What kind of wine is dessert wine?
Wines that contain a large amount of sugar and have a sweet taste are called ``dessert wines'' or ``sweet wines.'' Definitions vary depending on the country, but according to EU regulations, wine with less than 4g of sugar per liter (called "residual sugar") is considered "dry," and anything with more than 4g of sugar per liter is considered "dry." Depending on the amount of residual sugar, we define those containing ``slightly dry to sweet.''
Dessert wines come in a variety of varieties, ranging from slightly dry to extremely sweet.
In addition, the sweetness of dessert wine has the power to extend the life of the wine, and the highest quality dessert wines can be aged for several years to decades, and some can even last for as long as 100 years.
This time, we will introduce how to make dessert wine, which is actually a little-known fact, and some typical dessert wines.
Why wine tastes sweet
The first thing you need to know is that in order for alcohol-free grape juice to turn into alcohol-containing wine, yeast needs to carry out alcoholic fermentation.
Yeast produces alcohol by eating (breaking down) the sugar in grape juice. When wine is made using conventional methods, yeast eats the sugar in the grape juice and turns it into alcohol, resulting in a dry wine. Therefore, in order to make dessert wine, artificial techniques are used to make the wine sweeter.
How to make dessert wine
Dessert wine is made in three main ways:
How to increase the sugar content of grape juice
In this method, the sugar content of the grape juice itself, which is the raw material for wine, is raised to a level that cannot be digested by yeast through alcohol fermentation. By doing so, residual sugar will remain in the wine even after alcoholic fermentation has finished, making it possible to produce sweet wine. The higher the sugar content of the grape juice, the more residual sugar the wine will have and the sweeter it will be.
This method is very time-consuming and requires high labor costs, so wines made using this method are often expensive, with wines made by popular producers costing more than tens of thousands of yen per bottle. There are also wines to choose from.
noble rot wine
This wine is made from grapes with botrytis bacteria attached to the skins of the grapes, the water in the grapes evaporating, and the juice concentrated. Sauternes, one of the world's three major noble rot wines, which will be explained later, is famous.
Eiswein (Icewine)
This wine is made by pressing frozen grapes to extract the concentrated sugar content from the grape juice. In Germany, where it is typically produced, it is called Eiswein, and in Canada, it is called Eiswine.
raisin wine
This wine is made from grapes that have been dried on straw or hung on string to remove moisture. Vin de Paille, made in the Jura region of France, and Recioto, Italy, are famous.
late harvest wine
This wine is made from grapes that are harvested later than regular grapes so that they are exposed to more sunlight and are fully ripe. Typical wines include Vendange Tarviv (meaning late harvest) from the Alsace region of France and Auslese from Germany.
How to stop alcohol fermentation midway through
The second method is to intentionally stop the fermentation process in the middle of alcohol fermentation.
In alcoholic fermentation, sugar gradually turns into alcohol through the action of yeast. During this process, the fermentation process is forcibly stopped before all of the sugar is converted to alcohol, and the sugar that has not yet been fermented remains in the wine, giving it a sweet taste.
To intentionally stop alcoholic fermentation, create an environment that makes it difficult for yeast to work by cooling the wine or adding sulfur dioxide (sulfur dioxide gas). This method is often seen in some German low-alcohol medium-sweet wines.
Another method is to increase the alcohol content of wine by adding a liquid with a high alcohol content, such as brandy, to stop the yeast from working.
fortified wine
This is a wine whose alcoholic fermentation has been stopped midway through by adding brandy. Also called fortified wine. There is a wide variety of wines available, including port wine and Madeira from Portugal, sherry from Spain, and Marsala from Italy.
How to add sweet substances
Another way to make dessert wine is by adding sweet substances directly to the wine. Mainly, grape juice that has not been alcohol-fermented, fruit juice from fruits other than grapes, and sweet syrup are added. This method is often used for relatively inexpensive dessert wines such as Germany's Suss Reserve, but there are some exceptions, and this method is also used when making high-end sparkling wines such as Champagne. In Champagne, the sweetness of the wine is controlled by the amount of sugar added just before bottling.
flavored wine
This is wine made by adding substances other than grapes, such as medicinal herbal essences or the juice of other fruits, to wine. Also called aromatized wine. Examples include Spanish sangria, which is made by adding orange or other fruit juice, and Italian vermouth, which is made by adding syrup.
What are the world's three major noble rot wines?
Noble rot wines made using a method that ``increases the sugar content of grape juice'' include dessert wines that represent the world and are called ``World's Three Great Noble Rot Wines''.
- sauternes
- Trockenbeerenauslese
- tokaji
Sauternes is a famous wine-producing region in the Bordeaux region of southwestern France. Super sweet white wine is produced mainly from Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc in five villages centered around Sauternes. Many chateaus, including Chateau d'Yquem, produce high-quality dessert wines.
"Trockenbeerenauslese" is a top class noble rot wine made in Germany. Noble rot wine made from Riesling is highly praised. Compared to Sauternes, it has a lower alcohol content and a more delicate taste.
"Tokaji" is a noble rot wine that has been produced since ancient times in the Tokaj region of northeastern Hungary. It is made from a white grape called Furmint. We use a unit of sweetness called ``puttonnos'', which ranges from 3 to 6, and is also displayed on wine labels. Also, anything sweeter than 6 puttonyos is labeled as "essentia".
Dessert wine aroma/scent
The aroma of dessert wine is more similar to that of a white wine made from highly ripened grapes than to a fresh, youthful white wine, and is characterized by aromas of dried fruit and fruit compote.
There are three main types of dessert wine aromas.
Aroma like fruit jam or compote
- apple jam
- orange jam
- Peach compote
- Pineapple compote etc.
Dried fruit
Dried fruit aromas are often found in wines made from dried grapes.
- dried apricots
- Dried figs etc.
molasses
- honey
- brown sugar
Etc. Dessert wine has a slightly different expression than dry wine, and as its name suggests, it can be enjoyed as a dessert by pairing it with fruits or cake, or by itself, or with meat dishes. I also recommend checking it out. Why not try a sweet dessert wine once in a while and enjoy a luxurious feeling?
