There’s a language around wine that’s as deep and complex as wine itself, but loving wine doesn’t mean you don’t have to know every word. However, understanding some of the more common terms will help you choose wines you’re sure to enjoy.
Let’s take “dry” wine for example. Dry white wine, dry red wine, dry rosé wine – what makes them dry? Why are they different from other types? We’ll take a moment to explore those questions below.
What Makes a Wine Dry?
When we talk about dryness in wine, we’re mostly referring to its sweetness or lack thereof. To understand dry wines, you first need to understand fermentation, and its role in the winemaking process.
Fermentation is a chemical process that requires sugar and yeast. All ripe fruit contains sugar, which becomes food for the yeast. The yeast eats the sugar and turns it into alcohol and CO2. The more sugar the yeast consumes, the drier the resulting wine will be.
If a winemaker wants to make a dry wine, they want the yeast to eat all of the sugar. Essentially, the riper the fruit, the higher the sugar level, the higher the potential alcohol in the finished wine.
How Much Sugar Can Dry Wine Have?
Wine can still be considered “dry” even if there is a small amount of sugar left over. This is called “residual sugar,” and a tiny bit in an otherwise dry wine can make it much fruitier than it would be otherwise.
The sugar content of dry wine is regulated in some jurisdictions. In the United States, there are no laws pertaining to the sugar content of dry wine, while in the EU, dry wines cannot contain more than 9 grams of sugar per liter, although most varieties typically have much less.
Of course, other things in the wine contribute to the perception of dryness. One of those things is tannin. In grapes, tannin is in the stems, seeds, and skin. Grapes with thick skin, like cabernet sauvignon, will have more tannin and will seem drier, even if they have a bit of residual sugar.
Oak barrels also contain tannin. You’ll know if a wine is high in tannins when you get a dry feeling in your mouth and on your tongue – kind of like when you let a teabag steep too long.
What Is Dry Red Wine?
Identifying dry red wines is fairly simple, as the majority of red wines are considered dry. Among the most popular dry red wines are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Malbec, and Tempranillo.
If you like red wine and still want sweetness, there are some notable exceptions to this rule, such as dessert wines like port and sparkling wines like Lambrusco. Additionally, sugar content may vary by producer, as some winemakers may include some residual sugar in traditionally dry reds in order to achieve a sweeter, crowd-pleasing taste.
What Is Dry White Wine?
Like red grapes, white grapes are mostly used to make dry wines. The most popular dry white wines include Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadet, Torrontes, and Vermentino.
However, there are several popular varieties of sweet white wine, including Moscato, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, and white Zinfandel. These wines are sometimes called dessert wines because of their aroma and sweet taste.
What Is Dry Rose?
Rose is commonly associated with sweet wines, but this is actually a misconception. Most varieties of rosé are considered dry, including those made from Pinot Noir, Cinsault, Grenache, and Merlot grapes. There are several notable exceptions, including rosé made with White Zinfandel.
What Is Dry Sparkling Wine?
Sparkling wines come in a variety of sugar levels, ranging from totally dry to dessert-level sweet. Most dry sparkling wines are made from non-aromatic grapes like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
The most common designation for dry sparkling wines is Brut, which indicates a sugar content of 0-12 grams per liter. In most cases, dry sparkling wines contain more sugar than dry still wines because of their higher acidity. Winemakers often leave more residual sugar in sparkling wines to balance out this acidity.
How To Identify Dry Wine
Sometimes, you can taste a wine that’s rich and creamy, and because of its texture, you want to think it’s sweet — but looks can be deceiving!
Take a small sip and swish it around in your mouth for a few seconds. Let the wine touch every part of your mouth, tongue, and gums. Note the sensations you get on the sides and tip of your tongue. If you feel a little tingle at the tip of your tongue, that means it’s got some residual sugar. No tingle? No sugar!
If you can’t taste the wine before you buy, one trick that usually works is to look at the alcohol content. This depends on the type of wine, but in general, it’s true. If it’s got an ABV of 12.5 percent or higher, it’s likely a dry wine. Less than that, you’re all but guaranteed some sweetness.
