Sweetness of wine#Residual sugar

The residual sugar is also known as residual sugar (short RZ) or sugar residue designated amount of sugar in the wine in g / l, according to the natural end of fermentation or their targeted stopping (either by cooling, by the addition of sulfur or alcohol and filtration) maintained. The remainder consisting essentially of sugar fructose (fruit sugar) as the glucose (dextrose ) is converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide quickly and from non-fermentable sugars (see pentoses ). Today, the residual sugar specification also includes the wine annexed by sugar sweet reserve amount.

The taste information is categorized into dry, semi- dry, sweet or semi-sweet and sweet, with the corresponding residual sugar amount in each category is wine law precisely controlled. These taste information may be indicated on the wine label, as it is a voluntary labeling.

In ideal fermentation conditions ( temperature-controlled fermentation) can ferment to a residual sugar content of at least 0.5 g / l of a wine.

If the residual sugar mainly from fructose and is individually dependent than sugar so a diabetic may well - after consultation with his doctor - also enjoy a semi-dry wine.

• Oenology