Sweetness of wine

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The sweetness of a wine is defined by the level of residual sugar (or RS) in the final liquid after the fermentation has ceased. However, how sweet the wine will actually taste is also controlled by factors such as the acidity and alcohol levels, the amount of tannin present, and whether the wine is sparkling. For example, a sweet wine such as a Vouvray can actually taste dry due to the high level of acidity, or a dry wine can taste sweet if the alcohol level is elevated.

In recent decades, an increase in the population who only occasionally drink wine has led to an increase in the sweetness of many cheap wines, and as a result medium and sweet wines have a perception among many drinkers of being of lower quality than dry wines. However, many of the world's great wines, such as those from Sauternes, Barsac or Tokaj, have a high level of residual sugar which is carefully balanced with additional acidity to produce a harmonious result.

Terms used to indicate sweetness of wine

The principal wine-producing countries of Europe use different terms to indicate the rough level of residual sugar, which is usually measured in grams per liter (as in the table below).

The region of Tokaj-Hegyalja in Hungary has a more graduated terminology to describe Tokaji Aszú dessert wines:

Within the United States wine industry the sweetness of must and wine is measured in degrees brix.

Historical Means of Sweetening wine

In his book, Vintage: the story of Wine, Huge Johnson details several methods that have been used throughout history to sweeten wine. The most common way was to harvest the grapes as late as possible. This method was advocated by Virgil & Martial in Ancient Roman times. In contrast the Ancient Greeks would harvest the grapes early, to preserve some of the grapes acidity, and then leave them in the sun for a few days as they shrivel and concentrate their sugar. In a Crete, a similar effect was achieved by twisting the stalks of the grape bunches to deprive them of the vine's sap and letting dry on the vine-a method that produced Passum wines and the modern Italian equivalent-passiti. Two other techniques popular in Ancient Rome was defrutum-reduction of the grape must by means of boiling and mulsum-adding honey to the fermented wine.

Stopping the fermentation also enhanced a wine's potential sweetness-the German method süssreserve. In ancient times this was achieved by submerging the amphoras in cold water till winter. Hugh Johnson, Vintage: The Story of Wine pgs 70-71. Simon and Schuster 1989 A similar concept is achieved today with the use of modern technology in cold stabilization.

Footnotes

 

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