Pear wine pleasure

As we cross into the autumnal equinox, our senses know that fall is flirting with us on Capitol Hill. Squash and figs have replaced tomatoes and watermelons in the farm stands at Eastern Market. Morning commuters, freed from endless months of closed-window confinement, sit more contently in traffic as schoolchildren outpace them on the sidewalk.

Recently, I hosted a dinner for friends on our deck to embrace the change of season in the crisp twilight air. “I really like this wine, what is it?” asked my friend Laura, who prefers snappy whites like Pinot Gris (also known as Pinot Grigio in Spain and Italy). “It’s a pear wine from Maine,” I replied nonchalantly. “Really? I didn’t know you could make wine from pears,” she said, cautiously, as if I might be joking.

I wasn’t surprised by Laura’s reaction; grapes have become synonymous with wine. But not all wines are made from grapes. In fact, non-grape fruit wines have a long and distinguished history. Plum wine has been made in China and Japan for countless centuries. Early Greek documents refer to a drink made from fermented apple juice. Pliny the Elder (A.D. 23-79) wrote frequently and passionately about pear wine. Around the same time, when the Romans invaded England, they found that the locals had a delightful alcoholic drink made out of rosy apples. It quickly became popular among the soldiers, who then spread the beverage across Europe.

Traditionally, grapes are the fruit of choice in commercial wine production, whereas other fruit wines are made informally for private consumption on fruit-growing farms and orchards. But as the worldwide wine market continues to expand in breadth and depth, fruit wines are starting to receive long-overdue attention from winemakers, tasting experts and consumers.

There is no better time to enjoy fruit wines than during fall. The season conjures images of orchards, harvests and hearty fruits. There are many different types to explore, but the best are expressions of the finest growing regions for their particular fruit: red raspberry and blackberry wine from the Pacific Northwest; cherry wine from Michigan; and cranberry and blueberry wine from New England. Unlike those odious, overly sweet offerings in frosted bottles that impart fake “fruit flavors” to grape wines, real fruit wines are only made from the actual fruit on their label. Most are now crafted with the same modern techniques and attention to detail as their grape cousins and complement a wide range of cuisines.

Bartlett Pear Dry, Maine ($15)
Start with this dry white in place of Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. It pairs perfectly with seafood, chicken, pork and lighter root vegetables. Serve chilled. Available in wine shops and restaurants on Capitol Hill.