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THE
"EBBELWOI"
"Ebbelwoi" is the only official way of saying "apple
wine" in Frankfurt and beyond. The apple wine itself
- although not the variety now popular in the State of Hesse
- was already known to the ancient Greek and Romans.
Fruit wine has a
long tradition in regions where growing grapes is difficult
because of the climate or the soil. The kind of apple wine
often called "Cidre" is a sweeter variety with more
alcohol contents. In the State of Hesse, apple wine is made
the traditional way without adding sugar and with complete
fermentation.
Apple wine can be
preserved in the same way as other wines. Traditionally, however,
this is done by using a very small percentage of sour fruit
which make the apple wine clear and preserve it. One of the traditional
fruit varieties for this is called "Speierling",
which isn't even an apple at all, but comes from the family
of rowan/mountain ash fruit.
Apple wine - especially when it is
"spritzed" with mineral water - is often seen as
a beverage. However, it is indeed a genuine fruit wine and
a pure, natural product if it is pressed properly and made
the traditional way. Then its taste does have a certain acidity/tartness,
but it is no more bitter than any other wine, too.
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