The Relative Sweetness of Common Red and White Wines

Last time we looked at the difference between a “Dry” wine and a “Tannic” wine. In the wine world, “Dry” refers to the sweetness, or amount of residual sugar, in the wine while “Tannic” refers to the astringent effect on your palate of the wine that comes from the grape skins, seeds, stems and oak aging.

To recap from last time, the amount of Residual Sugar (RS) in a wine is categorized as follows:

  • Dry: Less than 1% sweetness or <10 gm/L of RS

  • Off-Dry: 3% to 5% sweetness or 10-35 gm/L RS

  • Sweet: Above 5% sweetness or 35-120 gm/L RS

  • Very Sweet: Above 12% sweetness or 120 - 220 gm/L RS

The final amount of residual sugar in a wine is entirely up to the wine maker.

One thing wine makers can do is to harvest the grapes a bit later in the growing cycle when the grapes have developed more natural sugar. But, even this doesn’t ensure a sweeter wine. In fact, if sufficient yeast is added to the juice of the grapes (the must), it will convert nearly all of natural sugar to alcohol. So, a high sugar content grape juice can actually lead to a dry wine, but its alcohol content will be higher.

It’s also true that many wine makers may choose to include some residual sugar to please a particular customer segment.

Now, it may surprise you but most common varietal wines are indeed “Dry” based on the amount of RS in them. So, let’s focus in a bit on the relative sweetness of some common wines.

Red Wines

  • Dry Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, Malbec, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Garnache, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Gamay, Tannat, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Montepulciano, Sangiovese and Tempranillo

  • Off-Dry Wines: Lambrusco

  • Sweet Wines: Port, Marsala

White Wines

  • Dry Wines: Chardonnay, Chablis, Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Pinot Grigio, Albariño, Extra Brut & Brut Sparkling Wines

  • Off-Dry Wines: Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Extra-Dry Sparkling Wine

  • Sweet Wines: Sauternes, Moscato, Tokaji, Ice Wines, Demi-Sec & Doux Sparkling Wines

Again, everyone’s palate is different. What you might find to be “too sweet” may be just perfect for someone else. Wine is a journey, and it's all about exploring different wines and finding what best suits your palate. Just remember, when it comes to exploring wine, keep it fun and simple; don't get caught up in overthinking the process. Cheers!

Ever Wonder? What Makes Some Wines Sweet?

In wines, there is a wide spectrum of sweetness. Those that are not sweet are referred to as “dry” wines while those that are sweet are simple referred to as “sweet” wines. And, in the wine world, this all has to do with ‘residual sugar.’

When wine grapes are ready for harvest, one of the primary indicators to the winemakers is their sugar content. Using a device called a refractometer, they are able to analyze a drop of grape juice and determine its sugar content. By passing light through the juice and measuring the refraction (i.e., the amount that the light bends), the sugar content can be measured. This is referred to as Brix.

So, in simple terms, when the grapes are ready to be harvested they have ‘just the right amount’ of sugar. Anyone who’s had a glass of grape juice with breakfast knows that grape juice is naturally sweet. And, this natural sugar in the grape juice is the key to fermentation. Yeast is added to the grape juice and the live yeast feed on the sugar and converts it to alcohol. And, in general terms, once all the sugar is eaten up, fermentation ends.

But, wine makers have some control over this process. They can allow fermentation to go to the end which means that there is little to no ‘residual sugar’ in the juice that’s now wine. This is the ‘dry’ wine. But, if the fermentation is halted, or only a small amount of yeast is added to the juice, the wine ends up with significant ‘residual sugar.’ And, this results in a ‘sweet’ wine.

That’s a quick overview of sweetness in wine. For further reading, check out these past blogs:

Not All Rosé Wine is Sweet

I’ve heard it over and over - “I don’t drink rosé…it’s too sweet.” But, that’s not always the case.

Unfortunately, rosé wine’s reputations got ruined in the 1970s with wines such as Mateus, Lancers and especially White Zinfandel. Those are the stereotype rosé wines. And, yes, they were more like strawberry soda pop (hence its popularity). Not that there is anything wrong with strawberry soda or that style of white Zinfandel, it’s just that not all rosé wines are sweet. In fact, most bottles of rosé wine being sold today are not actually sweet.

While our brain naturally associates fruit aromas and flavors with sweetness, they are often not directly associated with each other when it comes to wine. Many rosé wines have aromas and flavors of tropical fruits (pineapple, mango) and red fruits (strawberries, cherries, cranberries, raspberries). These wine flavors and aromas may be processed and interpreted by your brain as being “sweet.” But, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is sweet.

For a wine to be sweet, it must have sugar in it. In the wine world, it’s referred to as residual sugars (RS). That is, natural sugar from the grape’s juice that is not converted to alcohol during fermentation. But, most wines on the store shelf are “Dry” meaning they have a very small amount of residual sugar (1-10 g/L RS).

Today you can find a lot of very nice dry rosés being produced around the world. So try a dry rosé. They are actually not sweet. Cheers!

Confusing Sweetness and Fruitiness in Wine

Many wine drinkers may confuse the taste sensations of sweet and fruity. While our brain naturally associates fruit aromas and flavors with sweetness, they are often not directly associated with each other when it comes to wine.

“Fruity” is a term that gets used to describe a wine that has pronounced flavors or aromas of fruits. With wines, you may experience aromas and flavors of citrus (lemon, lime, orange), orchard fruits (apples, pears), stone fruits (apricots, peaches, plums), tropical fruits (pineapple, mango), red fruits (strawberries, cherries, cranberries, raspberries), or dark fruits (blackberries, blueberries, black currant). These wine flavors and aromas may be processed and interpreted as being “sweet.” But, fruity wines aren’t necessarily sweet. Sauvignon Blanc is a good example. While it offers bright fruit flavors of grapefruit, lime, pear and peach, it is typically low in residual sugar.

For a wine to be sweet, it must have residual sugars (RS). That is, sugar that is intentionally left in the juice that doesn’t get converted to alcohol during fermentation. The categories of wine sweetness include “Dry” (1-10 g/L RS), “Off Dry” (10-35 g/L RS), “Sweet” (35-120 g/L RS) and “Very Sweet” (120+ g/L RS).

Most wines on the store shelf are “Dry” but if you’re looking for sweeter white wines look for Kabinett or Spätlese Riesling, Chenin Blanc or Gewürztraminer. Lambrusco is a sweeter, sparkling red wine. Sweeter red wines, by brand, include Ménage á Trois Red (12 g/L RS), Apothic Red (15 g/L RS), Cocobon Red Blend (12 g/L RS), Yellow Tail Shiraz (12 g/L RS) and Jam Jar (57 g/L RS).

So, don’t be fooled. “Fruity” wine traits don’t necessarily mean it’s a sweet wine. Cheers!

The Four Fundamental Traits of a Good Wine (And How They Must be Balanced)

There are four fundamental traits that comprise a good wine. They are Acidity, Tannin, Alcohol and Sweetness.

For a wine to be considered “good,” each of these traits must be in proper proportion to each another.

This is because each of these four fundamental traits play a vital role in how the wine tastes. If there’s too much of one part, the wine will be off. And, if there’s not enough of a specific component, the wine will be lacking.

Too much acidity will make a wine taste sharp. Too much tannin will make the wine overly astringent. Too much alcohol and the wine will yield a burning sensation in your throat. And, too much residual sugar will make a wine overly sweet.

More specifically, the "hard" components of acidity and tannins typically are used to balance the "soft" components of sweetness and alcohol.

It’s truly is a balancing act for winemakers.

And, a balanced wine is one in which all the fundamental traits work together in harmony.