Raisin wine, also known as straw wine, is made from dried grapes and has been produced since ancient times. The drying process is labor-intensive, making quality raisin wine expensive. The type and quality of raisins used, as well as the winemaking process, affect the flavor and color of the wine. Raisins can also be added to other sweet wines to enhance their flavor and texture.
Raisins, also called straw wine, is a sweet wine made from grapes that have been laid or hung to dry, usually in the sun. The type of raisin, the drying method and the winemaking method can vary between wineries and regions. This drink was traditionally made in parts of France and Northern Italy, but winemakers around the world had started making this wine in the late 20th century.
Wine dates back to around 800 BC when it first appeared in Greek poetry. Hesiod, a poet, referred to a raisin wine named Cypriot Manna. Winemakers twisted the stems to prevent the sap from reaching the fruit, causing it to dry out, or they would pick the fruit and leave it to dry. The labor-intensive method has changed little in many regions and artisan wineries, even into the 21st century. This drying process takes a long time and produces few raisins, so quality raisin wine is typically expensive.
Typical raisin wine recipes contain little more than raisins, water, citrus juice or acid, and sugar. A winemaker might add wine yeast to the recipe so they can sterilize the wine with a potassium or sodium metabisulfite tablet. The tablet stays in the wine for 24 hours, killing all harmful bacteria along with the natural yeast. Packaged yeast added to wine helps ferment the wine.
Straw wine is another common name for raisin wine, because the grapes are traditionally laid out on straw to dry in the sun. Cellars could hang, cover or dry grapes, depending on their location. In Austria, for example, regulations state that grapes for strohwein, or straw wine, must be spread out on straw or reed or hung on wire to dry. They sit for several months before pressing. Other common names vary between countries and regions, including slamove vino in the Czech Republic, vin de paille in France, and commandaria in Greece.
The quality, sweetness and color of raisins largely depend on the type and quality of raisins used. Muscat and white raisins add just a subtle caramel flavor and light hue, for example, and dark raisins create a sweeter flavor and darker wine. The process of growing, drying and producing raisins also influences wine. Early raisin wines featured naturally dried raisins without preservatives, and commercial raisins used in the 20th and 21st centuries, especially in home winemaking, sometimes had preservatives and a coating of oil, which affected the flavor of the wine.
Winemakers also add raisins to other types of sweet and fruity wines. The raisins add body and texture to the wine, almost thickening it. The addition also brings out the fruit flavor to the fore and lasts longer on the tongue.
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