Introduction to Wine
Introduction to Wine will introduce you to some of the basics of wine. I want to learn about wine with you. Chapter 6 shows us what “dry” wine is.
Even non-drinkers have heard the terms “dry red” and “dry white” at the table at one time or another. I don’t know when this “dryness” was first thought of as a sensory experience similar to the sensation of wrapping and drying in the mouth when drinking wine. But is it true?
What makes a wine “dry”?
As a liquid, wine is often described as “dry,” but in many cases, this expression is inappropriate.
We often mistakenly think of “dry” as a sensory taste experience. For example, a feeling of tightness in the mouth after drinking, a feeling of dryness in the mouth. In fact, this sensation is caused by the tannins in the wine (which we will discuss in the next article), not by the “dryness” of the wine.
A dry wine is a wine that has no residual sugar. In short, it is not sweet. Of course, everyone’s perception of sweetness is different. For dry and sweet wines, there are strict requirements for the amount of residual sugar. Only wines that fall within this range can be called dry wines.
Dry wines: ≤ 4.0 g/l residual sugar.
Semi-dry wines: 4.1~12.0g/l of residual sugar
Semi-sweet wines: 12.1~45.1g/l of residual sugar
Sweet wine: residual sugar ≥ 45.1g/l
In order to convert grape juice into wine, new yeast is added for fermentation. During the fermentation process, the yeast gradually eats up the sugar in the juice, thus producing alcohol. If the winemaker stops the fermentation process before the yeast has eaten all the sugar, the amount of residual sugar in the wine will be higher and the wine will taste sweet.
Likewise, if the fermentation process is complete and the yeast consumes all the sugar, the wine will be “dry” with no sugar and no sweetness. Therefore, “dry” is the opposite of “sweet”.
In addition, we should note two caveats: a dry wine does not mean that it is not fruity, it is just not as sweet as fruit juice. In addition, tannin and dryness are two different things. A wine with a high tannin content can taste sweet, but a “dry” wine will not be sweet.
Dry = high alcohol content
If you like wines with high alcohol content, you will definitely like “dry” wines. This is not an uncommon statement. As a result, many people naturally equate “dryness” with high alcohol accuracy. In fact, this is not true.
The higher the sugar content of the wine grapes, the more sugar is consumed by the new yeast in the fermentation process, and the more alcohol is produced by its conversion.
According to this logic, the claim that dry wines have high alcohol content seems to be valid. However, the accuracy of wine is closely related to the grape variety, wine style, and winemaking process. Small changes in each of these factors can affect the final wine’s alcohol content.
It is obviously unreasonable to equate dry wine with high alcohol content.
Dry Red or Dry White
Both dry red and dry white wines are dry wines, but they are very different.
In most cases, red wines are made from red grape varieties, while white wines are made from white grape varieties. However, the white grapes are first pressed (filtered from the skins) during the winemaking process. Therefore, some red-skinned grapes with white flesh can also be used to make white wine.
The color of dry red is primarily red, while the color of dry white is primarily yellow.
Dry red refers to the fermentation of the grape skins and juice, followed by separation and ageing. Dry whites are made by separating the skins from the juice and then fermenting the juice.
Due to the difference in grape and winemaking methods, dry red wines have more flavorful substances, are slightly tart, and have relatively high tannins. Dry white wines are fresher, more acidic, and have fewer tannins.
In the case of dry reds, which are sought after by almost 10,000 people, dry whites are not as popular as many other varieties. However, those who like fruit and refreshing companions can give it a try.
