Hawaii: land of volcanoes, luaus, leis, tropical fruits, exotic flowers, hula dancers, and… wine? Yes, wine. By global standards, wine production in Hawaii is still in its infancy. Two of the major vineyards on the islands – Maui’s Tedeschi Vineyard and Volcano Winery on the Big Island – have only been around since the mid 1970s and mid 1980s, respectively.
When one thinks of viticulture, the warm Hawaiian tropics are not among the growing regions that come to mind. However, there are a few varieties of grapes which have grown quite well on the islands. The Isabella grape is the most established vine of Hawaii. A highly adaptable hybrid, Isabella is now grown successfully in many warmer climates worldwide, including South America and South Africa, though its growth and use in Europe dwindled decades ago, partly because of the vine’s susceptibility to black rot and mildew. Isabella is a good grape for blending with the tropical fruit flavors of the islands. Carnelian is another hybrid developed specifically for warm-weather growth; it is a grape that is said to contribute more color than flavor to wine, so it is also popular for blending with other fruits in wine production. The Symphony grape, a cross between Grenache Gris and Muscat of Alexandria, flourishes in the mineral-rich soils of Hawaii and produces a sweet, aromatic wine with floral overtones. Symphony is one of the rarer wine-making grapes, and its wine is rarely a disappointment when found.
Hawaiian vineyards, though new, produce some very palatable wines that are not likely to be found elsewhere. These include Volcano Winery’s special Symphony wines, Hawaiian Guava wine and Macadamia Nut Honey wine, and Tedeschi Vineyard’s pineapple and passion fruit Maui Splash, Framboise de Maui Raspberry wine, and a most unique honey dessert wine made without grapes – just honey, water and yeast.
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