Sweet Red Wine

When asked the question “What is a sweet red wine” Some say “there is no such thing, a red wine that appears sweeter is ‘fruity’ or ‘full bodied’ it isn’t sweet”. That is simply untrue. There are red wines that are sweet; the fact is that some wine buffs just might not take them seriously.

We’ll start with a wine that certainly appears on the ‘What is a sweet red wine’ list and there is no doubt about it; it’s called Fragolino. Fragolino is an Italian sparking wine made from the grape of the same name. It has a strawberry taste (Fragola in Italian meaning strawberry) and is a light and refreshing wine particularly good chilled in summer or an alternative to those who do not care for the dryness of champagne.

Another definite in the ‘What is a sweet red wine’ list is Lambrusco – ok, wine buffs may think this is like fizzy water, but served chilled in the summer it’s very refreshing. Again, an Italian wine with a low alcohol content; ideal for those who like something light.

Now we move onto the “...it’s not sweet it’s fruity” description. 

Merlot.   Merlot is either blended with other varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon or used alone; the grape has a distinctive but light plum flavour. The grapes can be found in wines from all over the world

Shiraz/Syrah. I’ve got to admit it’s one of my favourites and personally I’ve never thought of it as a sweet red wine, although I do admit it’s ‘fruity’. Known as Syrah in the USA and Shiraz in Australia it is a spicy grape.

Chianti. Another Italian wine from the area around Tuscany in the west. Chianti is probably one of the countries most famous wines.

We’ll finish with Port and other fortified wines such as Maderia, Sherry and Banyuls. These wines are made in the exactly the same way as ordinary wine, the only difference is that fermentation is stopped halfway through the process leaving the wine with more sugar. 

The wine is left to mature over a number of years depending on the style required.    The use of fortified wines here may be a slightly grey area as they are more brown or golden in colour, but never the less they are still made from red grapes and so can appear on the ‘What is a sweet red wine’ list.

So who’s right, what is a sweet red wine? Maybe you should try a selection of wines from the list and make up your own mind. You may even start seeing things differently.