While all wine contains sugar, not all wine is considered sweet. When you look at a red wine sweetness chart you will see that a wide range of wines are on the sweeter side, while others are so low in sugar they are considered “bone dry.”
In this article we take a look into what makes a wine sweet in the first place, as well as examine where your favorite red wines fall on the sweetness chart.
Whether you’re a fan of wines that are sweeter than sweet, or love a wine so dry it’ll make your mouth pucker, this handy chart is the perfect tool for understanding your vino better.
Wine sweetness is determined by how much sugar is left in the wine after the grape juice ferments. Most red wines, like Merlot or Pinot Noir, aren’t sweet at all.
Which Wines Top the Red Wine Sweetness Chart?
Those in the first category are dessert wines. These gorgeously sugar-heavy and decadent options — such as ruby Port, tawny Port, and Vin Santo Rosso from Italy — are perfect for those with a sweet tooth.
However, if you are on the hunt for a sweeter red wine to enjoy with your main meal, there are plenty that offer a more middle ground, like Lambrusco. Lambrusco is an Italian red wine that is considered semi-sweet. It boasts red fruit flavors, such as strawberry, blackberry, and rhubarb. It’s also high in acidity, meaning the wine’s residual sugars are well balanced.
Zinfandel is another sweet red wine option. This fruity, Croatian grape produces wines with fruit-forward qualities — think tinned peaches, strawberry, and sweet tobacco.
Though not considered a sweet wine by any stretch of the imagination, Malbec is high on the red wine sweetness chart. This full-bodied red is often produced in warm climates, using highly ripe grapes. Malbec boasts fruity flavors, such as plum, blackberry, and vanilla.
Which Red Wines Are the Least Sweet?
Let’s take a closer look at the drier end of the red wine sweetness chart. While popular favorites Merlot and Pinot Noir are considered dry red wines, they have higher levels of residual sugars than the very dry options.
Tempranillo is considered a very dry red wine. Hailing from Spain, this full-bodied red is high in tannins, high in acidity, and boasts delicious notes of dried figs, cherries, and tobacco.
Cabernet Sauvignon is another popular full-bodied wine with high tannins. Along with lovely fruit flavors like black cherry and black currant, Cabernet Sauvignon has gorgeous savory notes such as cedar.
Nebbiolo is an Italian powerhouse. This full-bodied, highly tannic red wine is considered bone dry, giving it the bottom spot on our red wine sweetness chart. This heavy red has great savory notes such as leather balanced with fruity, floral notes such as rose and cherry.
5 Types of Sweet Wine
FAQ
What is a good wine that is not sweet?
Which red wine is a little sweet?
Is Merlot or Pinot Noir sweeter?
Which red wine is less sweet?
What is the sweetest red wine?
Look for wines labeled “ Amabile ” for a ‘just sweet’ style or “ Dolce ” for the sweetest reds. Brachetto, the grape, makes a light ruby red sweet red wine called Brachetto d’Acqui, which comes in three types. First, the Rosso with a sweetness range of 4-5 teaspoons of sugar per glass. Second, the Spumante, which is the full sparkling version.
Red vs White wine: Which is healthier?
The difference between red and white wine is the colour of the grapes which are used. To make white wine, grapes are pressed and skin, seeds and stems are removed before fermentation. However, to make red wine, the crushed red grapes are fermented with seeds, skin and stems. As a result, red wine is rich in plant compounds that are present in those skins such as tannins and resveratrol. Overall, red wine has slight edge over white because it has higher amounts of vitamins and minerals. Red wine helps in reducing heart disease risk, increase good HDL cholesterol and helps with diabetes. Red wine helps with cancer and eases joint pain.
Which wine has a low sugar?
Or try a Merlot, another dry red that balances fruitiness with lower sugar levels. If you prefer whites, a Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio might be just the ticket. These wines are often dry, offering a crisp, refreshing alternative to sweeter white wines. These are the wines to seek out if you need a low sugar option.
Are red wines sweet?
Bold and fruity red wines may contain almost no sugar, but their aromas of cherries, raspberries, plums, and more may seem slightly more sweet than other dry red wines. Finally, we have approachable and fruity red wines. Although they are still dry, they may taste the most approachable and fruity. You may have asked yourself, “Is Pinot Noir sweet?”