Beyond Grapes - Why Not Jalapeños?

Jalapeños, macadamia nuts, and pineapples - oh my! Turns out, you can create wine out of pretty much anything you can ferment in a barrel. Consider the Cardinal Hollow Winery's 100% jalapeno wine, which pairs well with brie cheese. Or Mill Lane Winery's rhubarb wine, which tastes of peppermint, cedar, and raspberry flavors mixed with a bouquet of Christmas spices and raspberry notes. Exploring these abnormal wine varietals raises the question - why are grapes such a popular choice in winemaking versus other fruits? What forces are at play here?

The short answer is cost-savings. Apparently, grapes and wine are a match made in heaven. Grapes uniquely contain the right balance of sugars, acids, and tannins needed to make a long-lasting and flavorful fermented beverage. Most other fruits simply cannot produce wines that last as long or taste as good without additives - that is, grape wine is cheaper to produce compared to other wines. 

But are fruit wines as inferior to traditional wines as "the market" would have us believe? The EU legislature has ruled - with strong support from major European wine brands - that wine should be legally defined as "a drink made from fermented grape juice". Does this sound at all like the "soy milk can't be called milk" debate raised by dairy incumbents here in the U.S? This is an interesting example of how industry incumbents, particularly in F&D, can raise barriers to entry via the law and labeling squabbles.