A gentleman does not need to know all the wines in the world. But a glance at the label or restaurant wine list reveals a wine’s taste level: dry, off-dry, sweet or sweet. What does this actually mean? And why can wine from the same grape variety sometimes taste dry and sometimes sweet? The Gentleman Blog explains what taste levels are, what regulations apply and which wine goes with which food.

The deciding factor: the sugar content of the wine

If something tastes sweet or sweet, it means it contains sugar. Same with wine. But here, it’s not about sugar or industrial sweeteners. Only natural ingredients are found in artisanal wine. As grapes ripen, they develop fructose, glucose and various acids such as tartaric acid and malic acid. As the grapes ripen, the acids decrease and the sugar content increases.

After harvest, the grapes are fermented. Sugar is converted into alcohol by small yeast bacteria. However, if the winemaker does not want to bottle dry wine, but rather semi-dry or sweet wine, then he can stop the fermentation process. To do this, the wine must be filtered and sterilized. The same effect occurs if you add sulfur or unfermented must. In the end, there is sugar left in the wine, this is called residual sugar.

The taste of wine does not depend on a single component. Even the best steak would taste bland without spices. In wine, the interaction of tartaric acid, residual sugar and alcohol content is responsible for the taste. With red wine, tannins are added. These plant tannins from the skin of the grape are an important factor in the taste of the wine. A dry wine with a high alcohol content may taste sweet, while sweet wines with a high tartaric acid content often seem off-dry.

The EU and residual sugar

In 2002, the EU adopted a regulation setting taste specifications for wine across the EU. But, as is the case with the laws, their breeding is as dry as Argentine Malbec, but not as flavorful. Here is a brief overview of the legal provisions.

Dry wine

• maximum. 9 g/l Restzucker
• Max acid content 2 g/l less

Example: The residual sugar content is 8 g/l, which means that the acid content should not be less than 6 g/l. A classic dry wine has a maximum of 4 g/l of residual sugar.

Dry red wine is a gentlemen’s favorite. The classics here include, for example, a dry Bordeaux, a dry Chardonnay, a dry Riesling, a dry Pinot Gris, a dry Pinot Noir and a few others.

Semi-dry wine

• Residual sugar content between 9 and 18 g/l
• Max acid content 10 g/l below the residual sugar content

Connoisseurs appreciate semi-dry wine for its exciting play between fire and harmony.

Pleasant and sweet wine

• Residual sugar content 18 – 45 g/l (sweet)
• Residual sugar content greater than 45 g/l (sweet)

Mild and sweet wines are not suitable for a wine evening, but rather with an ice cream sundae, Catalan cream or apple strudel with vanilla sauce.

Other names

There are also other names for wines than dry, semi-dry, sweet and sweet. However, these are not regulated by law. Benign The wines have more than 45 g/l of residual sugar and very little acidity. In German there is another term that seems very confusing. Beautiful bitterness The wines are off-dry with notable residual sweetness.

Sparkling wines are not still wines

The taste characteristics of sparkling wines and still wines are very different, especially when holding French sparkling wines. French sparkling wines, or Champagne and Crémants, can be significantly drier than sparkling wines from other countries.

• zero gross, ultra gross: max. 3 g/l of residual sugar, no German equivalent
• extra brut: 0 – 6 g/l of residual sugar, in German: extra bitter
• raw: less than 15 g/l of residual sugar, in German: sour
• very dry: 12 – 20 g/l, in German: extra dry, in English: extra dry
• dry: 17 – 35 g/l, in German: dry, in English: dry
• semi-dry: 35 – 50 g/l, in German: semi-dry, in English: medium dry
• Sweet: more than 50 g/l, in German: sweet, in English: sweet

So there is an overlap here. A champagne or sparkling wine house can sometimes even choose which flavor the sparkling wine belongs to. As a precaution, the gentleman avoids sparkling wines if he focuses on real champagne. But crémant, cava, spumante, sparkling wine and Krimsekt also have their place to drink.

Which wine goes with which dish?

For a true gentleman, good wine goes with good food, like a sharp knife and a sharp fork. For example, he chooses a distinguished red wine to accompany the juicy grilled steak or the hearty roast venison. A dry white wine is suitable for fine seafood pastas, crispy fried flounder fillets or tender turkey breasts stuffed with horseradish and cream cheese; A dry Bordeaux is considered here to be the grand dame of wines. A Sauternes – a noble and sweet white wine from France – goes wonderfully with a crispy and sweet crème brûlée or a beautiful chocolate mousse.

Read also :
Wine and its quality levels

This article was created in cooperation with Wine in Black. The experts of the quality wine online store regularly introduce us to the diverse world of wine on the Gentleman blog.