Cuban Tropical Fruit Wines: From Pineapple to Mango in a Glass

A Wine Country Where No One Expects It

Cuba doesn’t appear on any wine map. It lacks Bordeaux’s latitude and Mendoza’s valleys. But it has something no other region can offer: tropical fruits with an intensity of flavor that temperate climates can never produce. And for over two centuries, Cubans have known how to turn that abundance into wines unlike anything else in the world.

The story began in 18th-century sugar mills, where workers fermented pineapple juice, guava, and cashew fruit in clay pots. The early attempts were rough — tropical heat accelerated fermentation and the wines came out acidic and unpredictable. But Cuban patience refined the proportions, timing, and techniques until something worthy of being called wine emerged.

Today, in the 21st century, that tradition is experiencing a renaissance driven by mipymes (micro, small, and medium enterprises) that are transforming Cuban winemaking.

The Fruits That Become Wine

Pineapple: Liquid Tropical Gold

Pineapple wine is perhaps the most emblematic. Its natural acidity facilitates fermentation and produces a golden, aromatic wine with citrus notes that works as both an aperitif and a seafood pairing. Cuban pineapple, grown primarily in Ciego de Ávila, has an ideal sugar level (Brix degree) for winemaking.

Guava: Rosé with Cuban Character

Guava — the undisputed queen of Cuban fruit growing — produces a rosé wine with intense aroma, medium body, and balanced sweetness. It’s probably the most popular among Cuban consumers, carrying that familiarity that immediately connects with childhood memories and corner fruit shakes.

Mango: Tropical and Velvety

Mango produces a semi-sweet amber wine with a velvety texture and notes reminiscent of peach. The Bizcochuelo variety, predominant in Cuba, provides natural sweetness that reduces the need for added sugar during fermentation.

Other Fruits in the Catalog

• Papaya (frutabomba): Light, smooth wine, ideal as a base for tropical sangria
• Orange: Semi-dry, citrusy, excellent with cheeses
• Soursop (guanábana): Sweet, creamy wine, limited production
• Cashew fruit (marañón): The rarest — aromatic, with a surprising almond-like finish

The Wineries Changing the Game

Rodrigar Bodega: From Sancti Spíritus to Havana

Keiler Rodríguez founded Rodrigar Bodega in Tres Palmas, Sancti Spíritus, before relocating to La Lisa, Havana, in 2015. What sets Rodrigar apart is their dual approach: they produce both tropical fruit wines and grape wines from Tempranillo, Arañón, and Italia Blanca varieties grown on farms in Güira de Melena (Artemisa) and Pinar del Río.

Their catalog includes red, white, rosé, moscatel, artisanal vinegar, and dry wine. They hold registration from the Cuban Industrial Property Office (OCPI) and certification from the National Institute of Hygiene — rare credentials among Cuban artisanal producers.

Bodegas Nory: Exotic Fruits for Tourism

Laima Cabrales runs this micro-enterprise specializing in wines from exotic tropical fruits grown exclusively in Cuba. Her vision is clear: position Cuban wine as a quality tourism product, something visitors take home alongside rum and cigars.

Bati Vinos and Vinos Rubio

These round out the quartet of wineries that participated in the Entrepreneur Fair at Pabellón Cuba in 2023, organized by the Armonía Local Development Project. These fairs have become the main showcase for producers to connect with distributors and tourists.

The Process: From Fruit to Bottle

Tropical fruit winemaking follows similar principles to grape wine, with important adaptations:

1. Selection and ripeness: Fruit must be at optimal maturity — neither green nor overripe
2. Juice extraction: Manual or mechanical pressing, filtering fibers and seeds
3. Sugar and acidity adjustment: Brix levels are measured and adjusted for the desired style
4. Fermentation: With selected yeasts at controlled temperatures (tropical heat is the main enemy)
5. Clarification and filtering: To achieve transparency and stability
6. Aging: In reused bottles, from weeks to months depending on the type

The Cuban scale classifies wines not only in the usual categories (white, rosé, red, sparkling, dry, semi-dry) but adds sweet and semi-sweet — a reflection of the Cuban palate that doesn’t shy away from sugar.

Grape Wine in the Tropics: The Impossible Bet

Perhaps most surprising is that Cuba also grows wine grapes. Mediterranean varieties like Tempranillo and Italia Blanca have adapted to the red soils of Artemisa and the lowlands of Pinar del Río, defying everything conventional oenology says about latitude and climate.

Yields are modest and vineyards small, but the results have surprised tasters at international fairs. It’s resistance winemaking — every bottle is an act of tropical stubbornness.

Where to Try and Buy

In Cuba:

• Entrepreneur fairs at Pabellón Cuba, Havana
• Artisan markets in Trinidad, Viñales, and Old Havana
• Directly from the wineries (contact via social media)
• Private restaurants (paladares) that champion local products

In the diaspora:

• Latin markets in Miami (Sedano’s, Presidente Supermarkets)
• Specialty Caribbean product shops
• Cuban cultural fairs (Calle Ocho, etc.)

The Future in the Bottle

Cuba’s wine sector has everything going for it: exceptional raw materials, a centuries-old tradition, and a new generation of entrepreneurs with commercial vision. What it needs is what all of Cuba needs: access to technology, supplies, and markets.

Wine-producing mipymes represent exactly the kind of enterprise that can transform the Cuban economy from the ground up: products with identity, added value, and tourist demand. Every bottle of guava or pineapple wine tells a story that no Cabernet Sauvignon can tell.

Because Cuban wine doesn’t compete with Napa Valley or La Rioja. It competes with itself — with the possibility of being something entirely new in the world of wine.

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Have you tried Cuban fruit wine? Tell us about your experience. And if you’re interested in Cuban beverage traditions, check out our guides on Cuban cocktails, guarapo, and Prú Oriental.