Why is ethanol separated from water by fractional distillation?

Fractional distillation is the preferred distillation technique used for separating the constituent liquids in a mixture when the difference in boiling points of the two liquids is less than 25°C.

The boiling point of ethanol is 78.4°C while the boiling point of water is 100°C. The difference between their boiling points is less than 25°C, making fractional distillation the best technique for separating them from a mixture. During the fractional distillation process, ethanol boils and evaporates first because of its lower boiling point. The ethanol vapors rise through the fractionating column, they cool and condense. The condensation is collected in a separate compartment. Water boils and starts to vaporize much later, thus facilitating the separation of ethanol from water.