What is Residual Sugar?
Natural grape sugar remaining in wine after fermentation, measured in grams per liter.
Understanding Residual Sugar
Residual sugar (RS) is grape sugar that remains after fermentation ends. Fermentation can be stopped deliberately (by chilling, filtering, or adding spirits) to preserve sweetness, or sugar may remain if yeast cannot continue (high alcohol or low nutrients). RS is measured in grams per liter. Dry wines have less than 4 g/L; off-dry wines 4-12 g/L; sweet wines much higher. The perception of sweetness also depends on acidity—high-acid wines taste less sweet.
Why It Matters
RS level determines if a wine is dry, off-dry, or sweet. It affects food pairing—off-dry wines pair well with spicy food, sweet wines with desserts.
Examples
- 1Bone-dry Chablis has under 2 g/L RS
- 2German Kabinett may have 20-50 g/L RS but taste fresh due to high acidity
- 3Sauternes can have 150+ g/L RS
Related Wine Terms
Quick Definition
"Natural grape sugar remaining in wine after fermentation, measured in grams per liter."
Explore More Wine Terms
Dry
Wine with little or no residual sugar, where fermentation has converted most sugar to alcohol.
Tasting TermTannins
Natural compounds in wine that create a drying, astringent sensation in the mouth.
Tasting TermBouquet
The complex aromas that develop in wine through aging, as opposed to primary fruit aromas.
Tasting TermBody
The weight and fullness of wine in your mouth, described as light, medium, or full-bodied.
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