Quick answer

Choose Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles for a soft, fruity chew with no artificial colors; choose Maynards Bassetts Wine Gums for a firmer, more sophisticated flavor experience without sugar coating.

Texture and flavor: the core difference

The most immediate difference between these two British jelly sweets is texture. Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles are soft and chewy, while Maynards Bassetts Wine Gums are firm and dense, similar to gumdrops but without the sugar coating. This affects how you enjoy them: pastilles are easy to eat quickly, while wine gums reward slower savoring.

Flavor profiles also diverge. Fruit Pastilles deliver straightforward fruit flavors—lemon, lime, strawberry, blackcurrant, and orange—made with 25% fruit juice. Wine Gums, despite containing no wine, offer a more complex, subtle fruit taste meant to evoke the experience of savoring a fine wine, with names inspired by alcoholic drinks.

Ingredients and dietary considerations

If you prefer sweets without artificial colors or flavors, Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles are the clear choice—they contain none. Wine Gums, on the other hand, are not sugar-coated, which may appeal to those who find traditional gumdrops too sweet, but they do not make the same clean-ingredient claim.

Both are imported from the UK, so availability can be limited, especially around the holidays. If you have a specific preference for one over the other, it's wise to stock up when you see them in stock.

How to decide: trade-offs

  • Prefer soft and fruity?: Choose Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles. They are soft, chewy, and packed with bright fruit flavors, plus no artificial colors or flavors. If you want a candy that's easy to share with kids, go with Fruit Pastilles.
  • Prefer firm and sophisticated?: Choose Maynards Bassetts Wine Gums. Their firm, dense bite and subtle fruit flavors are closer to a refined adult sweet. If you enjoy letting a sweet linger, Wine Gums are the better match.
  • Watching sugar coating?: Wine Gums are not sugar-coated, so they avoid that extra layer of sweetness. Fruit Pastilles are not sugar-coated either, but they are fruitier. If you're avoiding sugar coatings, both are fine, but check the overall sugar content if that's a concern.

Product facts at a glance

  • Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles Giant Tube - 4.40oz (115g): Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles contain 25% fruit juice and no artificial colors or flavors, with five flavors: lemon, lime, strawberry, blackcurrant, and orange. You get a naturally fruity, soft chew that appeals to kids and adults who avoid artificial additives.

    Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles Giant Tube - 4.40oz (115g)

    Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles Giant Tube - 4.40oz (115g)

  • Maynards Bassetts Winegums - 5.8oz (165g): Maynards Bassetts Wine Gums are chewy, firm sweets similar to gumdrops but not sugar-coated, and despite the name, they contain no wine. Their firm texture and subtle, wine-like fruit flavors offer a more sophisticated, less sugary treat for those who enjoy complex tastes.

    Maynards Bassetts Winegums - 5.8oz (165g)

    Maynards Bassetts Winegums - 5.8oz (165g)

Which should you buy?

Best for

  • Fruit Pastilles: families and anyone who loves a soft, juicy, fruit-forward chew with natural ingredients.
  • Wine Gums: adults seeking a firmer, more complex sweet with a wine-inspired flavor profile.

Not for

  • Fruit Pastilles: those who prefer a firm, less sweet candy with a sophisticated taste.
  • Wine Gums: those who want a soft, fruity chew with no artificial colors or flavors.