How To Tell Whether A Wine Is Dry, Semi-Dry, Medium-Sweet Or Sweet

Put simply, a dry wine is the opposite of a sweet wine. You can taste the difference right at the tip of your tongue. However, dry wine does not mean that it does not contain sugar and that it automatically tastes sour or savoury. As a rule, the label on the back of the bottle or in the description of the wine includes information about the taste (such as dry). This provides information about the residual sugar content in the wine.

Residual sugar content as a guide

The so-called residual sugar content determines the degree of sweetness of a wine and thus also whether it is dry, semi-dry, medium-sweet or sweet. Residual sugar content or residual sweetness is understood to mean sugar in the grapes (or most) that has not fermented into alcohol after the fermentation process has been stopped. Fermentation is interrupted, for example, by cooling, filtration or adding sulphur or alcohol. Strictly speaking, even the driest wine contains a certain percentage of sugar, as there are hardly any yeast strains that can completely ferment the sugar.

The content of sugar as a key component in grapes is determined in Austria using the most weight in KMW (Klosterneuburger Mostwaage). The Austrian Wine Law regulates, among other things, the upper limits of the residual sugar content in wine.

	Residual sugar g/l
Dry	up to 4 or max. 9 g/l *
Medium dry	up to 12 or up to 18 g/l **
Lovely	up to 45 g/l
Sweet	from 45 g/l

* If the total acidity is not more than 2 g/l lower than the residual sugar content. Example: Wine with 8g of residual sugar must not have an acidity of less than 6g.

** If the total acidity is no more than 10 g/l lower than the residual sugar content.

Here is an overview of wines that are usually made dry in Austria. At this point, however, it must be emphasised that each of these grape varieties can just as well be semi-dry or sweet. A look at the label or the description of the wine provides information about the taste.

Rather dry white wine varieties:

• Riesling
• Sylvaner/Silvaner
• Grüner Veltliner
• Grauburgunder
• Weissburgunder
• Chardonnay
• Sauvignon Blanc

Rather dry red wine varieties:

• Pinot Noir
• Merlot
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Syrah
• Sangiovese
• Nebbiolo

Alcohol content

Alcohol, which acts as a flavour enhancer, can also reveal something about the degree of sweetness of the wine - but it doesn't have to! Most dry wines have an alcohol content of between 12 and 14% ABV. The sweeter and ripe the grapes that were used for the wine, the higher the alcohol content will be. An alcohol content of 14% or more ABV usually indicates wines from a warm climate. Dry red wines usually have a higher alcohol content than white wines.

Influence of acid

In addition to the residual sugar content, the proportion of acid also affects the sweetness sensation. Acid and primarily tannins make the mouth feel like it is contracting. This furry impression is called "astringent" in technical terms. Acid can be perceived as aggressive if it is too dominant and unbalanced. Ideally, the acid is clear and well integrated into the wine and supports the variety of aromas without being too prominent. (A lot of) acid gives the impression that the wine is dry, but this does not necessarily have to be the case due to the residual sugar content.

9wines tip: Acid-accentuated wines are excellent accompaniments to meals. Dishes that contain acidic components such as tomatoes, fruits, lemon juice or vinegar benefit from acidic, dry wines such as Riesling or a Sauvignon Blanc.

Train your sensory skills

Sensory memory can be trained. The more often you perceive intense smells and tastes, the more likely you are to find them in wine and the faster you can judge whether you prefer dry, semi-dry or sweet wines.

Our wine packages, which we have put together from different white and red wines from top wineries, are perfectly suited to train your sensory skills. The 9wines White Wine Starter Box shows you how diverse the world of white wine is. Varietal-representative, aromatic, harmonious and animating: We have put together 9 different wines from various wine-growing regions in one set. Perfect for tasting and becoming familiar with different varietals. Includes two high-quality universal UNO glasses from Sophienwald and a sommelier corkscrew for FREE.

We recommend our 9wines Red Wine Starter Box to all red wine lovers. It's perfect for exploring the red wine landscape. All red wines in the box are great everyday wines from well-known winemakers and newcomers that you should definitely try. Two high-quality Sophienwald wine glasses and a professional corkscrew are included in the set. Discover now!