Sweetness is one of the three basic flavors of wine. In contrast to tannin and acidity, sweetness is quite self-evident … Usually, this designation is also used for food. So read this short wine sweetness guide to learn more about the sweetness in the wine.
There are different ways to look at or classify wine. The level of sweetness speaks volumes about the Wine style. The level of acidity of grapes has different textures. The wine is described as sweet, semi-sweet, or dry.
The Wine Sweetness Guide – From Dry to Sweet
Dry Wine
The pH level of the wine is also an essential factor in determining how dry the wine is. For example, a pH level between 2.8 and 3.3 indicates dry wine. At this level, the taste of wine will have a different taste.
Completely dry wines do not exist. This is because yeast fermentation of grapes does not reduce the sugar content to zero. Nevertheless, some wines are considered to have no sugar. This includes most Chianti and Soave, Chardonnays, and Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
German wines are generally dry wines, e.g., Pinot Gris and Riesling. All red wines are considered dry. These include Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Chianti Classico Riserva.
Semi-Sweet Wine
Semi-sweet wines fall into two categories of sweet and dry wines. They are neither red nor white wine. On the label or sugar index, semi-sweet wines are classified between 3 and 4. Only white wines belong to the semi-sweet and sweet category. Red wines are a good example of semi-sweet wines. The German Spätlese and Riesling late harvests are good examples of semi-sweet wine.
Sweet Wine
Those wines that have the highest sugar content are sweet. They are sweet, without a doubt. The process of making sweet wine or even semi-sweet wine is similar and is done by any of the methods described below.
• White grapes can be very ripe.
• Sugar is added.
• Grapes are dried by a special method with boxes or mats.
• Spirits or other neutral spirits are added to the process.
• The winemaker ensures that the grapes freeze on the vine.
There are other methods for creating semi-sweet and sweet wines. The final products include dessert wines (Sauterne) and well-known Canadian ice wines. Cream Sherry and Port are very sweet wines. Within these categories or classifications, there are even more varieties of wine. Acidity contributes to the depth of sweetness. Wine with a high sugar content can be saved by a higher level of acidity, that wine is not too sweet.