What is Residual Sugar in Wine?

One of the terms that gets thrown around in the wine world is 'Residual Sugar.' But it's not something you are going to read about on a wine's label. So, what is it and why should you care?

Let's take a quick step back and review the basics of the wine making process. Simply put, grapes are grown, picked, crushed and fermented into wine then aged and bottled. It's the fermentation process where sugar comes in. 

Grapes naturally contain various types of sugar. Glucose and Fructose are the two most common sugars, but there are others. Grapes also contain varying levels of sugar. Grapes that are allowed to fully ripen, in warm climates, will contain more sugar than grapes that struggle to ripen in cooler climates. And, wine makers will closely monitor the sugar levels (Brix) in grapes while still on the vine, and choose to pick their grapes when the sugar levels are 'just right' for the grape-type they are growing and their style of wine making.

During the fermentation process, yeast is added to the sugary grape juice. The yeast feeds on the sugar and produces alcohol. If there is any sugar remaining after fermentation, it is referred to as 'residual sugar' (usually noted as RS) and is typically recorded in grams per liter (g/L). This is somewhat of a technical term for a wines' resulting sweetness.

Residual sugar is one component that can contribute to a wine tasting sweet. Next time we'll further explore sweetness in wines.  Until then, Cheers!

What is Ice Wine?

Ice wine (eiswein in Austria and Germany, or the single-word icewine in Canada) is produced from the pressings of frozen grapes. 

Germany and Canada are the leading producers of traditional ice wines, but Austria, Switzerland and the United States also produce ice wine. 

Traditional ice wines are made by leaving grapes, such as Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Vidal Blanc, Sylvaner and even Cabernet Franc, on the vines until temperatures drop in the vineyard to well below freezing. In Germany, law states that the outside temperature must drop to 19.4˚F (-7˚C) or below, while Canadian law requires the temperature to 17.6˚F (-8˚C) or lower.

Grapes meant for use in producing ice wine dehydrate and concentrate during the winter, going well past their traditional harvest date. Once a deep freeze occurs, the frozen grapes are quickly harvested.

In some countries, such as the US and Canada, grapes are picked at their peak of ripeness and then put into freezers to yield frozen grapes. While this process is a lot more controlled than waiting, and hoping for a deep freeze, these wines cannot legally be called ice wine. Instead, they are often called iced wine or ice box wines.

Hydraulic pressure is then used to crush the grapes while still frozen, resulting in a very small amount of very concentrated sugary substance. Because the water is frozen solid, it is not extracted from the grape in the pressing process. This high sugar extract is then put through fermentation. With all the natural sugar, the fermentation process does convert some of the sugar to alcohol, but much of the sugar remains in the wine. This results in the very sweet ice wine that is bottled.

Ice wine ends up a golden or deep amber color with flavors of apricot, peach, mango, melon or other sweet fruits. And you may detect a nutty smell to it as well. The really nice ice wines tend to be expensive and therefore are commonly found in half-bottles. These wines are typically enjoyed as dessert wines and pair well with cheese.  If you get the opportunity, give one a try. Cheers!

What is Pét-Nat?

Have you heard of "Pét-Nat?"  Well, it's actually pétillant-naturel but it seems to be more affectionately known as “pét-nat."

Pét-Nat is a natural sparkling wine made using the ancestral method.  Whereas the Champagne method involves a secondary fermentation by adding sugar and yeast, the ancestral method allows the initial fermentation to finish in the bottle without any additives, imparting carbonation by trapping the carbon dioxide that is naturally produced during the fermentation process.

So what you get is a lighter, low alcohol, refreshing sparkling wine without additives.  But, because the yeast remains in the bottle, it tends to be a bit cloudy or hazy.

Pétillant-naturel got its start in France’s Loire Valley, pre-dating Champagne. Today, you'll find it everywhere. And, you are very likely to find it sealed under a crown cap instead of a cork.

