Summer is on its way and will be here before you know it. There’s no better way to celebrate its arrival than with the sweet notes of fruit wines. What are fruit wines, you ask? Well they’re just like other wines but they do not have grapes as their base. Basically, fruit wine refers to fermented beverages made from fruit juices, but not grape juice.
These wines can be crafted from a wide variety of fruits, including apples, cherries, blueberries, cranberries, and many others. Essentially, any fruit that goes through fermentation has the potential to become a fruit wine.
Examples of Fruit Wines
Produced globally, fruit wines come in a diverse range of flavors. Some examples of popular fruit wines include:
- Apple wine
- Blueberry wine
- Cranberry wine
- Nettle wine
- Raspberry wine
- Banana wine
- Pineapple wine
- Elderberry wine
- Orange wine
- Red currant wine
While fruit wines are typically alcoholic, non-alcoholic versions are also available. Alcohol content typically ranges between 10-15% ABV, similar to grape wines. Fruit wines can be made from a single fruit, a blend of various fruits, or a combination of fruit and grapes.
How Fruit Wine Differs from Other Alcoholic Beverages
Fruit wine stands apart from other alcoholic drinks, such as beer, cider, or spirits, in two key ways:
- Distillation: Unlike spirits such as vodka or gin, which are distilled to concentrate alcohol content, fruit wine is not subjected to distillation. If you were to distill wine, you would produce higher-proof beverages like cognac or brandy. Fruit wine, therefore, maintains a lower alcohol concentration than distilled spirits.
- Fermentation: Fruit wines undergo a longer fermentation process than beverages like hard cider, allowing the yeast more time to convert the fruit’s sugars.
Type of Fruit and Fermentation
You may wonder if all wines are technically fruit wines, since traditional wines are made from grapes. Technically, that is true. However, in the context of the wine world, the term “fruit wine” specifically refers to wines made from fruits other than grapes. While most fruit wines are made from fermented fruit juices, there are also floral wines—such as those made from dandelion, rose hip, or elderflower—that fall under the fruit wine category. The type of fruit and the fermentation process will determine whether a fruit wine is classified as red or white.
Although fruit wines aren’t as widely consumed as grape wines, they’re growing in popularity, especially for those seeking something unique at a cocktail party or special gathering. Additionally, many fruit wines are enhanced with ingredients like honey or sugar to balance the varying levels of sugar, tannins, and acids found in different fruits.
Try Robinette’s Fruit Wine Today!
We make our very own apple fruit wine right here in our winery, but we also sell cranberry and blueberry wines, not to mention mulled wines and hard ciders. Visit us at 3142 4 Mile Rd NE in Grand Rapids for a wine tasting, or call us at (800) 400-8100 to learn more.
