‘I like dry wine.’ You hear it all the time. Yet give someone something subtly sweet and a smile often follows.
Welcome to the world of ‘make it sweet, call it dry’. It is a remarkably effective strategy, rooted in a preference we develop before we can even speak.
We are born with a sweet tooth
Babies respond positively to sweet tastes even before birth. After birth, sugar and breast milk reinforce the association: sweetness means energy and safety. That preference persists, even after we learn to describe ourselves as committed dry-wine drinkers.
The gut plays a part too. Sugar activates neural pathways between the gut and the brain that encourage further consumption. Artificial sweeteners do not have the same effect. The sugar has to be real. (Hwei-Ee Tan et al., 2020)
Dry sounds grown-up, but softness sells
A wine can officially be classified as dry under EU rules with up to 4 grams of residual sugar per litre, or up to 9 grams when its acidity is sufficiently high (EU Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33, Annex III, Part B). Yet analytical sweetness and perceived sweetness are not the same thing.
Ripe-fruit aromas, relatively low acidity, alcohol, and glycerol can all contribute to an impression of sweetness or roundness. Voilà: the sensation of sweetness without the word ‘sweet’ on the label.
That is where ‘make it sweet, call it dry’ starts to make commercial sense.
Your genes are tasting too
Not everyone tastes the same. Literally.
Researchers have found that small genetic differences make some people more sensitive to bitterness, while others have a stronger preference for sweetness.
So taste is not only in your mouth. It is also in your DNA.
Feinherb: Germany wraps sweetness in dry language
German wine has long provided an intriguing example of how language influences our perception of sweetness.
The familiar legal terms include:
- Trocken: dry
- Halbtrocken: off-dry
Then there is Feinherb. The term has no fixed legal definition, but in practice it is often used for wines with around 10 to 20 grams of residual sugar per litre. It sounds gentler and less technical than ‘off-dry’.
That linguistic distinction matters. ‘Sweet’ can sound cheap, simple, or unfashionable. ‘Feinherb’ sounds like a style.
A useful example: 18.1 g/l in a Feinherb Riesling
A perfect example is the 2024 Grünhäuser Riesling Feinherb from Weingut Maximin Grünhaus. This Riesling from the Ruwer region of the Mosel contains 18.1 grams of residual sugar per litre and just 10.5% alcohol. The winery describes it as follows:
‘The delicately acidic Grünhäuser initially reveals complex fruit aromas on the nose: apples and pears alongside citrus, ripe white grapefruit, kumquat and orange peel. Floral notes of almond and elderflower blossom are also present, along with ethereal nuances and a hint of smokiness.
On the palate, the wine is beautifully balanced, with delicate fruit, juicy acidity and almost herbal spice notes. Ripe apples and pears come through clearly, joined by kiwi and lychee. Sorrel and woodruff mingle with ice-cold candy and mint. Combined with a sparkling mineral impression on the tongue, this gives the wine wonderful structure and remarkable length.’
That is a wine with 18.1 grams of residual sugar per litre, yet the description revolves around fruit, acidity, herbs, freshness and minerality. The sugar is there. The language directs your attention elsewhere.
For reference: 2024 Grünhäuser Riesling Feinherb from Weingut Maximin Grünhaus
What are you actually tasting?
Wine merchants have understood the problem for years. Many consumers say they dislike ‘sweet wine’ while happily choosing wines with ripe fruit, modest acidity, noticeable residual sugar or a generally soft palate.
The vocabulary changes accordingly. Wines become ‘round’, ‘fruity’, ‘smooth’, ‘generous’ or ‘refreshing’.
The sugar stays in the bottle.
This becomes especially clear when two wines are tasted side by side. Labels, categories, and expectations temporarily lose some of their influence. Your palate gets a greater say.
So how dry do you really like your wine?
You may genuinely prefer dry wine. You may also prefer wines whose labels and descriptions suggest dryness while their composition delivers a little more sweetness than you realise.
Your tongue, gut, and genes all have a role in that preference.
Try tasting without looking at the label first. Your idea of ‘dry’ may turn out to be rather sweeter than you thought.
With thanks to Christa Kok for the inspiration for this article.
This article first appeared in Dutch on Winecastr.com. The English version was produced with AI assistance and edited by the author.