Types of Wine Made in Florida

Who said winemaking was a West Coast thing?

Wine was being made in Florida long before the famous vineyards of Napa Valley. Colonists from France and Spain figured out how to make the drink on their own, while priests at Spanish missions around present-day Florida (and all the way through to New Mexico!) made their own wine for use in the Eucharist.

The abundance of fruits, flowers and heat-resistant grape varieties growing in Florida means you can find wine made from all sorts of produce. Check out the many types of wine made right here in Florida below, and keep an eye out for them next time you’re out shopping for a unique wine to pair with your meal!

What makes Florida wine unique?

Before we delve into the types of wines made here in the Sunshine State, we should preface it all by saying that you won’t get anything similar to wine in California, Oregon, Texas or Washington — for a few good reasons.

First, most wine grapes are delicate and prefer a Mediterranean climate in which to grow. This means hot, dry summers and gentle breezes that keep the delicate grapes safe from storms, high winds and heavy rain.

It doesn’t take a sommelier to figure out that Florida’s climate is nothing like a Mediterranean climate. Summers here are defined by high heat, high humidity and plenty of summer storms. Grapes and fruits that grow here must be able to withstand these conditions, and the typical wine grapes common on the West Coast just aren’t up for the task.

The other big reason wine-growing is hard here is because of Pierce’s Disease, a soil-borne disease that typically affects non-native grapevines. The disease clogs the water vessels in the vines and causes the plant to dry out and, eventually, die completely. It’s impossible to get rid of the disease once it’s in the soil, so planting varieties of grapes that are prone to infection is a guaranteed path to failure. 

Luckily, though, Florida’s farmers and winemakers have found out what does and doesn’t work for them, and now there are plenty of Florida-made wines out there for you to enjoy!

Grape and fruit wines made in Florida State

Grape wines

Muscadine wine

Muscadine wine is produced almost completely exclusively here in the continental United States, and it’s one of the more popular wine grapes grown in Florida. 

These grapes are round and have thick, bitter skins and seedy interiors. They thrive in humid environments and can survive rainy weather, unlike many of the wine grapes grown on the West Coast.

It’s not the easiest grape to turn into wine, but the unique flavors create a wine that’s unique in flavor, intensity and texture. The flesh is sweet and juicy, and the thick skin adds rich and bold ripe notes that make for a highly aromatic wine. 

Blanc du Bois

Blanc du Bois is another great heat-resistant wine grape that’s a descendant of old-world grapes brought over by European colonists.

Unlike the bold Muscadine, Blanc du Bois grapes are gentler on the palette and create beautifully aromatic white wines with hints of florals and citrus. 

Miss Blanc

Miss Blanc is closely related to its predecessor, Blanc du Bois, but it’s less aromatic. This white wine, while still fruity and sweet, has none of the aromatics and has more acidity than most. 

Citrus wines

With an abundance of citrus fruits grown here in the Sunshine State, it’s no surprise that citrus wine has made itself a place on the wine shelf alongside its fellow grape-based beverages. 

Citrus wine is made using freshly-squeezed citrus juice from oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits or kumquats. Citrus peels also contain highly aromatic oils and acids, so those are used to add vital chemicals that allow for the fermentation process to start. Of course, there are a lot of other ingredients, steps and methods to follow, but as long as you have access to fresh citrus (which Florida winemakers certainly do!) it's not too hard at all to make citrus wine.

In fact, you can even make citrus wine at home! Here’s how Florida’s citrus wine makers make theirs and how you can, too!

Tropical fruit wines

Humans have been figuring out how to make wine, beer and spirits for nearly all of human history, so of course there’s wine made out of tropical fruit, too! 

At its core, the most basic version of natural wine is made by allowing the natural sugars in grapes to interact with natural yeasts in the air. The yeasts eat the sugar and, in turn, kickstart the fermentation process. After the fruit mix is fermented to the winemakers liking, the liquid is filtered, bottled and left to age further. 

Making wine with tropical fruit utilizes the same process, as tropical fruits also contain natural sugars that can be fermented. Here are some of the more popular fruits that get turned into wine here in Florida!

• Mango wine
• Strawberry wine
• Passion fruit wine
• Banana wine
• Watermelon wine
• Pineapple wine
• Kiwi wine
• Guava wine
• Honeydew wine
• Blueberry wine
• Peach wine

Cheers!

While Florida may not be able to compete with Napa Valley or Sonoma in terms of official AVA wines, there’s still a booming wine industry that highlights the bounty of fresh fruits and native produce here in the Sunshine State. 

If you live in or near our luxury South Florida apartments, then be sure to find a local winery near you or pick up a bottle or two from your favorite wine store for a taste of the best wine Florida has to offer!

Enjoy!

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Featured photo courtesy Pixabay/Ben_Kerckx