Fruit Character
Definition - What does Fruit Character mean?
The fruit character of a wine is dependent on the type of varietal from which a wine is made. However, a single varietal wine will have a different character depending on where the fruit is cultivated, as varying climates and geology can change how the wine grape presents itself. The way the winemaker handles the fruit during the winemaking process can also change the fruit character of a wine.
WineFrog explains Fruit Character
The fruit character of a wine is marked by its aroma and taste. There are hundreds, if not thousands of similarities to fruit that can present itself in a wine. Here are some examples:
- apple pie
- Anjou pear
- kiwi
- citrus
- pineapple
- berries
- raspberry preserves
However, as explained above, the same varietal, depending on where it is grown can have various outcomes in a wine's fruit character.
For example, a Syrah wine which is from the Rhone region of France is typically earthy with perfume notes of fruit-like berries. It may smell more floral than having fruit notes. Its body is also different which can alter how the fruit character is perceived on the palate based on acidity and tannin content. However, a Syrah/Shiraz from Australia is completely different. These wines are typically more expressive in fruit character with very ripe notes of late summer berries and even blueberry preserves or blackberry pie.
In addition, the age of a wine can also alter its fruit character, as this is a quality which fades with the aging of wine.
