Is There a Wine That Tastes Like Grape Juice?
Last Updated on August 1st, 2023
Reader Disclosure Disclosure: We may earn commissions for purchases made through links on our site. Learn more on our about us page.Some wines are specifically designed to taste like grape juice. Of course, they won’t be exactly the same as grape juice because of the presence of alcohol, but they’re a lightyear away from wines produced to taste like, well, wine.
But how similar the flavor is depends on what kind of grape juice you’re comparing. Grape juice wines often try to mimic the reddish-purple grape juice made from Concord grapes. This process is quite different from white grape juice popularized by Welch’s and made from Niagara grapes.
What Red Wine Tastes Like Grape Juice?
To find a red wine that tastes like grape juice, concentrate on the sweet side of the scale. A dry red might have some of the same flavor notes as grape juice, but the similarity is more subtle.
Concord is a full-bodied red wine made from the same grapes as traditional grape juice. It’s marketed as the adult version of juice and has won a plethora of awards for its flavor. Concord is one of the sweetest reds available, so it’s perfect for people trying to ease into wine drinking or switching from sweet white wine. The taste is more like grape soda than grape juice, but wine always has less sugar than fruit juice.
Lambrusco wines, Pinot Noir, and Merlots can also taste a bit like grape juice. Look for sweet, fruity reds, and don’t be afraid to explore outside of wines that market themselves as alcoholic grape juice. The perfect combination of sweet and fruity might come from the flavor of plums or other fruit but still remind you of grape juice. After all, some of the most popular grape juice brands in the United States are primarily apple juice.
How to Get My Wine to Taste More Like Grape Juice?
If you can’t purchase a wine that already tastes like grape juice, try adding sugar. During the fermentation process, yeast turns most of the juice’s sugar into alcohol, so it’s an important but largely missing ingredient. Unfortunately, there’s only so much you can do to make a wine taste like juice.
Remember to chill the wine before drinking it since warm wine tastes more like alcohol than cold wine, which is hardly a grape juice flavor. Of course, the perfect temperature varies depending on the type of wine, but in a pinch, 30 to 45 minutes in the fridge can only help.
Can I Add Grape Juice to My Wine?
Adding a splash of grape juice or apple juice can make the wine more palatable. Even more, than a splash is acceptable because it’s your wine on your taste buds. When adding sugar or juice still doesn’t do the trick, consider turning the wine into a grape sangria.
Sangria is the addition of sugar, juice, and fruit to wine, and that juice and fruit can absolutely be grape. You can also include seasonal fruit and other alcohol of your choice. Sangria is versatile and a great way to save a wine that isn’t to your liking while using ingredients already in your kitchen.
Summary
Wine can be crafted to taste like grape juice or spruced up at home by adding sugar, juice, or fruit. Concord is an especially popular grape juice wine, but many wines come close in sweetness with fruity notes. So whether you prefer white or red, there’s likely grape juice wine for you.
