How Sweetness Affects Wine Structure

Sweetness is another important characteristic that affects wine structure. Logically, the sweetness comes from sugar, or more precisely, residual sugar. As we have already discussed, sugar is a natural component of grapes, and vintners can alter the sugar level in grapes by allowing them to ripen longer.

During the fermentation, the sugar slowly transforms into alcohol. If not interrupted, all sugar will be transformed. But winemakers can stop the fermentation process prematurely by adding a strong liquor. This liquor kills the yeast cells, so they can’t continue to transform the sugar. Logically, the resulting wine will contain plenty of residual sugar and will be much sweeter than wine that undergoes the fermentation process until the end.

When making sparkling wines, many vintners finalize sweetness levels by adding the dosage, a mix of wine, grape spirit, and sugar. This final touch is used even for high-quality sparklers such as Champagne. For still table wine, it’s uncommon (and in many cases, wine laws prohibit this practice).

Residual sugar adds body to the wine, just like alcohol. And, of course, it makes it sweeter. In extreme cases, such as Tokaji or some types of Port wine, the result can be syrup-like wine. But even when aiming to make such a sweet wine, vintners need to balance the sweetness to provide a proper wine structure. Acidity is vital for this purpose.

Final Words

The structure of wine determines the drinking experience and makes a pleasant, well-balanced beverage. But the lack of wine structure can make it taste overly aggressive, too strong, or simply dull. While you have the theoretical knowledge to evaluate a wine’s structure now, it will surely take plenty of training to master the practical tasting. So don’t waste time and pour yourself a glass. Cheers!