Lynfred Rhubarb

Lynfred Rhubarb is a cold-macerated rhubarb fruit wine produced by Illinois' oldest family winery, available in a 750ml bottle with a semi-sweet, medium-bodied profile. Made from 100% rhubarb sourced from Poland, this expression stands out for its deliberate cold maceration technique, which preserves the fruit's natural tartness and aromatic complexity.

Quick Facts: Residual Sugar: 8.0%  |  Origin: Illinois, USA  |  Style: Semi-Sweet Fruit Wine  |  Winery: Lynfred Winery (Est. 1979)

Production & Heritage

Lynfred Winery was founded in 1979 and holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating family winery in Illinois. For the Rhubarb expression, stalks sourced from Poland are gently chilled and macerated in stainless steel vats prior to fermentation — a cold maceration process designed to capture the fruit's bold flavor and crisp essence without the bitterness that heat extraction can introduce. The result is a pink-coral wine with 8.0% residual sugar that balances sweetness against rhubarb's inherent tartness, fermented and finished entirely in stainless steel to maintain bright fruit character.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Fresh rhubarb stalk leads the nose, followed by subtle celery and cut grass notes. A delicate thread of rose petal adds floral lift to the overall bouquet.

Taste: The entry is unmistakably rhubarb juice — tangy and direct. At mid-palate, herbal undertones emerge alongside pomegranate sweetness and a streak of tart green apple. The medium body carries enough weight to feel substantial without cloying, thanks to the tension between residual sugar and natural acidity.

Finish: Clean and refreshing, with a sweet-tart interplay that lingers modestly. The final impression is crisp rhubarb with a gentle herbal fade.

How to Drink Lynfred Rhubarb

Serve well-chilled at 40–45°F to emphasize the wine's natural acidity and crisp fruit character. This wine is equally enjoyable on its own as it is in wine-based drinks. A Rhubarb Spritz — topped with sparkling water and a sprig of mint — highlights the wine's tartness in a low-ABV refresher. A Sangria built on this base benefits from the rhubarb's herbal backbone, pairing naturally with sliced stone fruit. For a simple Wine Cooler, combine with ginger ale over ice for an easy warm-weather sipper that plays off the green apple and pomegranate notes.

Best For

• Summer patio drinking and barbecues where a chilled, tart wine outperforms heavy reds
• Introducing fruit wine newcomers to a style beyond grape-based wines
• Gifting to someone who appreciates unique, small-winery American wines
• Brunch gatherings as a lighter alternative to sparkling wine or mimosas

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Lynfred Rhubarb taste like? Lynfred Rhubarb tastes like fresh-pressed rhubarb juice with supporting notes of pomegranate, green apple, and herbs, balanced by a semi-sweet finish driven by 8.0% residual sugar. The overall impression is tart, refreshing, and medium-bodied.

How does Lynfred Rhubarb compare to Ackerman Rhubarb Wine? Both are American-made rhubarb fruit wines, but Lynfred emphasizes cold maceration in stainless steel for a cleaner, more aromatic profile, while Ackerman's rhubarb wine — produced at Iowa's oldest winery — has earned multiple competition medals including People's Choice at the Manchester Rhubarb Fest. Lynfred tends toward a more herbal, rose-accented nose compared to Ackerman's straightforward fruit-forward approach.

Is Lynfred Rhubarb good for beginners? Yes — its approachable sweetness, familiar fruit flavor, and medium body make it an accessible entry point for anyone exploring fruit wines or stepping outside traditional grape varietals.

Where is Lynfred Rhubarb made? Lynfred Rhubarb is produced at Lynfred Winery in Roselle, Illinois, the oldest family-owned winery in the state, founded in 1979. The rhubarb itself is sourced from Poland, selected for the intensity and quality of the stalks.

What foods pair well with Lynfred Rhubarb? Grilled pork chops benefit from the wine's tartness cutting through fat. Strawberry shortcake or rhubarb crumble echo the fruit's natural profile. Soft goat cheese on crostini complements the herbal and floral notes. Arugula salad with candied walnuts mirrors the wine's sweet-tart balance. Thai-style spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce play well against the wine's acidity.

What sizes does Lynfred Rhubarb come in? Lynfred Rhubarb is available in the standard 750ml bottle format.

Is Lynfred Rhubarb worth the price? Lynfred Rhubarb positions as an affordable, approachable fruit wine that delivers genuine character beyond its price tier — its cold maceration technique and single-fruit purity give it more complexity than many mass-produced fruit wines in the same category.

Why Lynfred Rhubarb?

What sets this wine apart is the deliberate cold maceration process, a production step more commonly associated with premium rosé winemaking than fruit wines. That technique, applied to Polish-sourced rhubarb and finished in stainless steel, yields a wine with legitimate aromatic complexity — rose petal, cut grass, herbs — rather than the one-dimensional sweetness typical of the fruit wine category. Backed by over four decades of winemaking at Illinois' oldest family winery, Lynfred Rhubarb is a credible expression of a fruit that most producers treat as a novelty. For drinkers seeking something genuinely different from conventional wine, this bottle delivers an honest, well-made alternative.