There are a bunch of different words people use to describe wine.  You’ve probably heard the terms Dry Wine, Sweet Wine, Semi-Sweet Wine, or maybe even Off-Dry Wine. And you’ve probably wondered what those words all mean.

The short answer is those words (dry, semi-sweet, etc.) refer to the sweetness of the wine.

The long answer begins in the vineyards. Grapes develop natural sugars as they grow on the vine. Depending on a large number of factors (like soil, precipitation, and sunlight to name a few), some grapes develop more sugar and some less. Viticulturalists (or scientists who study grapes and grape growing) and Enologists (or winemakers) take measurements of the levels of sugar in grapes as the grapes progress throughout the growing season. When the grapes develop just the right amount of sugar, or at least the amount of sugar desired by the winemaker, they are harvested. Once harvested, grapes are pressed and the fermentation process begins. Fermentation is simply the conversion of sugar to alcohol. Winemakers can actually control the amount of sugar they convert to alcohol. Sometimes, winemakers will leave next to no sugar in the wine, creating a high alcohol content, with very little residual sugar, and a dry wine.  Other times, winemakers will leave more sugar in the wine, creating a lower alcohol content, with some residual sugar, and a sweet wine. Generally speaking, the amount of residual sugar in the wine determines how sweet a wine is. A dry wine is a wine with very little residual sugar and a sweet wine is a wine with alot of residual sugar. Check out the tags below to see different wines reviewed on ShowMeWine.org.

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ShowMeWine Staff Rating: 86
User Rating: (4 ratings, average: 85 out of 100)
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Winery: Hermannhof
Varietal (Grape): Seyval Blanc
Vintage (Year): 2003
Price: $11.59

Hermannhof’s 2003 Seyval Blanc lacks the style of an award winning Missouri white, but certainly not substance.  The wine is nearly colorless, possibly due to the fermentation of the wine in stainless steel tanks.  The color present was inconsistent and moderately cloudy.  But a beautiful bouquet of grapefruit, apricot, orange, and a host of complex other citrus aromas more than compensates for the lack of visual attractiveness.  The medium-bodied Seyval Blanc’s palette dished out plenty of tangy citrus and a lasting, dry finish.  This wine would pair well with a host of light summer chicken plates and winter citrus pies. Ready to drink immediately.

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ShowMeWine Staff Rating: 83
User Rating: (6 ratings, average: 90 out of 100)
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Winery: Mount Pleasant
Varietal (Grape): Claret (Blend)
Vintage (Year): 2006
Price: $13.99

Mount Pleasant’s 2006 Claret is a bold attempt at a warm-climate blend that is neither a burden or a beacon to the Mount Pleasant wine flight. Despite a high ranking at the World Wine Championship, our ShowMeWine tasting panel found this wine’s tannins and acidity overpowering.  The Mount Pleasant Claret starts with magnificent color, displaying a gorgeous, deep ruby hue.  The bouquet is pleasant but a fresh nose begins to pick up a few of the wine’s flaws at this point.  Aromas of powerful plum and bright cherry are blemished with resinous oak and cedar. Upon taste, though initially welcome, the tannins soon become harsh.  The finish is long but unbalanced.  A consumer would do well to age this wine 5 to 7 years before drinking and allow some of the stronger, immature flavors to settle.

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