Your Ultimate Guide to sweet red wine : Tips and Top Picks

Sweet Red Wine

How to Find Sweet Red Wines

Sweet red wines may not be the most common type of red wine, but they are increasingly popular as an entry point for new wine drinkers or as a bridge from white to red wines. While sweet red wines are less prevalent than sweet white varieties, they can certainly be found.

Understanding Sweetness in Wine

In the wine world, sweetness contrasts sharply with dryness. Most red wines are crafted to be dry, featuring lower residual sugar (RS) levels and higher tannins, which contribute to the overall dry taste profile.

When searching for a sweet red wine, you'll want to consider certain characteristics that indicate its sweetness.

Sweetness vs. Fruitiness

It's essential to distinguish between sweetness and fruitiness when exploring wines. Sweetness is experienced on the tip of the tongue, while fruitiness largely stems from the wine's aroma. You can physically taste only five sensations: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami, but you can detect thousands of scents through smell.

Additionally, tannins can suppress a wine's fruity notes. In highly tannic wines, the drying sensation may mask the fruit flavors. Therefore, low-tannin wines often exhibit more fruitiness and sweetness due to higher residual sugars.

Indicators of a Sweet Wine

Wines can generally be classified as sweet, off-dry (semi-sweet), or dry, with the residual sugar level playing a crucial role in determining sweetness. The fermentation process converts the natural sugars in grapes into alcohol with the aid of yeast. When fermentation stops before all sugars are transformed, the resulting wine will have a lower alcohol content and higher sweetness.

By checking the alcohol by volume (ABV) on the label, you can gauge the residual sugar content. Typically, wines range from 5.5% to 23% ABV. For table wines, lower alcohol levels usually indicate higher residual sugar and sweetness. For instance, many German Rieslings have ABV levels between 8% and 12%, paired with higher residual sugars.

Categories of Sweet Red Wines

The most well-known sweet red wines are often categorized as dessert wines. When shopping, look for labels that fall into specific categories:

• Dornfelder: A German grape known for producing a slightly sweet, lighter-style wine, often available in U.S. markets.
• Lambrusco: An Italian wine that is slightly sweet and slightly sparkling, it has gained a loyal following for its affordability and approachability.
• Sweet Red "Stickies": In Australia, various grapes are used to create sweet red wines, commonly referred to as "stickies."
• Port: This fortified wine is a classic choice for those with a sweet tooth.

Specific Sweet Red Wines to Try

Many sweet red wines are designated as dessert wines. Here are a few exceptional options to consider:

• Banfi's Rosa Regale: This sparkling red from Italy’s Piedmont region features sweet, subtle flavors of ripe raspberry and juicy strawberry, making it perfect for pairing with chocolate desserts or fresh fruit.
• Rosenblum Cellars Late Harvest Zinfandel: Known for its fruit-forward profile, this late-harvest Zinfandel offers rich flavors of toffee, dark cherry, raspberry, and sweet spice.
• Inniskillin Winery Cabernet Franc: As a leading ice wine producer in Canada, Inniskillin's Cabernet Franc showcases concentrated sweet red berry flavors, particularly strawberry and raspberry, resulting in a remarkably elegant wine.

Pay Attention to the Label

When searching for a sweet red wine, the alcohol content on the label can be a crucial indicator. For sweeter wines like port, look for a high alcohol level. For other varieties, such as German Rieslings or Lambrusco, seek wines with an ABV between 8% and 11%. Any wines with a higher ABV are likely to be drier.