Dry Wine
Dry Wine
Dry wine is a wine that contains very little to no residual sugar, resulting in a flavor profile that lacks sweetness. It is defined by sugar levels (often under 4g/L) and not by mouth drying tannins. Dry wines are created by allowing the yeast to consume almost all the natural grape sugars during fermentation. They can taste fruity, crisp or acidic and good examples include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Merlot and Syrah. A dry sparkling wine is labeled “brut”.
See Also
Rosé
Rosé is a type of wine that is made from red grapes that gains its signature pink color through brief contact with the grape skins. Rosé combines the crispness of white wine with the red fruit flavors of red wine, featuring notes of red fruit, flowers, citrus and melon.
Sauternes
Sauternes is a French wine from Bordeaux, particularly the Sauternes and Barsac regions. Sauternes wine is made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grapes affected by Botrytis cinerea (noble rot).
Amarone
Amarone della Valpolicella is a full bodied dry red wine from Veneto in Italy. It is famous for its high alcohol, bold tannins, low acidity and complex flavors of dried cherry, chocolate and spice.
Cava
Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine produced in Catalonia using the traditional method just like Champagne. It is typically dry, with zesty citrus and apple flavors.
Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wine refers to the type of wine with significant amounts of carbon dioxide dissolved in it, which makes it fizzy or bubbly. Carbon dioxide is introduced through a secondary fermentation process in the bottle (e.g., Champagne) or tank (Prosecco).
Doux
Doux is the French term for "sweet", representing the highest and sweetest classification level in French wine (>50 g/L residual sugar).
Sec
'Sec" refers to the French word for "dry" and its meaning in wine varies depending on the wine type. In still wines, sec wines have very little residual sugar (less than 4 g/L), while in sparkling wines and Champagne, "sec" indicates an off dry or slightly sweet style with 17-35 g/L of residual sugar.
Blend
A blend is the combination of two or more different grape varieties, vineyard parcels, fermented wines or vintages to create a more balanced, complex and consistent wine.