What is a Sweet Red Wine?
Key Takeaway: Sweet red wines range from off-dry to dessert-style (like Lambrusco, Recioto della Valpolicella, and Brachetto d’Acqui), with sweetness coming from stopping fermentation early or concentrating the grapes’ sugars. Sweetness is different from fruitiness, which describes aroma and flavor, and Port is excluded because it’s a fortified wine. Best served chilled, these wines pair with desserts (as long as the wine is at least as sweet as the dish) and also work well with spicy foods. |
White wine is naturally what comes to mind when we think of sweet wine. However, red wine can also be sweet, ranging from off-dry and semi-sweet to sweet, dessert-style wines.
So, what exactly is sweet red wine, where does the sweetness come from, and what can you expect from it?
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What Does Sweet Red Wine Taste Like?
Sweet red wines usually have flavors of ripe or dried fruits such as strawberries, cherries, blackberries and plums. Some of them might also display notes of caramel, spices or even chocolate.
The sweetness level will influence the sensation on the palate. The sweetest examples will feel fuller and richer, while semi-sweet wines will feel lighter and softer, often easy to drink. The best way to describe sweet red wines is to explore some of the most common and well-known examples.
Examples of Sweet Red Wines
Sweet red wines can vary considerably in style:
Lambrusco is probably the most widely known. It is produced in Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region in the northern part of the country, and it can be produced in different styles. It is however mostly known for its lightly sparkling semi-sweet version.
Recioto della Valpolicella is another example from northern Italy. It is made from dried grapes, highly concentrated in sugar and flavor. The result is a sweet wine that offers a rich bouquet of ripe forest fruits, violet and sweet raisins.
Brachetto d’Acqui is a third example from Italy, made from the local Brachetto grape in the Piedmont region, and is usually lightly sparkling, aromatic and low in alcohol.
You might have expected to see Port wine listed here. However, it belongs to another category: fortified wines. While these wines are also sweet, they are made using a very different process, called fortification, which results in a much higher alcohol content.
Food Pairing for Sweet Red Wine
Traditionally, sweet wines are served with dessert. But they can also be surprisingly versatile when it comes to pairing with food. As a general rule for pairing a wine with dessert, the wine should be at least as sweet as the dessert. Otherwise, the dessert might overpower the wine, which will taste dull and unpleasant.
Rich sweet red wines will pair very nicely with chocolate or red fruit-based desserts.
But they can also be enjoyed with your meal. A lightly sweet and refreshing red wine can work very well with spicy food, particularly Asian or Mexican food, as its light sweetness helps balance the heat of dishes containing chili.
The Difference Between Sweet and Fruity Wines
Sweet describes sugar. Fruity describes aroma and flavor. This is a common source of confusion among wine drinkers. Sweetness is achieved by either stopping the fermentation process early, before all the sugar content is converted into alcohol, or by concentrating the sugars within the grapes.
Fruity means that the wine smells and tastes of fruit such as raspberry, blackberry, cherry or plum, as opposed to a wine that can be described as having tertiary notes of spice, leather or tobacco. A Beaujolais, or a young wine made from Grenache or Zinfandel grapes, will typically be dry and fruity.
The easiest way to tell the difference is by focusing on what you feel on your palate. A sweet wine will leave a syrupy, sticky feeling, whereas a dry fruity wine will have a cleaner, and usually shorter finish.
How Should Sweet Red Wine Be Served?
Generally, sweet wines benefit from being served chilled. A light and slightly sparkling sweet red such as a Lambrusco or Brachetto d’Acqui is best served chilled, between 6°C to 8°C (43°F to 50°F), the lower temperature helping to preserve their freshness, while making them refreshing.
A richer and sweeter red wine such as the Recioto della Valpolicella can be served a bit warmer, just below room temperature. If you are unsure, serving a sweet wine slightly too cool is usually preferable to serving it too warm. Whether you enjoy wine with noticeable sweetness or are simply curious, sweet red wines offer plenty of styles to explore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Port a sweet red wine?
The process of making Port wine involves stopping the fermentation by adding a 77% abv grape spirit (known as aguardente), which stops the yeast from converting the sugar into alcohol, leaving residual sugar in the wine. This also gives Port wine its relatively high alcohol level. This is known as the fortification process. So, while Port wine is sweet due to its sugar content, it is defined as a Fortified wine rather than a Sweet wine.
How can I tell if a wine is sweet or fruity?
Focus on the palate. A sweet wine feels syrupy and sticky, while a dry, fruity wine will have a cleaner finish.
Winemakers can stop fermentation early, before all the sugar has been turned into alcohol, and/or concentrate the sugar in the grapes, for instance by drying the grapes.
Is dessert wine only for dessert?
While it is traditionally served with dessert, sweet wine can also be paired with spicy food such as Asian or Mexican dishes.
How should I store sweet red wine?
As with many other wines, keep them somewhere cool (10°C to 15°C or 50°F to 59°F), dark, and away from temperature variations. The bottle should also be stored on its side if it has a natural cork.
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