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What Makes some Wines so Dry?

09.09.10

Dry is an unusual term for a wet beverage. But in fact, it means no sweetness. A dry wine has not residual sugar. The fermentation process converts the grape sugar to alcohol. When the conversion is complete and all the sugar is converted to alcohol, then the wine is determined to be dry. This dryness is an absence of sensation on the tip of the tongue.

A wine that is full bodied and rich in tannin has a dry sensation at the back of the mouth. This is what we call the pucker power of big wines. The astringency of the tannin makes the back of the mouth and the linings of the cheek feel dry.

The combination of the two dry sensations creates a dusty dry sensation.