Wine Sweetness Chart

6 files · PDF, XLSX, DOCX

Wine Sweetness Chart Pack

Printable wine sweetness chart, sparkling sweetness labels chart, residual sugar reference, wine tasting notes sheet, sweetness pairing guide and a wine cellar log spreadsheet.

• Sweetness chart (PDF)
• Sparkling labels (PDF)
• Residual sugar table (PDF/XLSX)
• + 3 more

$5.00 USD, one-time 6 files · about $0.83 each

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Free sample: Wine Sweetness Chart (PDF, 76 KB)

See everything in the pack

What’s in the pack

• Printable wine sweetness chart (dry to very sweet) for whites, reds, rosés, sparkling, fortified and dessert wines
• Sparkling wine sweetness labels chart (Brut Nature to Doux)
• Residual sugar reference table with sugar per glass
• Wine tasting notes sheet
• Food and wine sweetness pairing guide
• Wine cellar log spreadsheet

Charts print on US Letter and A4 (fit to page).

Still wine sweetness categories

Under EU labelling rules, a still wine may be called dry up to 4 g/L of sugar, or up to 9 g/L if its total acidity (as tartaric acid) is no more than 2 g/L below the sugar; similar acidity allowances apply to medium dry. Many dry wines have only 1–2 g/L of sugar.

Sparkling wine labels

The names are confusing: “Extra Dry” is sweeter than Brut, and “Dry” or “Sec” sparkling wine is noticeably sweet. Brut is by far the most common style of Champagne and many other traditional-method sparkling wines.

Popular wines from dry to sweet

Typical styles only — producers vary, and grapes like Riesling and Chenin Blanc are made at every sweetness level. Check the back label or the producer’s technical sheet for residual sugar.

Why some sweet wines taste dry

Acidity balances sweetness. A German Riesling with 18 g/L of sugar and 9 g/L of acidity can taste only off-dry, while a low-acid wine with 8 g/L may seem noticeably sweet. The International Riesling Foundation’s taste profile uses this idea, comparing sugar with acidity to place wines as dry, medium dry, medium sweet or sweet. Ripe fruit flavours, oak and higher alcohol can also make a dry wine seem sweeter; tannin makes red wines feel drier.

Worked example

A shopper sees a Riesling whose tech sheet lists 18 g/L residual sugar and 8.5 g/L total acidity. In the converter, the EU category is medium dry — the sugar is above 12 g/L, but within the 18 g/L allowance because the acidity is high enough — and the sugar-to-acid ratio of about 2.1 puts it just over the off-dry line, so it should taste lightly medium sweet. A 150 ml glass contains about 2.7 g of sugar. They choose it to pair with a spicy Thai curry, where a touch of sweetness tames the heat.

Pairing by sweetness

• The wine should be at least as sweet as the food — otherwise it tastes sour and thin.
• Off-dry whites suit spicy dishes.
• Dry, high-acid whites suit salty and fried foods.
• Sweet wines suit blue cheese and fruit desserts.
• Dry reds usually clash with sweet desserts; try port or a sweet sparkling red instead.

AI-assisted content

This chart was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed before publishing. Sugar levels are typical ranges and legal definitions summarised from EU rules; always check the individual wine’s label. Please drink responsibly.