Doux
Doux
Doux is the French term for “sweet”, representing the highest and sweetest classification level in French wine (>50 g/L residual sugar). It is often used to describe Champagne and sparkling wines which are luscious and rare, reserved to be paired with pastries, rich desserts, or enjoyed on their own as desserts.
See Also
Brut
Brut is the French term for dry sparkling wine with very low sugar content: specifically less than 12 grams per liter (g/L) of 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.
Porto
Porto is the official name for Port. It is a a sweet, fortified red wine made from traditional grapes like Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesca, Touriga Nacional and others in Duoro Valley, Portugal.
Natural Wine
Natural wine is produced with minimal intervention, using organic or biodynamic grapes and little to no additives, synthetic chemicals, preservatives or artificial yeasts. There is no legal definition for natural wine and it is often described as a winemaking philosophy, rather than a strict style.
Dessert Wine
Dessert wine is any wine with high residual sugar, often served in smaller, chilled glasses as a dessert or with a dessert. They typically feature high acidity, with some being fortified with spirits.
Madeira
Madeira is a fortified wine from the Portuguese island of Madeira, famous for being produced under intense heat and oxidation, which makes it exceptionally age worthy.
Tawny Port
Tawny Port is a sweet fortified wine from Portugal's Duoro Valley. It is aged in small oak barrels which encourage more oxygen interaction, causing the color to shift from red to brownish amber and creates a caramelized taste.
Dry Wine
A 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.