Wormwood Wine – Traditional St. Hildegard Recipe

Wormwood Wine is one of the best-known remedies in the teachings of St. Hildegard of Bingen.

Prepared from just three ingredients—fresh wormwood juice, wine, and honey—this traditional preparation holds a special place in Hildegardian medicine. According to the tradition, the remedy is prepared using fresh wormwood leaves harvested in May and consumed every other day from May through October.

Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is known for its intensely bitter taste. In traditional herbal medicine, bitter herbs have long been valued for their role in stimulating digestive secretions and supporting digestive function.

Dr. Alfreda Walkowska, in her book Return to Harmony, describes the traditional benefits attributed to this preparation:

“This universal remedy, in addition to noticeably improving mood, protects against arteriosclerosis and circulatory disorders affecting the internal organs—the brain, heart, lungs, liver, stomach, kidneys, and reproductive organs. Its bitter constituents stimulate mucus secretion, facilitating the elimination of deposits of undigested food.

Arteriosclerosis is a slow process that develops over approximately 30 years, leading to hearing impairment, heart attacks, and strokes. An annual course of Wormwood Wine, taken from May through October, protects against these serious consequences.

Furthermore, such a course strengthens the body's immune defenses, prevents gout and rheumatism, and helps protect against gastrointestinal complaints. By stimulating the secretion of mucus and gastric juices, it improves digestion.

By mobilizing the body's natural defenses, Wormwood Wine effectively accelerates recovery following illness and is praised by Hildegard as a remedy for exhaustion.”

— Dr. Alfreda Walkowska, Return to Harmony (translated from Polish)

In the Hildegardian tradition, this annual preparation reflects an approach to well-being rooted in the rhythms of nature, seasonal herbs, and consistency.

Preparation:

Ingredients

• 500 ml (½ liter) of wine
• 75 ml of honey
• 20 ml of freshly extracted wormwood juice (Artemisia absinthium)

Preparation

1. Harvest the wormwood: Collect fresh wormwood plants in May.
2. Extract the juice: Wash the freshly harvested wormwood leaves and extract their juice using a juicer or press.
3. Heat the wine and honey: Pour 500 ml of wine into a saucepan and add 75 ml of honey. Stir well, bring to a boil, and simmer briefly.
4. Add the wormwood juice: Turn off the heat and immediately add 20 ml of freshly extracted wormwood juice. Stir gently.
5. Filter the wine: Strain the mixture through several layers of thick cheesecloth or a finer filter to remove any remaining plant particles and obtain a clear wine.
6. Bottle immediately: Pour the filtered wine into clean, sterilized dark glass bottles. Seal tightly and refrigerate.

For detailed video instructions go to Hildegard's Way YouTube Channel.

According to the Hildegardian tradition, Wormwood Wine is taken from May through October, at a dose of 20 ml every other day, on an empty stomach in the morning.

This describes a traditional regimen attributed to St. Hildegard of Bingen, not a medically established safe dosage.