Enjoy fruit wine for Tu B’Shevat

We think of wine as being only made from grapes. But wine can yield an abundance of flavors, including every fruit imaginable (and some not so imaginable). Few are aware of, or have tried, wines made from fruit.

At B’Shevat, next week’s celebration of trees and agriculture, what better way to celebrate than with fermented fruit from the holy land?

Morad Winery is an exclusively non-grape winery that produces full-flavored fruit wine including lychee and passion fruit grown in Israel.

Tu B’Shevat, the 15th day of Shevat, marks the beginning of a “new year” for trees, when the earliest-blooming trees in the Land of Israel emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle. In Jewish Law, the “new year” for trees relates to the various tithes that are separated from produce grown in the Holy Land. These tithes differ from year to year in the seven-year shemittah cycle; the point at which a budding fruit is considered to belong to the next year of the cycle is the 15th of Shevat.

We mark the day of Tu B’Shevat by eating fruit, particularly those that are singled out by the Torah in its praise of the bounty of the Holy Land: grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. Traditionally we eat a new fruit so we can make the blessing of Shechiyanu. The deeper meaning of the day is to remember that “man is a tree of the field” (Deuteronomy 20:19), and reflect on the lessons we can derive from our botanical analogue on self improvement.

Just as grape based wine is the natural fermentation of the juice of the grape, Fruit wine, similarly, is the natural fermentation of the juice of the fruit. Often fruit wines may be enhanced with the addition of alcohol or what is known as ‘Pot Still Brandy’ meaning alcohol derived from grapes.

As any chef will tell you, if you want great food start with great ingredients. The same is true for fruit wines, and when is comes to those, no one does it better than Israel’s Morad Winery. Besides drinking Morad’s wine straight (it’s delicious), here are two cocktail recipes for a joyous Tu’Bishvat celebration.

Morad Passion Fruit Sparkler

In a champagne glass, pour 3 oz of Morad Passion Fruit wine and then top with Prosecco (such as Bartenura brand). Garnish with fresh fruit.

Nectar of The Galilee

4 oz Morad Lychee Wine

2 oz Coconut milk

½ oz lime juice

In a shaker filled with ice, shake vigorously and strain into champagne coupe. For an exotic presentation, triple the ingredients for this recipe and serve in a hollowed out coconut shell.

These Morad Winery products are available at Liquor & Wine Watrehouse, 343 Rockaway Tpk., in Lawrence. 516-371-1133.