Sugar content in wine is a growing concern for many health-conscious wine drinkers. Organic wines, often seen as a healthier option, come under scrutiny too. So let's unmask the sweet truth about organic wine drinking.
The sweetness of wine isn't just about the amount of sugar added by winemakers. It's a delicate interplay between natural grape sugars, and residual sugar remaining after the fermentation process.
Grapes are brimming with natural sugars like glucose and fructose. When yeast gets introduced during fermentation, it feasts on these sugars converting them into alcohol. Not all sugar is converted, and what's left over is called residual sugar. The remaining sugar is what determines the final sweetness of the wine.
Typically, organic wines are actually dry, meaning they have undergone complete fermentation with minimal residual sugar, holding less than 4 grams of residual sugar per litre. Organic dry wines result in a crisp, acidic taste, such as Sauvignon Blanc, known for its dry profile and natural acidity. Therefore, organic wine should have a lower sugar content than conventional, sweeter wines.
Some organic wines are made to be sweet, where fermentation is stopped before all sugars are converted to alcohol, leaving higher residual sugar levels. Sweeter wines such as moscato and dessert wines, will retain more sugar after fermentation, leading to a fuller-bodied and fruitier profile.
So, while grapes start out sweet, fermentation plays a key role in whether organic wine ends up dry or delightfully sweet. Some winemakers, organic or not, might add sugar after fermentation to create a sweeter style. Added sugar in wine will contribute to higher calorie content, so some consumers may want to be mindful of this.
Organic certification focuses mainly on the agricultural and winemaking practices, such as the avoidance of synthetic chemicals and the use of organic grapes, crafting sulfite free wine. It does not directly address sugar content, but checking the wine label will provide an indication of added sugar.
Regardless of whether you choose organic or conventional wine, the most important factor for sugar intake is moderation. If you're concerned about sugar content in wine, whether it's organic or not, look for terms like "dry" or "brut" on the label, which generally indicate lower sugar levels.