AS SEEN IN 518 Profiles: How to Pick a Great Fruity Wine

As seen in 518 Profiles Magazine, February 2020.

Wine drinkers in 2020 have choices.

From deep dark reds to light fruity whites, there is an entire spectrum of flavors and styles that are constantly evolving as winemakers push the envelope in hopes of creating something groundbreaking.  

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the world of fruity wines.

Fruity wines have historically caught flack for being of lesser perceived value than their red wine counterparts, but with the craft beverage revolution in full swing, you don’t have to settle for a lower quality fruity wine anymore.

Fruity wines can be lightly sweet and mellow or bursting with sweetness and flavor. These days, you’ll find options beyond black and red fruits and berries, too.

For instance, Adirondack Winery in the upstate New York village of Lake George offers more than a dozen semi-sweet reds and whites infused with natural fruit flavors. Within their lineup, you’ll find out of the box flavors like their grapefruit infused semi-sweet white, Drifter, their mango infused semi-sweet white, Lake Winds White, and their blueberry infused red wine, Blue Twilight.

Of course, crafting a remarkable wine involves a lot more than just picking a flavor and bottling it up – and Adirondack Winery knows this. They spend months testing and improving every tank of wine and each 750 ML bottle wears a beautiful beige label featuring a gorgeous photo from the renowned Adirondack Mountain region.

That’s the kind of love, care and value you are looking for when you buy a bottle of fruity of wine. Here are some other helpful tips and hints to help you find the right fruity wine, whether you are a red wine drinker, beer drinker or entirely new to the world of fruity wines.

What is a fruity wine?

The term “fruity” is used for wines that have dominant fruit flavor profiles. They are great wines for people new to wine because they typically have higher sugar content and lower amounts of alcohol compared to red wine. They don’t have to be so sweet that they are considered a sweet or dessert wine, but they can, and it’s up to you and your palate to decipher how much you enjoy (or don’t enjoy) the sweetness.  

And the best part is, at wineries with a vast selection like Adirondack Winery, you can start with a wine that is infused with your favorite fruit, so you know what to expect as it hits your tongue.

What makes a wine great?

Legendary American vineyard operator Robert Mondavi once said, “You can make bad wine with great grapes, but you can’t make great wine with bad grapes.”

Regions like New York’s Finger Lakes and Napa Valley California are known for having some of the greatest grapes in the nation. This is because of the climate and soil in which they are grown as well as the choices the grape growers make regarding pruning, irrigation and harvest timing. 

Artful winemaking is another factor to consider. This can include everything from the yeast and method of introducing grape skins back into the wine during fermentation to the temperature and vessel chosen for aging.

Many wine lovers also recognize a winery’s long-term vision and passion as factors for creating great wine. It’s hard to quantify, but you can visit a winery or its Tasting Room to see that passion firsthand. Your experience at a winery can make that wine even more special to you.

What tastes great to you?

Really, what it boils down to is what you like. Your preference for sweetness, alcohol content and fruit flavor will help you find a wine that works for you. The fun part can be experimenting with new flavors and styles of grapes, like Adirondack Winery’s strawberry-infused Riesling, Soaring Strawberry, and black cherry-infused Pinot Noir, Wild Red. You will even find that sweet whites and reds lend themselves nicely to soft and seasoned cheeses, cured meats and sweet treats. Fruity wines are often best served chilled (the bottle should give you more information on that) and with the right airtight bottle stopper, an open bottle can stay fresh for weeks. And remember, drink what you love, and have fun doing as you explore the wonderful world of fruity wine.

To shop from Adirondack Winery's full selection of fruit-infused New York wines, click here. 

Roberto Cruz: marketing@adirondackwinery.com; 518-668-9463 ext. 20.