Wine gets healthy with pomegranate

Pomegranates have hit the newspapers as a superfood, but the latest innovation is in the drinks business.

Rimon Winery now manufactures a wine made entirely from fermented pomegranate juice, using fruit carefully sourced from its Israeli fruit farms.

The full-bodied 15% abv is aged in oak barrels and delivers the complex flavours of a fine red, but without a tannic aftertaste.

The result is rich, nutty and decidedly unusual, but nevertheless stands as a worthy contender against quality grape wines from varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz.

The manufacturers scored a direct hit with Waitrose within weeks of it sampling the product and aim to team their supermarket rollouts next year with a focus on the on-trade.

Although Rimon is unable as yet to claim organic or health benefits for its product, it is confident that both accolades will soon be accompanying its products.

"Currently it is organic in everything but name only, and we have to be very careful about what we state on the bottle," said winemaker Avi Nachmias.

"The same is true of the health benefits, but we are finalising our research in this area and hope soon

to be able to endorse the wine with the many incredible antioxidant and anti-

ageing properties of the pomegranate."

The company produces three varieties of its pomegranate red wine — dessert, dry and a Port style, the first of which will be available in Waitrose from next year. Positioned as a luxury product, the wine will start out at the promotional price of £14.95 for the off-trade, rising to £20.

For the future Rimon is positive about its on-trade offering, which is likely to focus on pubs positioned for the gastro-market.

"We hope this is something which will appeal to a diverse range of consumers," said Nachmias, whose wine is also a kosher product. "We want as many people as possible to enjoy our wines."