Oliver Ruby Red Grapefru

Oliver Ruby Red Grapefruit is a fruit dessert wine from Massachusetts, made around ruby red grapefruit rather than grapes. It belongs with fruit wines, not the vinifera varietals. The product details don't list an ABV, a sweetness level or a vintage, so what follows describes what this style usually delivers. Expect a pink-blush colour and an aroma of fresh grapefruit zest and pith, with the flavour moving from sweet juice into a bitter-tinged citrus edge. Wines like this are light to medium in body, carry no tannin or oak, and rely on bright, tart acidity to balance the sweetness. The finish is typically clean and short, ending on a faint grapefruit bitterness. Chill it well, to about 38 to 45°F (3 to 7°C), which keeps the acidity crisp and stops the sweetness from reading as syrupy. It needs no decanting. A white wine glass or a small tulip-shaped dessert glass works best, since the narrower opening holds the citrus aroma. Pour modest servings, as dessert-style wines are usually sipped slowly. For food, the grapefruit acidity suits salty and creamy partners. Try soft goat cheese, a young brie, or prosciutto with melon. Shortbread, lemon pound cake, vanilla panna cotta and fruit tarts also work, because the wine's tartness stops them from tasting heavy. Lightly spiced dishes such as shrimp ceviche or a mild Thai salad can handle a bit of sweetness. Avoid pairing it with sweeter desserts than the wine itself, which would flatten it. It can also go in mixed drinks. Top a small pour with sparkling water or prosecco for a spritz, or use it in place of grapefruit juice and simple syrup in a gin or vodka highball. Fruit wines like this are made to be drunk young while the citrus is at its brightest, so plan to drink it within a year or two of purchase rather than cellar it. Once opened, reseal it and keep it in the refrigerator. It is best finished within several days, before the fresh citrus aroma fades.