Wine is an
alcoholic beverage made from the
fermentation of
grape juice. The natural chemical balance of grapes is such that they can ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes or other nutrients. Although other fruits like apples and berries can also be fermented, the resultant "wines" are normally named after the fruit from which they are produced (for example,
apple wine or
elderberry wine) and are generically known as
fruit or
country wine. Others, such as
barley wine and
rice wine (e.g.
sake), are made from starch-based materials and resemble
beer more than wine, while
ginger wine is
fortified with brandy. In these cases, the use of the term "wine" is a reference to the higher alcohol content, rather than production process. The commercial use of the
English word "wine" (and its equivalent in other languages) is protected by law in many jurisdictions. Wine is produced by
fermenting crushed grapes using various types of
yeast which consume the sugars found in the grapes and convert them into
alcohol. Various varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are used depending on the types of wine produced.