfer to the wine, also you should wait until the wine has enough alcohol present to leach the medicine from the herb (so not until at least until it is in the secondary). If it is soluable in water then the answer is likely yes (though it is better to brew a tea and add it later). If it is soluable in fat then there is almost no chance that it will leach into the wine. One other thing to keep in mind is that you will never be exactly sure of the dossage (is it enough to be effective or is it to much and I will overdose on it).

That said sometimes there are chemicals in the herbs in question that are soluable in water or alcohol that are not desirable to add. For example you are using herb X that has a medicinal chemical soluable in alcohol, it also has a toxin that is soluable in water (or vise versa) adding this to your must may cause both chemicals (medicinal and toxin) to leach into your wine, and that is a bad thing (cures you and kills you at the same time). Also (though it is likely rather rare for this to happen) certain medicinal chemicals may react with other chemicals in your wine this may result in lowered or increased effects or even in unexpected side-effects (it works but gives you the runs, etc) or even death. BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL.

In short don't take chances, consult with a practioner and do some research to insure your safety. Ken

On top of that, throw in the yeast, which are pretty complex little organisms. Who knows what effect the chemicals will have on the yeast or the yeast will have on the chemicals. Yeast have been known to facilitate some pretty amazing transformations of certain compounds.

Andy