You calI make delicious, medicated wines which act as tonics, digestive aids. sedatives and breath sweeteners as well as tasting good. In fact. by choosing your herbs you can devise wines for many different complaints. Be adventurous!If you want a really mellow wine, let it mature for a month or so af'ter straining. Store in a cool, dark place. If you want your wine to last a long timc. it's best to choose a full-bodied wine as a base. For tonics i use a good muscat, as the flavour seems to blend well with herbs.

Honey syrup for Liqueurs
Mix together equal quantities of water and honcy, bring slowlv to a boil, remove from the heat and stir until the honey is melted. Cool. Honey syrup is suitable for adding to any drink which has a spirit base, such as whisky, brandy or vodka. If you add honey syrup, the liquer needs to be matured for a further 2-3 months at room temperature.

Calming and Digestive Wine
This simlple, effective recipe has been around since the turn of the century. Sip a glass to calm You down after a stressful day. 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves
4 cloves
1 tablespoon honey
2.5cm ( 1 in) piece cinnamon stick
1 bottle dry white wine
Place the herbs, cloves, honey and cinnamon into a sterilised bottle and top up with wine from a clean measuring jug. Shake daily until the honey is dissolved. then strain wcll. Drink after a week.

Tonic Wine
This wine is great any time you feel under the weather or down in the mouth! It is a good pickme-up after illness to stimulate the appetite, or can be drunk just because yuu like it. Use fresh herbs if you can get them for this wine and bruise them (don't completely crush them) one at a time by pounding gently two or three times in a mortar and pestle. 1 teaspoon each wormwood, rosemary,thyme and sage 2cm (3/4in) piece fresh ginger
2cm (3/4in) piece cinnamun stick
3 whole cloves
Peel of 1 lemon, pared thinly and sliced
2 teaspoons aniseed 2 cups (500ml/16fl oz) muscat
Place the herbs and spices into a sterilised bottle and top up with the wine (the mesuring jug must be very clean). Cork and store in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks.Strain and filter the wine and pour back into the bottle. Leave in a cool dark place for 1 month before use. Sweeten with Honey Syrup if'you like.

Digestive Liqueur
1 tablespoon each crushed caraway seed and fennel seed
2cm (3/4in) piece fresh ginger, crushed
1 tablespuon chopped peppermint leaves
2 strips lemon peel, about Scm (2in) each
2 cups (500ml/16fl oz) brandy
1/2 cup (125ml/4fl oz) Honey Syrup
Combine all the ingredients and stand in a cool place for 3-4 weeks. Strain and filter. then stand 3 months in a cool, dark place before drinking.