Carinoso Manzana Apple Wine

Carinoso Manzana is an apple wine made in Massachusetts, a fruit wine in which apples are fermented instead of grapes. The label doesn't state the apple varieties, sweetness level, alcohol content or vintage, so the notes below describe what apple wines of this kind usually offer. Expect a bright, orchard-fruit nose of fresh-cut apple, with possible hints of pear, baked apple skin or a little blossom. On the palate, apple wines typically sit light to medium in body, with a clean, crisp texture closer to a dry cider or an off-dry white wine than to a grape red. Tannin is generally negligible, since there are no grape skins or oak contact to supply it. Acidity does most of the work, usually the malic tartness you get from biting into a firm apple, and it is what keeps the wine refreshing rather than syrupy. Oak influence is unlikely in this style, and the finish tends to be short to medium, ending on crisp apple fruit. Serve it well chilled, around 7 to 10°C (45 to 50°F), which keeps the acidity lively and the fruit aromatic. If it turns out to be on the sweeter side, going nearer the cold end tightens it up. No decanting is needed, because a wine like this has no tannin to soften and gains nothing from extra air. A standard white wine glass or a small tulip-shaped glass is the right choice. The narrowed rim concentrates the apple aromatics better than a wide tumbler would. For food, the natural matches are the same ones that suit apples in cooking. Roast pork loin or pork chops, sharp cheddar, aged Gouda and brie all work well, as do cured ham, roast chicken with sage, and a plate of sausages with mustard. The acidity cuts through rich or fatty dishes, and a touch of residual sweetness, if present, handles mild spice such as lightly curried dishes or a ginger-glazed preparation. It also works alongside autumn desserts like apple tart or a plain shortbread, though in that case pick a drier bottle than the dessert is sweet. Treat this as a drink-now bottle. Apple wines are made for freshness and are not built for cellaring, since the appeal is in the primary fruit and crisp acidity, which fade rather than develop with long storage. Keep it somewhere cool and out of direct light, and once opened, reseal it and refrigerate it. It will hold its character for a few days.