🍷 Medium-dry wine
Wine with a light sweetness, where a little sugar remains.
Medium-dry wine has a light sweetness. During fermentation the yeast used up almost all the grape sugar, but some remained. Under EU rules a medium-dry still wine may contain up to 12 g of sugar per litre, or up to 18 g per litre when acidity is high. Acidity balances the sweetness, so the wine tastes fresh rather than cloying.
It sits between dry wine and medium-sweet wine. German labels call it halbtrocken or feinherb, Italian labels abboccato, French labels demi-sec.
Fermentation can be stopped by chilling or filtering, or sugar can be added afterwards where the rules allow it. Rieslings, Loire whites, sparkling wines and many inexpensive wines are often medium-dry. Such wine goes well with spicy Asian food, cheese and dishes with sweetish sauces.
What it includes
How it connects to Wine
🍷 Medium-dry wine → kind of → 🍷 Types of wine → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Part of
- 🍷 Types of wine
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Dry wine, 🍷 Medium-sweet wine, 🍷 Abboccato
Frequently asked questions
How much sugar is in medium-dry wine?
In the EU usually up to 12 g per litre, or up to 18 g with high acidity.
Is medium-dry wine sweet?
Only slightly. The sweetness is noticeable but weaker than in medium-sweet wine.
What is medium-dry called on a German label?
Usually halbtrocken or feinherb.
Similar
🍷 Residual sugar · 🍷 Wine cooler · 🍷 Varietal wine · 🍷 Sacramental wine · 🍷 Vin cuit · 🍷 Dry wine
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.
Sources
- Wikipedia (en)
- EU Delegated Regulation 2019/33 (labelling, sugar terms)
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Wine