Sweet wine is light, and tastes sweeter than the dry variety. This is the reason why they are often used to accompany desserts, rather than a meal. On the other hand, dry wine is less sweet or bitter, and more alcoholic. What gives sweetness to wine is its residual sugar content, which is the sugar left in the fruit juice at the end of the fermentation process. Thus, longer a wine is allowed to ferment, dryer the resulting wine will be. In other words, the shorter the fermentation period, more sweet is the resulting wine. However, sweetness of wine is also affected by factors like, acidity and the level of alcohol. Though many wine consumers regard the various types of sweet wines as inferior for their light and sweet taste, they can be great for beginners. Beginners often find dry wine too strong and bitter. Therefore, sweet wines are a preferred option.
Types of Sweet Wines for Beginners
They are usually produced by stopping the process of fermentation in wine making, or by increasing the alcohol content of the wine. If fermentation is stopped early, then the resulting wine would be lighter. Many times, the grapes are first dehydrated in order to concentrate its sugar content for making them. While choosing a particular wine, a beginner needs to take into account the alcohol content in the wine. It is better to start with a wine that is light or low in alcohol content and calories, and then gradually go for the stronger wines.
Dessert Wine
As the name suggests, dessert wine is sweet wine that is usually served with desserts. It is not only sweet, but also syrupy that beginners find extremely pleasant to their taste buds. Dessert wines are meant to be sipped along with foods. However, they can be a bit expensive than other types of wines. Along with grapes, several other types of fruits like, cherries and blackberries can be used to make dessert wines.
Fortified Wines
Fortified wines too have a sweet taste that beginners can relish. This wine is prepared by adding brandy spirits to the wine during the fermentation process. Addition of brandy spirits can help to arrest the fermentation process by killing off yeast, which is responsible for converting sugar into alcohol. Therefore, the resulting wine retains more of the natural residual sugar in it. Out of the various types of fortified wines, Ports and Madeira can be particularly ideal for beginners. Port is a sweet red wine, which has higher alcohol concentration than other regular wines.
Late-Harvests
Another type is the late-harvest wine. Late harvest wines are made from grapes that have been left in the vines till late autumn, so that they can ripen completely and thus, develop a greater concentration of natural sugar. Sometimes, the grapes are simply left on the vines to dry, or they are picked and then laid on the vineyard ground. The grapes are thus allowed to dry in the sun till they attain a resin-like consistency. Some common types of late-harvest wines are, Riesling, Noble rot and Sauternes.
Ice Wine
Ice wine is basically a type of late-harvest wine. This wine is made from the ripen grapes that have been left to freeze on the vines. The water content of such grapes freezes, but the sugars and other solid compounds do not freeze. So, when such frozen grapes are pressed, the concentrated sugars and the icy water gets separated. As a result, the grapes yield only a small amount of juice. However, the resulting juice is quite concentrated and very sugary and so, is the wine from it. Ice wine is mainly made in Germany and Canada. The most famous ice wine is the German Eiswein. The entire process of making ice wine is labor intensive and lots of risks are also involved in the procedure. Therefore, ice wines are generally more expensive than other wines. Nevertheless, its extremely sweet taste makes it ideal for beginners.
The best wine depends on one's individual choice and preference. Some may prefer the taste of Port delectable, while others can consider ice wines to be the best. Apart from the above mentioned wines, many beginners may find the taste of sparkling wine quite appealing. Some light and sweet sparkling wines are, Brachetto, Champagne, Asti Spumante and Alita. It should be kept in mind that wines, if consumed in moderation are considered to be beneficial for heart health. But, excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages is a risk factor for several diseases including, liver cirrhosis.
Sweet wine is light, and tastes sweeter than the dry variety. This is the reason why they are often used to accompany desserts, rather than a meal. On the other hand, dry wine is less sweet or bitter, and more alcoholic. What gives sweetness to wine is its residual sugar content, which is the sugar left in the fruit juice at the end of the fermentation process. Thus, longer a wine is allowed to ferment, dryer the resulting wine will be. In other words, the shorter the fermentation period, more sweet is the resulting wine. However, sweetness of wine is also affected by factors like, acidity and the level of alcohol. Though many wine consumers regard the various types of sweet wines as inferior for their light and sweet taste, they can be great for beginners. Beginners often find dry wine too strong and bitter. Therefore, sweet wines are a preferred option.
Types of Sweet Wines for Beginners
They are usually produced by stopping the process of fermentation in wine making, or by increasing the alcohol content of the wine. If fermentation is stopped early, then the resulting wine would be lighter. Many times, the grapes are first dehydrated in order to concentrate its sugar content for making them. While choosing a particular wine, a beginner needs to take into account the alcohol content in the wine. It is better to start with a wine that is light or low in alcohol content and calories, and then gradually go for the stronger wines.
Dessert Wine
As the name suggests, dessert wine is sweet wine that is usually served with desserts. It is not only sweet, but also syrupy that beginners find extremely pleasant to their taste buds. Dessert wines are meant to be sipped along with foods. However, they can be a bit expensive than other types of wines. Along with grapes, several other types of fruits like, cherries and blackberries can be used to make dessert wines.
Fortified Wines
Fortified wines too have a sweet taste that beginners can relish. This wine is prepared by adding brandy spirits to the wine during the fermentation process. Addition of brandy spirits can help to arrest the fermentation process by killing off yeast, which is responsible for converting sugar into alcohol. Therefore, the resulting wine retains more of the natural residual sugar in it. Out of the various types of fortified wines, Ports and Madeira can be particularly ideal for beginners. Port is a sweet red wine, which has higher alcohol concentration than other regular wines.
Late-Harvests
Another type is the late-harvest wine. Late harvest wines are made from grapes that have been left in the vines till late autumn, so that they can ripen completely and thus, develop a greater concentration of natural sugar. Sometimes, the grapes are simply left on the vines to dry, or they are picked and then laid on the vineyard ground. The grapes are thus allowed to dry in the sun till they attain a resin-like consistency. Some common types of late-harvest wines are, Riesling, Noble rot and Sauternes.
Ice Wine
Ice wine is basically a type of late-harvest wine. This wine is made from the ripen grapes that have been left to freeze on the vines. The water content of such grapes freezes, but the sugars and other solid compounds do not freeze. So, when such frozen grapes are pressed, the concentrated sugars and the icy water gets separated. As a result, the grapes yield only a small amount of juice. However, the resulting juice is quite concentrated and very sugary and so, is the wine from it. Ice wine is mainly made in Germany and Canada. The most famous ice wine is the German Eiswein. The entire process of making ice wine is labor intensive and lots of risks are also involved in the procedure. Therefore, ice wines are generally more expensive than other wines. Nevertheless, its extremely sweet taste makes it ideal for beginners.
The best wine depends on one's individual choice and preference. Some may prefer the taste of Port delectable, while others can consider ice wines to be the best. Apart from the above mentioned wines, many beginners may find the taste of sparkling wine quite appealing. Some light and sweet sparkling wines are, Brachetto, Champagne, Asti Spumante and Alita. It should be kept in mind that wines, if consumed in moderation are considered to be beneficial for heart health. But, excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages is a risk factor for several diseases including, liver cirrhosis.
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