I
am out of commission for one more week, due to hand surgery, but here's a
post from last year that explains those confusing wine terms - dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, and sweet.
If you're new to
wine, the 'dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, or sweet' question can be confusing. Wines are
classified as dry, semi-dry, medium or sweet in order to give you an idea of
how sweet the wine will taste. Just remember that sugar is not the only
factor that affects the taste of sweetness in a wine. It can also
be influenced by the level of alcohol, acidity, and amount of tannins in the
wine.
There are numerous
types of sugars found in all grapes starting with simple sugar. There is also fructose
and glucose that help aid in fermentation, and trace amounts of other sugars
that are not fermentable. These are the sugars that guarantee that no wine is
“bone dry.”
When it comes to
sweetening, a wine a winemaker has three methods to choose from: 1) Adding sugar to it––usually sucrose
or common table sugar. 2) Stopping
the fermentation process before the yeast has consumed all the fructose and
glucose. This will help retain more
of the “fruit” in the wine. 3) Adding
a concentrated grape juice back to the wine after fermentation, raising the fruit
taste but simpler than stopping the ferment early.
The actual combined
content of all these remaining sugars in a wine is called residual sugar. Home winemaking kits use a standard urine sugar
test kit for diabetics to measure this. (Not kidding!) And there will always be some residual sugar because
not all sugars produced during the growth of the grape are fermentable.
Other components
will also affect the wine's mouth-feel and taste of sweetness as well. Acidity helps to counter sweetness, and
tannins (which occur naturally in grape skins, seeds and stems,) create a more
bitter taste, making the wine less sweet.
Unfiltered wines will have more protein particles from the grape skins
and grape connective tissue, adding a not always unpleasant harshness when in
balance.
There are many ways
to measure a wine’s sweetness.
Winemakers generally use a simple device called a hydrometer that is
floated in the wine and measures the difference between the floating point of
the wine and the standard floating point of pure water. These devices are standardized to 12.5%
alcohol solutions and take into account the fact that alcohol is lighter than
water and sugar is heavier. The
gradient used is called specific gravity.
A
sweet wine is just that – sweet!
This is usually the type of wine beginners like. With a high sugar content, a sweet wine
will have fruity, intense flavors.
The residual sugar is 5.0% or higher for a sweet wine.
A semi sweet or medium sweet wine has some sweetness in the taste and
aroma. The residual sugar for a medium
wine ranges from 1.5 to 4.9%.
A
semi dry wine is also called off dry or medium dry.
A semi dry red or white wine has a level of 0.5 to 1.49% residual
sugar. A semi dry wine has a hint
of sweetness and more of a ‘fruity’ taste than a dry wine.
A
dry red wine will not have the taste of sweetness, due to the sugars being
fermented into alcohol, and the tannins and acidity in the wine. In fact, a dry red may leave the
feeling of dryness on your tongue and a bit of a puckering sensation in your
mouth. Red wines are described
as being tannic, just like tea. Dry reds include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Bordeaux and Burgundy.
A
dry white may have the aroma of sweetness and full fruity flavors, but no
real sweetness in the wine itself. This is due to the acidity of the grapes or fruit,
and not caused by sugar. White wines are
described as being astringent. Dry white wines include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio.
A
dry wine (red or white) should have less than 0.5% residual sugar. As
mentioned, it is rare to find a wine that has a residual sugar level of
less than
0.1% due to the natural sweetness in the grapes or fruits used
to make the wine.
Hopefully, the next time you're asked the dreaded 'dry, sweet, off dry, semi sweet' question, you'll know the answer. Now
pour yourself a glass of wine (your choice on the sweetness level ; ) and
celebrate the fact that wine can be as scientific, educational, and as
approachable as you want. The
choice is yours just remember to –
Enjoy!
(Special
thanks to my husband, Brian Neighbors, a professional winemaker for 20
years, and his explanations on sugars, residual sugar, and how the
process works!)
By
Joy Neighbors
Frontera
Moonlight White Blend
Pair
this wine with appetizers, salty nuts and cheeses, and light entrees like
roasted chicken and pork. And don’t forget to enjoy a glass after dark in the
whirlpool or on a long evening walk in the country - just let the Moonlight
lead you to adventure …
