How is fruit wine made?
Hello there! I'm Dr. Vinifera, but you can call me Vinny. Ask me your toughest wine questions, from the fine points of etiquette to the science of winemaking. And don't worry, I'm no wine snob—you can also ask me those "dumb questions" you're too embarrased to ask your wine geek friends! I hope you find my answers educational, empowering and even amusing. And don't forget to check out my most asked questions and my full archives for all my Q&A classics.
Dear Dr. Vinny,
How are fruit wines made? Are they made from actual fruit instead of wine grapes, or are fruit flavorings added to regular wine?
—Esmeralda, Romeoville, Ill.
Dear Esmeralda,
I know, I know. Someone out there is scoffing that grapes are fruit, so technically all wine is fruit wine. But most people (and most governments) define “wine” as coming from grapes.
There are wine-adjacent products out there that contain added flavorings, but there are also wines made from fruit other than grapes—strawberries, mangos, cherries and even watermelons. Most of these wines tend to be on the sweet side and are best consumed young. Remember that wine grapes are so suited to wine because they have a special balance of sugar, acidity and tannins. Wine grapes aren’t like table grapes—they have thicker skins, bigger seeds and more intense flavors.
Other fruits don’t have these characteristics, so making wine with them requires some different steps. You can find a lot of recipes for making fruit wines online. The process usually starts by mashing the fruit to extract the juice, then adding sugar, water and (typically) commercial yeast. The wine will need that sugar for the yeast to gobble on during fermentation. Sometimes acid and tannins—as well as nutrients to keep the yeasts happy—are also added.
If you’re used to wines made from grapes, fruit wines can be quite a different experience—and often a delicious one. I’d encourage you to keep an open mind, and give them a try!
—Dr. Vinny
