Food and Wine Pairing : A Sensory Experience

Perceived Sweetness Levels 105

Table 5.1 Wine Sweetness Level Descriptions

Value

Bands Level of Sweetness Example Wines

0

1

Bone dry.The inability to pick up

the sensation of sweetness on the

tongue.

Sweetness anchor: brut sparkling

wines.

Whites:Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume ́, Chablis,

Germany’s trocken wines, wines labeled ‘‘brut.’’

Reds:Barolo, Barbaresco, Chianti Classico, most

Me ́doc.

2

3

Dry.Any level of sweet

characteristics are barely perceived

and only with difficulty and hard

work on the evaluator’s part.

Sweetness anchor: Chardonnay.

Whites:This is the biggest category and includes

most Aligote ́, Chardonnay, Se ́millon, Sauvignon

Blanc, Pinot Grigio, white Burgundy, whites

labeled ‘‘sec.’’

Reds:About 85 percent of all reds fall into this

category. It includes most Cabernet Sauvignon,

Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah and some Zinfandel.

4

5

Medium dry.A lightly sweet

sensation is identified and

perceived at a sufficient level.

Sweetness anchor: Gewu ̈rztraminer.

Whites:Most Riesling, Viognier, Chenin Blanc,

wines labeled ‘‘demi-sec’’ or ‘‘off-dry,’’ most

Alsace wines, Vouvray.

Reds:Some Merlot and Pinot Noir, some New

World Cabernet and Zinfandel, Lambrusco, some

Australian Shiraz, Dolcetto, Lemberger, Gamay.

6

7

Medium sweet.A sweet sensation

on the tongue that is clearly

identifiable in a very defined way.

Sweetness anchor: White Zinfandel.

Whites:Most late-harvest wines, wines labeled

‘‘moelleux,’’ German Spa ̈tlese, Asti, most Moscato,

Vin Santo.

Reds:Sangria, sparkling Shiraz, Lambrusco, late

harvest Zinfandel.

8

9

Sweet.Sugary, full, noticeable

glycerin, containing residual sugar

but pleasant in taste.

Sweetness anchor: Sauternes.

Whites:Botrytized wines, selected late-harvest

wines, Italian Passito, Muscat Beaumes de

Venise.

Reds:Kosher Concord wines.

9

10

Very sweet.Sweetness is at an

unmistakably high level of

perceptibility with a lot of emphasis.

Sweetness anchor: Cream Sherry.

Whites:Orange Muscat, ice wine, Tokaji, Madeira,

other fortified wines.

Reds:Ruby Port, Tawny Port, Cabernet Franc ice

wine.

Source:Adapted from J. Robinson,How to Taste: A Guide to Enjoying Wine(New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000).

TYPES OF SWEETENERS

In addition to sweetness provided by nature, there are a wide variety of sweeteners that
can be added to food items. The largest group is the sugars. Granulated sugar makes up the
bulk of production in this category, but the group also includes powdered sugar, brown
sugar, maple sugar and syrup, molasses, corn syrup, and honey. Other non-sugar sweeteners
include saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose. The sweetening power varies substantially by
product and is an important consideration when formulating recipes.

PERCEIVED SWEETNESS LEVELS

Table 5.2 provides appraisal bands or values based on descriptions of perceivable levels
of sweetness. These sensation descriptors apply to other taste sensations as well. In Table