Fortified wine

A fortified wine is a wine to which additional alcohol has been added, the most common additive being brandy (a spirit distilled from wine).

The original reason for fortification was to preserve wines, as the higher alcohol level and additional sweetness help to preserve the wine (when supplemental alcohol is added before fermentation finishes, it kills the yeast and leaves residual sugar). Even though other preservation methods exist, the fortification process survives, as consumers have developed tastes for wines preserved this way.

Common fortified wines include:

Sherry
Port
Marsala
Madeira
Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise and other vins doux naturels

Fortified wines must be distinguished from spirits made from wine. While both have increased alcohol content, spirits are the result of a process of distillation, while fortified wines have spirits added to them. Fortified wines generally have an alcohol content between that of wines and spirits.

Fortified wines are legally called dessert wines in the U.S. but are called liqueur wines in Europe. In UK legislation they are called fortified wines except where the EU insists on the use of "liqueur wine".

American "Dessert" Wines

Fortified wines of minimal price and quality have a reputation as the intoxicant of choice among the underage and poor; in the United States they are often known as "bum wines", due to their perceived association with the homeless. They are typically fortified with grape alcohol. The most popular US beverages typically included in this category are Thunderbird, MD 20/20, Cisco, Night Train, and Wild Irish Rose. Buckfast Tonic Wine, Boone's Farm and Ripple have similar reputations, though Ripple is no longer produced. Typical ingredients include added sugars, artificial colorings and flavorings. Most such wines have harsh flavors and are not favored by most wine aficionados.

See also: Pruno

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