
Dornfelderĭornfelder is a German variety of red grapes that is more difficult to find in the US but very popular in Germany. A well-made Recioto della Valpolicella can age from 20-30 years, softening the wine and bringing out fig, sassafras, and coffee flavors. Recioto della Valpolicella is rich, with aromas of black cherry, cranberry, vanilla, cinnamon, and chocolate.

Recioto della Valpolicellaįrom the same region that produces Amarone della Valpolicella comes Recioto della Valpolicella, a very fine, sweet passito wine. Most of the Lambruscos you’ll see on the market comes from the three top production regions of Lambrusco Modena, Lambrusco Emilia, and Lambrusco Reggiano. Lambrusco is technically a grouping of about ten different grape varieties and 11 unique subregions. Most Lambruscos are light in alcohol, with ABVs that range from 11% to 12%. Lambrusco wines can range in color from pale ruby to dark purple and usually have aromas of blueberry, cherry sauce, violet, and red currant. Not all Lambruscos are sweet, so make sure to look for labels that say Semisecco, Amabile, or Dolce if you’re looking for a sweet style. Lambrusco is a fruity red wine from Emilia-Romagna, a region also known for Parmesan Reggiano cheese. Brachetto d’Acqui Passito wines are very sweet and have a higher alcohol content, up to 11% ABV.Ī bottle of Brachetto d’Acqui we love is the Stella Rosa Imperiale Brachetto d’Acqui. The grapes for this version are picked and hand-dried on wooden racks for several weeks, then pressed to produce wine. The third variety, Brachetto d’Acqui Passito, is richer and sweeter. The next variety is Brachetto d’Acqui Spumante, a fully sparkling version that is slightly more alcoholic, usually 6% ABV. It is slightly fizzy and is known for having a low ABV, usually around 5.5%. The first is the basic type you’ll see most often, Brachetto d’Acqui Rosso. There are three official types of Brachetto d’Acqui. It’s not very alcoholic, usually under 10% ABV. It is medium-light in the body, with medium acidity and no tannins. The wine is a light, ruby red color and has strawberry, sweet cherry sauce, raspberry, violet, and rose candy. Brachetto d’Acquiīrachetto d’Acqui is a sweet red wine hailing from Piedmont, Italy. Best unfortified sweet red winesįirst, we’re going to discuss our favorite natural, unfortified, sweet red wines. Since they tend to be sweet, the alcohol content is often disguised, so it’s important to be conscious of how many glasses you’re drinking. Fortified wines are much more alcoholic, and thus, the servings are usually much smaller. It’s important to recognize the distinction between sweet red wines that are fortified and naturally distilled. Examples of fortified wines include port and sherry. These wines are called fortified wines, and they aim to reach a higher level of alcohol than fermentation alone. The second method involves adding brandy, or other distilled spirits, to the wine after it’s finished fermenting. The first is, as described above, stopping the fermentation early to leave some residual grape sugar. There are two ways sweet red wine can be made. Winemakers attempt to balance the tannins with increased alcohol, sugar, and acidity, making the wine harmonious.

Red wines contain tannins, a bitter compound found in grape skins, which are not present in white wines. This is not due to any intrinsic properties of the grapes themselves but is usually a choice made by winemakers to help balance their red wines. Red wines tend to have a higher ABV% than white wines. The alcohol content is crucial to the flavor harmony and balance of a wine. This can be true in some cases, but it’s not true all across the board.

You may wonder if the process used to make sweet red wines means they have a lower ABV% than dry red wines, which are allowed to ferment for a longer time. Sweet mines are produced by stopping the fermentation a bit earlier and leaving some grape sugar behind in the wine. While this mixture ferments, the grape sugar is converted into alcohol.
#Sweet wines red skin#
Red grapes are crushed and fermented with the skin and seeds, which imparts more flavor and color into the wines. Sweet red wines begin their journey the same way dry red wines do. In this article, we’ll tell you all about why certain wines are sweeter than others and give you recommendations for our absolute favorite types of sweet red wine. There are a huge variety of sweet red wines out there that anybody, even a novice wine drinker, is sure to adore. If you prefer sweeter wines, you don’t have to stick to whites like Moscato or Riesling. These wines are complex and interesting but may seem intimidating to the uninitiated. If you’re new to the world of red wine, you may be intimidated by the bone-dry, tannic, highly acidic choices on the market.
