Açaí Wines

We received the product for review and all opinions are our own.

Açaí (ah-sigh-EE) berries are considered by many to be one of the healthiest foods. They contain a high amount of antioxidants, plus healthy fats and fiber. The fruit comes from the Amazon region of Brazil, where they are a staple. Açaí palm trees in the rainforests of Central and South America are bearers of this exotic fruit. There is a dark purple skin and yellow flesh around a large seed, similar to an apricot. So technically, Açaí is not a berry, although that’s what it is commonly called.

You may be wondering why Texas Wine Lover is writing about a wine made from a fruit grown in Brazil. Just wait. You’ll see.

So, this fruit is about the size of a blueberry, 1 to 2 centimeters in diameter. It is often soaked to soften the tough skin and then mashed into a paste. The flavor is typically described as earthy, and it may remind you of a cross between fresh blackberries and unsweetened cocoa powder with a slight metallic aftertaste.

The fruit has a short shelf life, so when sold outside of the area grown, you’ll find a frozen fruit purée, dried powder, or pressed juice. You may find the fruit as a flavoring for candies or ice cream. Açaí oil is becoming popular as an ingredient in lotions and skin care products.

Açaí is regularly referred to as a superfood with benefits ranging from improved skin elasticity to weight loss, even brain health, and cancer-fighting properties. The naturally high level of anthocyanins found in the fruit gives benefits such as reduced inflammation, improved memory, and reduced risk of heart attack. Some wine grapes are also high in anthocyanins, such as Sagrantino.

Açaí Wine was first conceived as an idea around 2008, as Dr. Steve Talcott was researching açai fruit, first at the University of Florida from 2000-2006 and then starting in 2006 at Texas A&M University (TAMU). Steven is currently a professor at TAMU, and his research focus is on phytochemicals and the health benefits of fruits and vegetables. His wife, Susanne, is a professor specializing in nutritional biochemistry studying the health benefits of fruits and botanicals. Over several years, Steven helped many açai-based companies to market their fruit juices and other value-added products, but it was years before he would see the fruit as a wine.

Steven completed the first English language research paper on açai, just as juice companies were also discovering the fruit, and it exploded in popularity starting around 2005 in beverages, smoothies, and desserts. He explains, “Açai grows on a tall, narrow palm tree in the Amazon River basin, benefiting from a “microclimate” in and around the tributaries of the Amazon River basin. Açai palms are quite numerous on the planet, growing in around one million square miles of land, but most of it is completely inaccessible for commercial harvest. Someone literally climbs up these palm trees to harvest the large fruit clusters that hang from the side of the palms anywhere from 20-60 feet off the ground.”

Now in Texas, Steven partnered with winemaker Mike Sipowicz to create “Açai Wine, LLC,” The two worked for over a year to bring Açai Wine to life, with the first vintage produced in 2010.

So, here’s your Texas connection. The fruit is grown in the Amazon, sent to Texas, and made into wine. The current vintage was produced at Texas Wine Shop in Jasper, which Steven owns. Texas Wine Shop & Bistro is a family-owned vineyard, winery, and restaurant established in 2007. The 20-acre muscadine vineyard is the largest of its kind.

Aside from the muscadine wines made by Texas Wine Shop, you’ll find the açai wines available as well. Clarified açai juice was made from açai fruit pulp from Brazil, wild-harvested in the Brazilian state of Para near the mouth of the Amazon River. For those of you wine nerds: the juice was fermented with RB2 yeast from Zymaflore at 68-70F, and the alcohol content is 12%.

Steven’s Açai Wine comes in a sweet (Doce) version and a dry (Seco) version, each bottle priced at $36.50 and available online at https://acaiwine.com.

I recently tried both versions of the wine and was pleasantly surprised. I mentioned that some grapes, such as Sagrantino, are high in anthocyanins, like açai. The difference is, açai wine is a little softer, without the harsh tannins of the grapes that are high in healthy qualities. The wines are still bold, with a full mouthfeel. The color is quite dark, a blackish red. The nose reminds me of black potting soil and Welch’s grape juice, so fruity and earthy at the same time. The wine mainly hits the middle palate with medium tannins, black fruit, and cocoa powder with a finish similar to pomegranate juice. I liked the Doce/sweet version a little more than the dry, although it wasn’t as sweet as a fruit juice. I even made a cocktail with the Doce, adding Prosecco and a squeeze of lime, which was quite refreshing.

Even if you’re not typically a fan of wines made from fruits other than grapes, I encourage you to give Açai Wines a try. It’s not far off from a bold red wine.