What Is the Driest Wine?
“Dry” is a word often used when describing wine, but it can be confusing. Some people use it to mean that the wine “feels” dry in the mouth or will, in fact, dry it out. This is not the case! A dry wine is one that has no residual sugar, so it is not sweet. If this appeals to your taste buds, you may want to consult a white and red wine sweetness chart to ensure you are getting the driest white wine or driest red that will suit your palate.
Alcohol is produced during the fermentation process as yeast eats the sugar that is contained in the juice. Depending on the varietal, winemakers stop this process before the yeast can finish the feast. This leaves “residual sugar” behind. For dry wines, the process is allowed to finish. To make a very broad generalization, most Americans are acclimated to a diet with a higher sugar content than our counterparts overseas. As a result, many do not prefer truly dry wine; they like a hint of sweetness or a “semi-dry” option. Luckily, there are options all along the spectrum. The driest white wine, for example, is Muscadet. This is a bone-dry French wine with a mineral taste and citrus notes. From there, in order from dry to sweet, are some popular dry white wine choices:
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Pinot Gris
- Chardonnay
- Chenin Blanc
- Viognier
- Torrontes
- Gewürztraminer
- Riesling
- Moscato
- White Port
- Ice Wine
For dry reds:
- Sangiovese
- Tempranillo
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Pinot Noir
- Syrah
- Merlot
- Malbec
- Garnacha
- Zinfandel
- Lambrusco Dolce
- Port
- Tawny Port
Wine Folly has a great white and red wine sweetness chart with other varietals that you can try. If you want to try a dry, sample Natura’s Cabernet Sauvignon or try our Rainstorm Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. While we wouldn’t say they are the driest of the dry, they give you a nice entry into this world. Let us know what you think!
