Sweetness of wine

The taste information, also called degrees of taste or sweetness levels are uniform across the European Union, but they are named differently in the countries. When wine, an indication on the label is not mandatory. In Germany it is in dry wines usual, while the information semi-dry, are lovely and cute rare to find on the labels, as they can adversely affect the marketing. For sparkling wine, the taste information is required on the label. In contrast to the wine, the categories overlap partially. In such cases, you can choose between two flavors details.

The sensory, subjective perception of taste is subject biological variation and depends on wines and sparkling wines from several factors. It is not identical with the respective values ​​of its constituents measurable analysis. For example, wines with relatively low residual sugar content at low acid content than be "sweet" perceived and taste wines with high acidity and high residual sugar content "dry". Also, alcohol and glycerin can cause the wine to a sweet taste perception, although the wine is analytically "dry". The maturity of a wine affect taste perception, taste as formative molecules (acids, residual sugar ) are polymerized to form molecular complexes and are thus perceived sensorially different. For example, mature taste sweet wines ( Eiswein, Beerenauslese, etc.) less sweet than in their youth. Conversely, old, dry red wines can be perceived by high extract values ​​and the maturity of their tannins as " sweet " again.

Wine

Common subdivision

  • Dry: wines with a residual sugar content of up to 9 g / l, acidity than 2 g / l may be lower. Classic dry only allowed 4 g / l residual sugar. The former for wines with a residual sugar content of up to 2 g / l allowed stating " Suitable for diabetics - only after consulting the doctor " is no longer allowed. The specification of analytical values ​​is permitted.
  • Semi-dry: Half-dry wine may not exceed 9 to 18 g / l unfermented sugars, the sugar can not be more than 10 g / l higher than the acidity. These wines have a slight residual sweetness. At high acidity they may also taste dry. If the acid content is low, can enter the opposite and have the wine a distinctly sweet taste.
  • Sweetly, Semisweet: Wine with significantly sweeter taste alignment. According to the German Wine Law of the residual sugar content is higher than the semi-dry wines (18 g / l ) to 45 g / l residual sugar. In Germany and Austria, both terms are used interchangeably. In Switzerland, is used sweet, there, the term does not depend on the degree of sweetness, but is used for fine wines with attributes, irritating or even pleasant in the wine speech in general. The same also applies to the English -speaking world. There, the terms charming or lovely be used for sweet.
  • Sweet: The taste of sweet wines is dominated by sugar or other sweet wine ingredients. The European wine law defines sweet wines at a residual sugar content of more than 45 g / l Outside the German-speaking countries the terms are, for example, doce, dolce dulce, sweet, édes, glykos or sladko used for these wines.

Other terms used

  • Franconian dry: This term is used in the wine region Franconia for dry wines with a residual sugar content of up to 4 g / l. In wine law this term is not intended and should therefore not be used on the labels. In the vineyards there francs the agreement that the term is used only for dry wines with a residual sugar to 4 g / l.
  • Mild: wines with a residual sugar content above 45 g / l The term mild is used in the wine talk for wines with low acidity and also for sweet wines in which the acid remains in the background.
  • Feinherb: Semi-dry wines are sometimes referred to in Germany as a fine dry on the labels. Up to a target of Mosel vintners court decision was the prohibition principle. It said that on labels no information could be made that are not provided in the law. This was tilted off-dry with the name. The Court found no violation of the ban on misleading claims of Article 48 of Regulation ( EC) No 1493 /1999 and Article 6 of Regulation (EC ) No 753/2002 see since the term feinherb in contrast to the terms defined by law no backed consumer expectation is connected. However, critics are of the opinion that there may well come to a consumer deception, and justify this with the often very significant residual sugar of the wine.

Sparkling wine

For sparkling wines, the sensation of taste is sweet mitigated by the carbonic acid. Therefore, other residual sugar limits are applied.

France brut zéro; also: France brut nature, France brut sauvage, France brut intégral, France ultra brut or France brut ultra

France extra brut; also: France Brut de Brut, France brut nature

France très sec; United Kingdom extra dry

France sec, United Kingdom dry, Italy secco asciutto, Russia suchoye ( сухое ) Croatia suho, Hungary száraz

France demi - sec, United Kingdom medium dry, Italy abboccato, Russia polusuchoye ( полусухое ) Croatia polusuho, Hungary félszáraz

France doux, United Kingdom sweet, Italy dolce, Russia sladkoje ( сладкое ), Croatia slatko, Hungary édes

  • Other terms: The terms France dosage zéro or France pas dosé mean that no liqueur d' expédition (shipping Dosage) was added.
Sparkling wine#Sweetness
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