Medium sweet wine: Meaning and types

Have you ever heard of medium sweet wine? 

If you are a native to Andalusia, you will surely have heard the term “abocado”, but in the central parts of Spain it is referred to slightly differently “embocado”. According to the historical dictionary of the Spanish language in 1770, it is defined as “wine that is smoother on the tongue”.

They are old-fashioned expressions, but they are still used to define some of the slightly sweet wines, particularly Sherry type wines.

Let’s break it down a little though. Since the Spanish terms refer to the same styles of wine, we’ll now take a look at what it actually is. Wines are usually classed as dry or sweet according to their sugar content, but there is a wide variety between those two extremes.

The classification according to the European regulatory framework is as follows:

• Dry: up to 4 grams of sugar per litre of wine.
• Semi-dry: between 4 and 12 grams of sugar per litre of wine.
• Semi-sweet: between 12 and 45 grams of sugar per litre of wine.
• Sweet: more than 45 grams of sugar per litre of wine.

The different Designations of Origin in the European Community countries usually apply the above rules, although they can be modified according to their singularities.

Indeed, in that scenario medium sweet wine is moderately sweet, but not sweet, and usually contains between 5 and 15 grams of sugar per litre. Therefore, we are talking about semi-dry wines with a slightly higher sugar content and semi-sweet wines with a lower sugar content.

How do they make these wines?

Winemakers have different ways of achieving the final result during the wine-making process. Let us know take at look at some of them:

- Adding concentrated must to the wine, i.e. unfermented grape juice which is therefore sweet.

• Adding some sweet wine to a dry wine. This is common practice in traditional Andalusian wines.
• Interrupting the fermentation process of the must before all the sugars turn into alcohol, and therefore leaving behind more residual sugar.

These wines are very pleasant to drink, as mentioned at the beginning of this article. They are mild on the palate because of their sugar content to set off the tartness of the wine, the bitterness and even the tannin, but without being perceived as sweet wines.

They are very fruity and flowery, usually mature, reminiscent of apple compote, peach in syrup, red berry jam, white and yellow flowers.

The balance between the sugar content and acidity is key in making the pairing of these wines highly versatile with a variety of dishes. From different cheeses, to fois gras pâté, fruit salads, desserts... They also pair perfectly with spicy, hot or sweet and sour dishes.

Dry wines are usually served colder, whereas medium sweet wine is usually served at a slightly higher temperature.

Medium sweet wines are perfect for people who are just trying out wine for the first few times. They are mild, easy to drink and very pleasant. A lot of wineries make medium sweet wines, so don’t hesitate to try them. At Consum we always bring you the best choice for your enjoyment.