Frequently Asked Questions

California Fruit Wine is made wholly from fruits - it is not a grape based wine, and there are no artificial flavors or added colors. We take all-natural fruit juice and ferment it to fruit wine perfection. So, the tasting notes of each variety are a direct reflection of the flavor of the fruits they are made from. Consisting of between 2% residual sugar to 5.5% residual sugar, our wine is surprisingly not too sweet. We fall just outside of the dry category, but not into the dessert category. In comparison, a very dry red wine has about 1-2% residual sugar, and a sweet moscato has closer to 12%. Our fruit wines are are more light, crisp, and refreshing than they are sweet.

California Fruit Wine is best served well-chilled (between 38–42°F). Poured over ice is also a great way to drink our wines, as the fruity characteristics in each varietal continue to develop as the ice slowly melts. As far as glassware goes - stemmed and stemless wine glasses, mason jars, tumblers, pint glasses, champagne glasses, and up-cycled wine bottle glasses are all fair game. Our wines also mix deliciously into a wide variety of cocktails and "mocktails" - try mixing with your favorite spirit, muddled fruits, fresh herbs, mixers, and more!

We invite you to participate in “paying fun forward” by sharing your photos and all the fabulous ways you are enjoying and serving California Fruit Wine in the kitchen and beyond. Tag us in your photos so we can see your creations! @cfwco #fruitwinenation

Fruit wines are not meant to be aged like traditional grape wines. Before being opened, a bottle will last for about two years before it begins to lose its full flavor potential. Once opened, keep the bottle refrigerated with the cap tightly closed to keep the fresh fruit qualities of the wine intact. California Fruit Wine has a high alcohol content - 11% ABV - and once opened will last about three to seven days, although we do recommend drinking it within the first three days of opening for optimal freshness.

We source our fruits from suppliers that we trust up and down the West Coast, and source as locally as possible. At this time we do not use organic fruit, but choose to work with suppliers whose practices we wholly trust to provide the highest quality ingredients for our fruit wines.

Fruit Wine is generally any wine that is fermented from a fruit other than grapes. At The California Fruit Wine Co., we proudly produce wine with no artificial flavors or added colors. All of the delicious characteristics or our wines are the natural product of fruit fermentation.

In addition to being available through our Online Wine Club, California Fruit Wine is currently available in the retail market at select grocery chains, restaurants, bars, hotels, and more - check out our Retailers page to find a location near you. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date with additional retail locations as we grow and expand into new markets!

You do not need to decant and aerate California Fruit Wine before opening and serving, but no harm will come from doing it. Decanting in the world of grape wines is intended to separate clear wine from natural sediment formed in the aging process, and aerating wine can enhance its aromas and flavors. Fruit wine, however, is not intended to age, so sediment does not usually form, and when/if it does, it does not negatively affect the taste or mouthfeel of the fruit wine. If you want to decant your fruit wine, even if it's just because you think it looks prettier in the decanter, go ahead and do it and your fruit wine will still be delicious and refreshing.

We make California Fruit Wine at our urban winery in Carlsbad, California in San Diego County. Our production facility is currently capable of producing 200,000 gallons of refreshing fruit wines a year.

California Fruit Wine is made from fruit and, naturally, gluten free and vegan.

The California Fruit Wine Co. fruit wine is 100% natural. We do not add additional coloring or flavoring to any of the fruit wines. What you see on the label is what’s inside. The flavor is the fruit, and the color comes from the fruit.

This is a question for your doctor. If you are allergic to any of the fruit used in our wines, it is possible you might have an allergic reaction. If this is a concern, definitely check with your doctor before consuming.

Like any wine, the bulk of the calories come from the alcohol. Our wines are 11% ABV and roughly 110 calories per glass – 80 calories from alcohol and 30 calories from residual sugar. Our varieties range from consisting of 1.5% residual sugar (pineapple) to 5.5% residual sugar (mango). We fall just outside of the dry category, but not into the dessert category.

As far as how that relates to other wines, it just depends. For instance, a 14% ABV dry red wine will have an overall higher calorie count, even though it has a very low residual sugar of 1-2%. A sweet moscato with residual sugar closer to 12%, on the other hand, will have an overall higher calorie count, even though its ABV may be 5.5%. In general, our wines, although fruit-forward, have a relatively low amount of residual sugar for their flavor profile.

