Fruit winemakers giving Vitis vinifera the two fingers

It’s not only Vitis vinifera grapes that can make a good wine. Okay, so fruit wine is a very different type of wine, but super drinkable nonetheless. I vividly remember driving through parts of New Zealand and not being able to escape their love affair with the kiwi fruit. But that’s not the only type.

Fruit exportation is big business in New Zealand, and they ain’t short when it comes to variety and volume. As it is for Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, the twin-islands are a paradise for fruit growing, and like any other well oiled industry with any sort of initiative, they have found ways to add value and create markets for a natural resource they have in abundance.

So will it be kiwi, blackcurrant, boysenberry or feijoa? Of fruit wine producers, Redwood seems to be one of the key players. From still wines and sparkling wines to liqueurs and ciders, they’ve managed to come up with a great portfolio to whet the appetite of wine drinkers and non-wine drinkers alike.

Here’s a taste:

Feijoa Wine 100% sun-ripened and hand-picked locally-grown feijoa. Fermented in modern stainless steel, these feijoas have been meticulously crafted into a wine of distinct bouquet—as only the “Pineapple Guava” fruit can taste! A singular change from the similarity of many grape wines, served chilled, this wine fully reveals its complex character and makes an ideal accompaniment to seafood and poultry dishes. Ready for consuming or for limited cellaring 12-24 months. (2008 New World Wine Award – Bronze Medal Winner,
2008 Bronze Medal Winner in the International Fruit Wine & Cider Makers of New Zealand Competition)

Sparkling Boysenberry Wine Sports the plump, succulent flavours of carefully harvested, sun-drenched Nelson boysenberries. Exotic boysenberries — originally a cross among blackberry, red raspberry and loganberry — are crafted into a rich, reddish-purple sparkling wine that hints of subtle oak essence and boasts a fresh, effervescent nature making it an ideal accompaniment for cheese, fruit, paté, and red meats. (2008 Bronze Medal Winner in the Fruit Wine & Cider Makers of New Zealand International Fruit Wine Competition)

Blackberry Nip Perfectly blended with succulent blackberry character, this sweet fruit wine is traditionally consumed as is or over ice. Add it to lemonade or soda water for a long summer drink. Readily adaptable to kitchen creations, too. Bon apetit!

I’m unaware of availability in Ireland. If anyone has come across it, or something similar, feel free to leave a comment below. Product content and picture sourced from http://www.redwoodcellars.co.nz/ – thanks to Curious Davide for the link.