JustJoe
Senior Member
Is there any standard to define dry, semi-dry, sweet or is it all in the taste and feel of the wine? Will za wine with final SG less than 1.000 always be dry?
I don’t think there’s any official standards for dry, off-dry, semi-dry etc...Is there any standard to define dry, semi-dry, sweet or is it all in the taste and feel of the wine? Will za wine with final SG less than 1.000 always be dry?
Thanks! But that brings me to another question - How di I measure residual sugar?I don’t think there’s any official standards for dry, off-dry, semi-dry etc...
Under 1.000SG would usually be considered dry but they go by residual sugar amount in g/L. And different sources will say varying ranges. Something like <2-3g/L would be dry. (Even the driest of wines have a tiny amount of sugar in there.)
And I’ve seen anywhere from 7 and 10g/L and up be considered “off-dry or semi-dry”. That 3-6g/L range is apparently no-mans land. And sweet wines I assume would be much much higher amounts.
Testing for residual sugar has been a common topic of discussion here. It’s an important level in winemaking yet we really don’t have a good way to test. Still waiting on that handheld $10 digital “sugar meter” to be invented.Thanks! But that brings me to another question - How di I measure residual sugar?
Not really. Any wine that finishes below 1.000, I consider dry from a hydrometer perspective. But here, I’m only looking at whether the wine should be dosed with sorbate to keep the wine from restarting a fermentation.I have posted a questionnaire a while ago to answer this question. I meant to know the standards using the hydrometer which I think it is kinda missing info here.
I presume we all agree that 1.000 is a semi-dry and 0.096 is fully dry wine.
But when it comes to sweetness, the info is needed to be agreed on! Is backsweetning to 1.001 sweet? Semi-sweet or Port?
To clarify the point, the measurement of sweetens and dryness needs to be defined and standardised using the hydrometer.
What is considered as sweet? Semi-sweet, or port(dessert) wine? Is back-sweetening to 1.030 exceeding the limits makes it undesirable?
This needs to be defined so we don't need to wait for the digital invention to come to life!!
You agree?
Yeah, you know, the Wrath.............Super Moderator stuff.......Wait.. What.....
LOL
Perhaps a slight adjustment would be appropriate and more sensible. Some of the above SG numbers are extended out to a decimal point accuracy beyond that of a hydrometer. I have always felt that a fermentation that got to .996 or lower was a completed one, though there’s still a smidge go sugar, and consider it a dry wine. In light I’ve the above, consider the following:LOL
I'll take that! It is the new rule thu!
The issue is balance which means consumer acceptability depends on other things as tannin, unfermentable sugars (honey is a totally different land), short chain dextrin, salt load, heat and acid content. Formulating with fructose let’s one decrease the calorie load since it has a larger impact per gram. Glucose syrup lets one put more solids in without as much of a flavor impact. Artificial is a whole new world with developers adding dextrins with no impact to give mouth feel.There are no “official rules . . .
Dry < 10 g/l is SG range .990 - .994
Off Dry 10 - 20 g/l is SG range .994 - .9979
Semi-Sweet 20 - 75 g/l is SG range .9979 - 1.0183
Sweet 75+ g/l is SG above 1.0183
This is the official new law of the winemaking land in regards to sweetness. Violate it and face the wrath of @ibglowin