Since the wine is named for the method used to produce it, as opposed to the grape type, it can be white, rosé or red, but typically you'll find sparking whites and rosés. The great news is that Pét-nat is typically lower priced (typically under $30) than entry-level Champagnes. 

Pét-nat is viewed as having crossover potential with appeal from beer and cider drinkers who haven’t explored wines, since it has similar flavors to dry ciders and some beers.

It's uncertain if this style of sparkling wine will ever become widespread, but if you find a bottle or have an opportunity, be sure to try it. It isn't a wine meant for aging, so drink it sooner rather than later. Cheers!

What is White Pinot Noir?

The Pinot Noir grape is a red grape most famously known for the production of red Burgundy. And today's new world Pinot Noir wines, especially from California and Oregon, are wonderfully delicate light bodied red wines with flavors of cherry, raspberry, strawberry, cranberry and black plum.  But did you know that there is a white Pinot Noir? And what, might you ask, is white Pinot Noir? 

Let's first take one step back. The juice from a red grape and a white grape is nearly clear.  It's the process of making red wine, in which the grape skins are left in contact with the juice as it ferments, that colors it red. So, quite simply, white Pinot Noir is wine made from the juice of the Pinot Noir grape, but the juice is immediately removed from the grape skins before fermentation. So you end up with a white wine.

Now you're probably wondering if it's anything like that other white wine (rosé) made from a red grape, white Zinfandel.  Well, sort of, but not exactly.  White Zinfandel became wildly popular mostly because of its high residual sugar. It's somewhat sweet.  But most of the white Pinot Noir being produced is dry, having little or no residual sugar. And while white Zinfandel is actually pink in color (a rosé), white Pinot Noir ranges in color from pale yellow, similar to Chardonnay, to a deep golden hue.  Typically white Pinot Noir is not aged in oak barrels so you get a lot of the bright crisp fruit flavors of pear, with hints of lemon, orange and honey.  An oaked white Pinot Noir will take on the rich flavors of baked apple or baked pear.

Before you write-off white Pinot Noir as a gimmick or just the latest trend, realize that Pinot Noir is one of the primary grapes used to make Champagne, along with Pinot Muenier (another red grape) and Chardonnay.  So white Pinot Noir has a very long and illustrious history. You might have heard of white Pinot Noir as Blanc de Noir in France or Vin Gris of Pinot Noir.

Bottles of white Pinot Noir are a bit difficult to find but if you happen to see one, or have the opportunity to try a glass, by all means do. Cheers!

Looking for a Sweet Champagne Can Be a Bit Confusing

Champagne is a great drink. It's most often consumed in times of celebration. Champagne and joy naturally go together. But "Champagne" is often misunderstood. And splurging on a $100 bottle may result in disappointment.

First, let's take a step back. Champagne is a sparkling wine that is produced in the relatively small region of Champagne in France. Only those sparkling wines produced in this region are allowed to be labeled as 'Champagne.' 

There are also multiple styles of Champagne produced. It is most common to find Brut, Dry and Extra Dry Champagnes on store shelves.  These styles have a direct correlation with the amount of residual sugar (RS) in them. For those seeking a sweet Champagne, you're going to want to look for 'Dry' Champagne. This is a bit confusing since a dry wine typically has little or no residual sugar and will have no sweetness to it. But, in Champagnes, 'Dry' means that there can be 17% to 35% RS and be quite sweet on your tongue.

Here are all the styles of Champagne that are produced:

• Extra Brut: 0-6% RS

• Brut: 0-15% RS

• Extra Dry: 12-20% RS

• Dry: 17-35% RS

• Demi Sec: 35-50% RS

• Doux: Greater than 50% RS

So if you are looking for a sweet Champagne, look for the 'Dry,' 'Demi Sec,' or 'Doux' designations on the label.

Here's to raising a glass of Champagne at your next joyous occasion. Cheers!