Dry and semi-dry wine: differences, what they combine with, features of use

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Among ordinary wine connoisseurs, there is an opinion that only aged vintage drinks should be taken seriously, and light young options cannot be complex and rich. However, many masters are sure that tasting light dry and semi-dry wines brings maximum benefit and pleasure. The differences between them lie in the nuances of the technology: in dry, sugar is completely absent, and in semi-dry, its small amount is preserved, from five to thirty grams per liter.

Let's try to find out what are the advantages of each type, which wine to choose for a romantic dinner and are there any negative sides to these drinks?

A bit of history

Our ancestors loved and knew a lot about the taste of grape wine. However, until civilization has inventeddevices to stop the fermentation process, people drank only dry wines. Sometimes, if the grown grape crop was especially sugary or was harvested after light frosts, a drink was obtained that was similar in taste to semi-dry options.

The first dry wines matured for a very long time, until sugar completely disappeared from the composition and fermentation did not stop. Often the difference between dry and semi-dry wine depended only on the type of vine and the number of sunny days per year.

Gradually, people learned to stop the fermentation of grapes by heating grape juice with pulp in a water bath to a certain temperature and pasteurizing it for about 20 minutes. Or, on the contrary, subjecting the wine base to a sharp cooling, about +2 ° C, then the fermentation process froze and more sugar remained in the drink.

Various technologies

Humanity is characterized by a love of experimentation, and gradually manufacturers have learned to select equipment, grape varieties and technologies to produce wine with different taste characteristics. New varieties were added to the already familiar varieties, and the differences between dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet and sweet wines became more and more distinct. Even in the regions of one country, the principles and methods of making local types of drink could be very different.

And when producers learned to artificially stop the fermentation of the base by adding alcohol, which killed the yeast at the right time, the differences between types of wine became clear. They mainly concerned the strength of the drink and the sugar content in it.

Features

The very terms that characterize different types of drinks contain the answer to the question of how dry semi-dry sweet semi-sweet wines differ. At the same time, let's try to figure out how sweet a drink must be to be called a liqueur wine:

• Dry, the lightest and most beneficial for the body. Sugar in good dry wine cannot be more than 0.5 percent, and the alcohol content does not exceed 8-11%.
• Semi-dry, the sugar content of which can vary from 0.5 to 30 percent. At the same time, the alcohol content is only slightly higher than in dry ones: only 9-11%.
• Semi-sweet. The name itself speaks of the saturation of taste and a rather high sugar content, 3-8% is acceptable. Along with the sugar content, the alcohol content also increases: already 9-13%. The perfect choice for a romantic candlelit dinner.
• Dessert semi-sweet species are quite capricious and require proper storage. At the same time, they are distinguished by a unique attractive taste and a long aftertaste. Their sugar content is quite high, 5-12%, and the alcohol content is 14-16%.
• Dessert sweet varieties are ideal for ripened cheeses and fruits. These are vintage strong wines with a persistent aftertaste and rich aromas. With prolonged storage, they darken, become oily, with a pleasant sourness. The sugar content in such drinks is 14-20%, while they are quite strong: the alcohol content is 15-17%.
• Liqueur types seem to be made for sweet lovers. They differ in maximum sugar content, which can reach 35% of the total composition of the drink. Themcan only be produced in small batches, because not every year there is a particularly sweet grape harvest.

However, doctors are sure that only natural drinks are suitable for people's he alth and good mood. Let's try to find out the benefits and differences between dry and semi-dry wine and where exactly the best options are created.

Pleasure from Italy

There are countries where people prefer wine to many other drinks, so for Italians, French and even Georgians, a few glasses at dinner have become almost a ritual. Therefore, they see no reason to produce bad wine here, on the contrary, private factories still carry out many operations using old technologies, without modern equipment.

In the line of Italian drinks, the difference between dry, semi-dry and semi-sweet wines will not be very noticeable: the same grape varieties are used and often the owners themselves decide which types are better to release this year.

However, for domestic consumption, Italians prefer natural dry wine. For dry red varieties, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Negrette, Aleatico, Sauvingnon grapes are used, which ripen perfectly on sunny slopes. Moreover, the berries are processed together with the skin, seeds, and sometimes twigs.

White wines are more delicate and refined, they are usually consumed young, no older than three years. This is the only way to enjoy the delicate aroma and taste of fresh grapes.