Sediment is something that occurs naturally during fermentation, and can sometimes still occur after fermentation has completed. It is essentially yeast cells or fiber and proteins from the fruit. It occurs with grape wines, and also fruit wines. It has nothing to do with the wine spoiling, and will not affect the flavor of fruit wine. If occasionally you see sediment in a bottle, you can use a decanter to separate the wine from the sediment, or enjoy it as it is.

The cork vs. cap debate in the wine world has been going on for a while, and experts generally agree that cork and cork alternatives are essentially the same in their ability to store wine, including fruit wine! Used in the wine industry in the US only since 1964, screw caps eliminate the problem of TCA aka ‘cork taint’ – an occasional chemical issue associated with real cork that can affect the smell and flavor of wines. We choose to use screw caps to avoid any potential problems with preservation, improve the lifespan of our delicious fruit wines, and better sustain their fruit-forward flavors.

Absolutely! Drinking California Fruit Wine shows you have an adventurous spirit, like to break boundaries, and aren't afraid to try something new. Who doesn't find that sexy?

You can cancel your subscription at any time for any reason. If you need to cancel, please contact us directly.

The option to Skip-a-Month is available through the 27th of each month before your credit card is automatically charged on the 28th. A reminder email will be sent the week prior. Because of our fulfillment process, once you are charged, your shipment is automatically generated. This just means more for wine for you! Cheers!

We are starting slow as we launch our new wine club. To keep up with our growing demand, we are working on national distribution. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified about any new developments!

You are ready to emerge from the traditional “red or white” wine world and expand your beverage horizon. You have a thirst for adventure and seek out the unusual. Wine made of fruits other than grapes has piqued your interest. You also believe that ingredients matter. And you care about supporting businesses that care about sustainability, community, and more than just themselves.

Our packages require an adult signature upon delivery. Check with anyone in your household or your office to see if they accepted the package on your behalf. Also, make sure your shipping address is up-to-date. Contact us directly if you still cannot locate your wine. 

Our wines are only available as part of a subscription. If you’d like to try just one box, we recommend signing up for a monthly subscription! You can skip any month or cancel your membership at any time. No commitment, no fees, no problem!

If you did not skip the month, the card on file in your account will be automatically charged on the 28th of the month. The option to skip is available until the 27th. 

This is not uncommon! Once you starting drinking California Fruit Wine, it’s hard to stop! If you find that you are enjoying your bottles quickly and would like more, you can upgrade your level of subscription from 2 bottles a month to 4 bottles at any time.

If you find that you are sharing with friends, and they are loving the fruit wines too, you can send them a link to sign up for their own wine club subscription using our referral program! 

We curate each month's box to be tailored to the season! Depending on your subscription level, you'll get either 2 or 4 bottles of the tastiest, most refreshing fruit wine to complement the summer, spring, fall, or winter! Each month's box is different from the last!

Our monthly packs ship out the first week of each month. All new subscriptions completed before the end of the month, will receive the next month’s curated selection. 

Oh no! Shoot us an email and we'll take care of it!

We have created a business model called the Social Value Enterprise. In this new model, wealth and value that is created by the business is shared with the entire community that helped build it, including the company workforce, the investors, the suppliers, and the customers.

In addition, The California Fruit Wine Co. has created a School of Social Value Entrepreneurship. In this school, we will fund other entrepreneurs to help start their own Social Value Enterprise. By becoming a wine club member, you are helping support us and in turn, support the community of Social Value Enterprises we are building. 

A Social Value Enterprise is a new model for business. As enterprise value is created, that value is shared equitably and proportionally with each of the value creators – the company workforce, the investors, the suppliers, and the customers.

Great! We hear that a lot. Drop us a line with the name and location of the bar, restaurant, etc. where you’d like to see California Fruit Wine available. Email us and we'll see what we can do!

At California Fruit Wine, we are a team committed to thinking outside the box, shifting the business paradigm, and making great wine. Do you have an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for exploring the path less traveled? You just may be a perfect fit to join our team. We are always looking for great talent to help grow our company. Head on over to our Work With Us to see a current listing of available positions. We can’t wait to hear from you!

If you are looking to connect on a media or PR basis, head on over to our Press page for more details!