Ĭhaptalization is a bit controversial among the wine cognoscenti, some of whom consider it a cheap and aggressive way to manipulate wine and compensate for a low-quality product. While this method sweetens the grape juice during the winemaking process, its primary goal is to increase the alcohol content. Finally, some winemakers add sugar via chaptalization. Wine varietals like Sémillon, Muscat, and many others use noble rot to achieve that wonderfully rich sweetness.Īnother approach to sweetening wines is fortification, which adds a distilled spirit - usually cognac or brandy - to create fortified wines. " noble rot ") has taken hold and concentrates the grape's flavors and sugars. Likewise, sometimes the wine grapes are left on the vine until the Botrytis cinerea fungus (a.k.a. Another method is to use late-harvest grapes that have been left on the vine longer so they can raisinate (basically turn into raisins) and increase their sugar content. For one, the winemaker can halt the fermentation process early so that the yeast doesn't eat all the sugar. There are several ways to produce sweet wine. Semi-Sweet (if you don't want an all-out sugar bomb)įrom red wines to white wines, Cabernet to Chardonnay, still to sparkling, any wine can be dry or sweet.To identify sweet wines, look for the following wine terms on the label: A dry wine can still have fruity flavors and aromas, but it's the presence of tannins and acidity that contribute to a wine tasting "dry" versus sweet. Keep in mind that when describing sweetness in wine, we're talking about the residual sugar it has. Here, you'll find such candied delights as Moscato, Sauternes, ice wine, late-harvest wine, and fortified wines that have closer to 8 grams of sugar per serving. On the other end of the spectrum is where the sweetest wines reside. (Yes, you can have naturally sugar-free wine. And let's not forget Usual Wines brut sparkling wine, which has zero sugar. A few examples would be Italian Pinot Grigio, Nebbiolo, and Muscadet. To give these descriptions a number, bone dry - also called extra dry, extra brut, or brut zero - wines have less than 1 gram of sugar per serving. On the sweetness spectrum, wine ranges from bone dry to very sweet.
Muscadelle, Tokaji, Gewürztraminer, and late-harvest Rieslings range from about 11-14% alcohol, while Lambrusco sparkling red wine and Moscato d’Asti sparkling white wine have less than 10% ABV.Īs you can see, even wines within a shared category don't neatly fit in a box. That said, there are lower-alcohol sweet wines. įor example, Madeira, Marsala, and Port are traditional dessert wines with more than 15% alcohol by volume (ABV). It also tends to have higher alcohol content. Because sweet wine has more residual sugar, it has a sweeter taste. Often called dessert wine, sweet wine is any wine with a pronounced sweet taste that comes from higher sugar content. Whether you're a new wine drinker or fancy yourself a sophisticated oenophile, join us as we delve into the dulcet realm of sweet wines, including how they're made, what makes them different than other types of wines, and which foods pair best with these luscious liquids. In fact, the oldest official wine region in the world - Douro, Portugal - is renowned for its Port wine, a sweet fortified wine. But there's no reason to only sip dry wines and leave sweet wines off the table. Granted, many of today's most celebrated wines tend to be on the drier side. Sweet wines can offer a host of different flavors, fragrances, and finishes. But that's not the fairest assessment of these delicious libations. When you hear the phrase " sweet wine ," you might immediately think of a candy-like liquid that runs across your tongue and coats the roof of your mouth with a sugary film.