What Makes Lemon Wine Different From The Grape-Based Kind?

When wine aficionados discover new vintages or intriguing twists on things like terroir, grape varieties, or winemaking techniques, it's a big deal. That's why a wine made from something other than grapes gets extra scrutiny before gradual acceptance. That's especially true when the wine happens to come from the tangy, tarty darling of citrus fruits: lemons. Needless to say, lemon wine isn't your typical bottle of vino — nor would you want it be.

Most wine drinkers adventurous by nature — but is lemon wine a bridge too far? Maybe not, according to those who've tiptoed over the grapevine path. A few obvious things stand out with lemon wine: It's not made from grapes, doesn't rely on the intricacies of terroir, and there's no need for giant oak barrels. It's therefore simple to make and readily available, with far less fuss and frenzy. But it does have its own challenges, including high acidity, plus the need for a whole lot of sugar.

At its core, lemon wine gets fermented with lemon juice, sometimes including the zest, sugar, water, and wine yeast. But since lemons themselves have almost no fermentable sugar, the amount of added sugar necessary for winemaking can be several pounds per gallon. It's also common to support fermentation with raisins, white grape juice, and yeast nutrients. However, unless you're making your own lemon wine at home, what's most important to potential crossover wine-drinkers is the taste — which can be hard to imagine before first sip. 

Compared to grape-based wine, lemon wine is generally lighter‑bodied, brighter, and sharper. Though lemon wine is generally less complex in aroma and texture, it does have its own depth from naturally inherent citric acid plus added sugars. It's generally considered refreshing and crisp, similar to hard lemonade, but without the fizz.

Given the relative ease of making non-grape fruit wines at home, including lemon wines, it's worth considering the differences between commercially available brands and homemade ones. First, be aware that lemon winemaking does require considerable time from inception to sipping. That includes two weeks or more in primary fermentation, then a couple of months for secondary aging, which is necessary for smoothing out the sharp citrus tones. Some homemade lemon-wine amateurs note a need to balance the acidity with back-sweetening, as well as avoiding the bitter pith and seeds, and using only the outer peel of the zest. 

Taste and texture can vary considerably between commercial and homemade lemon wines, partially because each entrepreneur uses subjective levels of each ingredient, or even different lemon varieties, such as Meyer lemons. Handmade versions can be more rustic, cloudier, unpredictable, and fruit-forward compared to the lighter, smooth, consistent, and elegant commercially produced ones. Some may also consider commercial varieties less flavorful, partially due to universal yeast strains. When buying lemon wine from the grocery store, you might miss out on the depth, complexity, and individual character traits from small-batch producers.