Skip to main content
It is not wine. It is not mead. It is not cider. Until its mead program gets off the ground in six months, Portland's Hi-Wheel Wine & Mead Co. mostly makes "fizzy wines"—fermented, carbonated fruit juice that is closest in description to an artisanal take on wine cooler, in flavors such as lavender-lemon and a lovely pomegranate-habanero. They are spiked, sweet and highly effervescent. Not all are successful. The Ruby Zozzle grapefruit combines two versions of tart for an uncomfortable acidic stew, and the easy-drinking summertime-style spritzers can feel a little like a less-syrupy version of what everybody used to drink in parking lots in high school. But the Death Wish Bunny? Total keeper. A mix of carrot juice, lemon, ginger and chai, it achieves a nice balance of savory and sweet, and both the ginger and citrus are nicely subdued. It's like a vegan bowl as light alcoholic refreshment. Recommended.
WWeek 2015