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Historians believe that, based on archaeological evidence, the first fruit wines were produced and consumed some 50,000 years ago, made from figs and dates. However, these wines were very thick and overly sweet, with an alcohol content believed to have been around the 30% mark!
Experimenting with fruits and producing wine is something which has continued through the years, with cherry wine being one such example. Cherry wine was reportedly first produced as a form of homebrew following World War I where people became more experimental and resourceful with their winemaking. Thankfully, processes have advanced quite considerably since then, resulting in a more polished final product with a much more modest alcohol content!
If you are new to the world of cherry wine, we have explored the fruity number in a bit more detail here, so you can experience it in all its glory.
Cherry Wine Profile
With our cherry wine, you will be instantly met with the smell of real cherries upon pouring, which may sound obvious, but often cherry wines can have more of an artificial smell. You will also detect a hint of almond on the nose, adding to the wonderful profile of the wine. After sipping the drink, you will notice a very smooth, full-flavoured taste profile which is an excellent accompaniment to many desserts, particularly those that contain chocolate, caramel, or citrus.
How is Cherry Wine Made?
Fruit wines are quite often viewed as being a less complex drink to make than their grape counterparts, but the process of making them is almost identical. So, for cherry wine, the juice and flavour of the fruit is extracted by pressing, stewing, and fermenting the pulp of the fruit. From there, sugar (or honey in some instances) is added to increase the alcoholic content during fermentation, while also producing a more polished and palatable final product.
How Should Cherry Wine be Enjoyed?
Whenever we get asked about how someone should enjoy one of our products, we are happy to make suggestions, just as we did with our Lugger Rum guide and our gin enjoyment piece. However, we often say the best way to enjoy it is whichever way takes your fancy, as we are all individuals, and one size doesn’t always fit all. The only thing we do ask is that you share your ideas with us on our social media channels, so we can share in your enjoyment! You can find the links to our social media channels at the bottom of this piece.
For enjoying our cherry wine on its own, as previously mentioned, we feel it makes a perfect dessert wine, so enjoy a serving of around 120ml at a cool, room temperature. As with our other fruit wines, they can be enjoyed as a refreshing long drink, mixed 50/50 with soda water.
Alternatively, you could try the Cherry Wine Cocktail from the Mr Boston Official Bartender’s Guide. This cocktail was first included in the 1974 guide, and is a deliciously simple recipe, which we have listed below:
Ingredients
Note – ¾ ounce as a measurement is the small side of a typical cocktail jigger
¾ Ounce Cherry Wine
¾ Ounce Vodka
½ Juice of a Lime
Method
Add together all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice, before straining into a cocktail glass.
How Long Can I Keep Cherry Wine For?
Unlike wine made from grapes, fruit wines aren’t designed to be “aged”, so it is best to drink them within a year of when they were bottled. However, this is not a hard and fast rule, it is just recommended so you can get the best out of your product. We do also recommend that you should drink your cherry wine within a week of opening the bottle.
Cherry Wine in Music
Over the years, cherry wine has been written into a variety of songs from a range of artists. Jimmie Rodgers was the first to use the line back in 1931, stating “I’m goin’ where the water drinks like cherry wine/ Cuz the Georgia water tastes like turpentine.”
Since Rodgers, a range of artists from Van Morrison and Prince to the Foo Fighters and Sheryl Crow have referred to the drink in their songs, with the sweet wine used to highlight feelings of romance, and we couldn’t think of a better suited drink!
Get in Touch
We always welcome your feedback about our products, so please let us know not only about your uses for our cherry wine, but any of our other products. Why not drop us a message on our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts?
