Stone's Ginger Wine

Stone's Ginger Wine is a 13.5% ABV fortified wine made from fermented ginger and raisins, produced from a recipe dating back to 1740 in London, England. This iconic expression earned a Silver medal at the 2016 Dan Berger's International Wine Competition, underscoring its enduring quality across nearly three centuries of production.

Quick Facts: ABV: 13.5%  |  Origin: London, England  |  Fortified Ginger Wine  |  Est. 1740, Finsbury Distillery

Production & Heritage

Stone's traces its origins to the Finsbury Distillery in London, where the original recipe was developed in 1740. The wine is produced by fermenting a blend of raisins and pure ground ginger, then fortifying with sugar-beet neutral spirits. The recipe reportedly includes a pepper sourced from Australia, and the formula has remained essentially unchanged since its creation. Production is now managed by Accolade Wines Ltd., based in Weybridge, UK, but the process adheres to the traditional method that has defined the brand for generations.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with pronounced ginger root, followed by dried raisin and a subtle honey-like sweetness. A faint citrus brightness lingers beneath the dominant spice.

Taste: The entry delivers a pungent, fiery ginger heat that hits harder than the nose suggests. Mid-palate, an unctuous sweetness emerges — more honey than plain sugar — with dried raisin and green apple skin competing for attention. Warm citrus undertones round out the profile as the ginger spice continues to build.

Finish: Long and genuinely warming, with caramelized ginger and a zesty brightness that lingers well after the sip. The raisin sweetness gently fades, leaving a clean peppery heat on the back palate.

How to Drink Stone's Ginger Wine

Straight from the bottle, Stone's works well slightly chilled or at room temperature, depending on the season. Many drinkers enjoy it over ice to temper the sweetness and let the ginger spice sharpen.

Whisky Mac: The classic pairing — equal parts Scotch whisky and Stone's Ginger Wine — is the drink most closely associated with this bottle, and the fiery ginger stands up to blended Scotch beautifully. Horse's Neck (variation): Substitute ginger ale for Stone's alongside brandy and a long lemon peel for a richer, more complex take on the original. Mulled Ginger Wine: Gently heated with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and orange slices, Stone's becomes a natural cold-weather warmer that needs minimal embellishment.

Best For

• Mixing a Whisky Mac at home for a proper British cocktail night
• Serving as a warming winter sipper alongside holiday gatherings
• Gifting to someone who appreciates historic, old-world beverages
• Adding depth to mulled wine recipes during colder months

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Stone's Ginger Wine taste like? Stone's Ginger Wine delivers a fiery, pungent ginger heat balanced by honey-like sweetness and dried raisin notes. The finish is long and warming with caramelized ginger and a zesty citrus brightness.

How does Stone's Ginger Wine compare to Crabbie's Ginger Wine? Stone's and Crabbie's are the two most widely recognized ginger wines, with Stone's generally regarded as sweeter and more ginger-forward. Crabbie's tends to present a slightly drier profile, so preference largely comes down to how much sweetness and ginger intensity a drinker favors.

Is Stone's Ginger Wine good for cocktails? Stone's is the traditional base for the Whisky Mac, one of Britain's most enduring cocktails, and its bold ginger character holds up well in mixed drinks. Its sweetness and spice also make it a strong addition to mulled wine recipes and brandy-based serves.

Where is Stone's Ginger Wine made? Stone's Ginger Wine originated at the Finsbury Distillery in London, England, in 1740. Production is now managed by Accolade Wines Ltd., headquartered in Weybridge, UK.

What foods pair well with Stone's Ginger Wine? Sharp aged cheddar balances the wine's sweetness with savory depth. Gingerbread or spice cake echoes the ginger notes for a harmonious dessert pairing. Smoked salmon benefits from the wine's citrus undertones as a contrast to the fish's richness. Asian stir-fries with soy and ginger create a complementary spice bridge, and dark chocolate truffles match the caramelized sweetness of the finish.

What sizes does Stone's Ginger Wine come in? Stone's Ginger Wine is most commonly available in the standard 750ml bottle, though smaller formats have appeared in certain markets.

Is Stone's Ginger Wine worth the price? Stone's positions as an affordable, entry-level fortified wine that delivers significant flavor intensity for its price tier. Given its nearly 300-year pedigree and versatility in cocktails and cooking, it represents strong value within the ginger wine category.

Why Stone's Ginger Wine?

Few beverages of any kind can claim an unbroken production heritage stretching back to 1740, and Stone's remains the benchmark against which all other ginger wines are measured. The recipe's use of Australian pepper alongside traditional raisins and ginger gives it a layered heat that synthetic ginger flavorings cannot replicate. Its Silver medal at the 2016 Dan Berger's International Wine Competition confirmed what generations of drinkers already knew: the formula works. As both the essential ingredient in a Whisky Mac and a standalone sipper with genuine complexity, Stone's occupies a singular position in the fortified wine category that no competitor has managed to displace.