French Delight

It is difficult to describe the attitude of the French to wine, most of all it resembles adoration. It seems that they can spend hours discussing how dry red wine differs from semi-dry Merlot VDP Castel or Cabernet Sauvingnon Chavron and how they harmonize with the taste of meat and savory cheeses.

Each region of France prides itself on its unique technology, drinks from the Rhone Valley will be significantly different from the young Macon Blanc Villages Louis Jadot from Burgundy.

Most of all dry and semi-dry wines are produced in the province of Bordeaux. Moreover, red wines are surprisingly good in this region, but among whites it is worth noting Petit Cablis Regnard, with its delicate aroma of fruits and ripe berries.

Spanish traditions

Masters of Spain do not recognize half measures, no gaps, so guests will hardly feel the difference between semi-dry and semi-sweet wine. A dry red variety in Spain attracts with its rich, thick taste and pronounced character. Most of all, Castile is famous for its young wines; it is this region that accounts for more than half of the volume of the drink produced. Almost every town has cellars with local wine, where guests will be treated to amazingly delicious varieties.

And once in Pais Vasco (Basque Country), you should definitely try the local light wine Txakoli. Production plants are deliberately built next to the vineyards so as not to transport raw materials and keep the berries intact.

Locals are sure that nothing in the world is more refreshing in the summer heat than a few sips of chilleddrink with a slight oiliness and floral aroma.

Fragrant Riesling from Germany

In all regions of the country there are small farms that produce amazing local wine from Riesling grapes. In each part of the country, it reveals itself differently: from acidity and a delicate floral bouquet to a rich aroma of spices and fruits.

The Germans themselves prefer pure dry wines, which are distinguished by a minimum residual sugar content and a noble fruity bouquet. And fans of semi-dry varieties should look for Kabinett on the label, meaning a drink with a unique "crispy" acidity, made from grapes of the main crop.

Ancient technologies of Georgia

In this land of high mountains, the love of wine only intensifies from generation to generation. Masters from local varieties of vines create amazingly rich red and white blends for natural drinks. For example, the pride of Georgian masters, dry white wine "Tsinandali" has been produced since 1886, and since then the principle of its production has not changed much.

The main difference between dry and semi-dry wines of Georgia is the technology: in order to obtain a sweeter product, the fermentation process of raw materials is deliberately stopped by cooling. A special taste of red wines is given by the ancient method of preparing raw materials, or rather, its complete absence. Grapes are crushed together with seeds, small leaves and even twigs. During fermentation, this gives the drinkamazing astringency and richness. And from Rkatsiteli grapes they make the white wine of the same name, amber in color, with elegant fruity notes.

The pleasure of sparkling wine

It's hard to think of sparkling champagne and Spanish cava when talking about natural young wines. After all, the pleasure of these drinks, the debate about which is better, dry or semi-dry, and the differences between wines in this category have been captivating experts and lovers for many years.

It is believed that the best sparkling varieties are traditionally produced in France, in the province of Champagne. However, in other regions of the country, for example, in Languedoc, where champagne began to be produced long before the popularity of Champagne, drinks are no worse.

And in several regions of Italy they produce wine that is a significant competitor to the usual champagne. We are talking about cava, a drink made from local grape varieties, mainly Parellada, Macabeo and Xarello.

The best varieties of sparkling wines are white and rosé drinks of the Brut Nature category, they contain almost no sugar and retain the natural taste of ripe grapes. It is best to taste them in the first year after bottling, then the lightness and richness of taste is preserved.

No rules

Many are sure that red wines are served exclusively with meat dishes, while white wines reveal their taste next to seafood or poultry. However, this is fundamentally wrong, a thick red semi-dry will wonderfully set off a tender turkey dish, andThe usual fried chicken will be spiced up with a glass of rich, fruity Merlot.

White wines go well with fatty or spicy appetizers, mushroom and liver dishes, seafood and fish.

Both white and red dry varieties go well with lean beef or pork tenderloin, as well as vegetable snacks, berries and nuts.

Semi-dry will harmonize nicely with blue cheese, fruits (but not citrus fruits), dishes with creamy sauces, pasta and oily fish.

But dry sparkling varieties are considered universal, they can be served with any appetizers and main courses.

While there are no set rules for wine selection, it should be enjoyed, tasted, experimented, differentiated and enjoyed with every glass.