Wine gum
An assortment of Bassett's wine gums. | |
| Type | Confectionery |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Created by | Charles Gordon Maynard |
| Invented | 1909 |
| Main ingredients | Gelatine, sugar, citric acid, fruit flavouring |
Wine gums are chewy, firm pastille-type sweets originating from the United Kingdom. All brands have their own recipes containing various sweeteners, flavourings and colourings. Wine gums are popular in the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, South Africa and many Commonwealth nations, as well as several European countries. Common brands include Maynards, Bassett's, Haribo and Lion.
The gums usually come in five shapes: kidney, crown, rhombus, circle and oblong, and are usually labelled with the name of a wine; for example, Maynards use port, sherry, champagne, burgundy and claret. Other manufacturers may prefer different names (and sometimes other varieties of alcohol entirely) such as rioja, merlot or rum. Despite the name, they usually contain no alcohol, and depending on local laws or manufacturer's practices, packages may bear a specific statement that the sweets "contain no wine".