LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2021

How sweet it is Sweetness of sparkling wine is determined at the final bottling stage, when sugar, wine or a combination is added. A wine’s acidity will also influence perception of sweetness, but dry and sweet are at opposite ends of the scale. The lowest in sugar are Brut Nature sparkling wines, then Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry, Dry (or Sec), Demi-Sec and finally Sweet (or Doux). Here’s how some popular styles taste.

Sparkling conversation A glossary of bubbly wine terms. Cava labels note the bottle-­ aging time: Joven , 9 to 15 months; Reserva , at least 15 months; and Grand Reserva , at least 30 months. Prosecco with a DOC neck label was made under standards specific to two Northern Italian regions; DOCG wines come from smaller regions with even stricter standards. When used on Champagne labels, “cuvée” refers to the first-pressed and highest-quality grape juice used to make wine. International terms denoting bubbly wine include Frizzante, Spumante, Mousseux, Pétillant, Perlant, Espumoso and Spritzig, plus wine styles like Sekt and Franciacorta. Blanc de Blancs Champagnes are made only from white grapes and Blanc de Noirs only from red grapes, although both are white wines. A fine vintage: Non-vintage sparkling wines are made from wine produced in different years and blended together, while vintage wines are made with grapes from a single year’s harvest.

DEMI-SEC Marmalade and candied lime peel aro- mas hint at the generous sweetness of Veuve Clicquot Demi Sec Champagne ( LCBO 38307, $81.00). Praline and vanilla flavours are buoyed by a full, rich body and lively acidity. EXTRA-DRY Tenuta Sant’Anna Prosecco Extra-Dry ( LCBO 388710, $16.95) is a straw-yellow stunner, alive with a creamy effer- vescence and fruity pear and peach flavours. The dry, toasted-walnut finish is pure Prosecco. BRUT A flagship bottle from a renowned Champagne house, Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne ( VINTAGES 268771, $77.95) has bready aromas, citrus flavours and a chalky, refreshing finish.

Wine Sweetness Chart

Where to find it Check LCBO wine shelf tags and LCBO.com pages for sweetness levels. Our sweetness descriptors are consistent for all wines— still, sparkling and fortified. Acidity masks the percep- tion of sweetness, so a dry wine with more residual sugar but high acidity may be described as extra-dry.

SWEETNESS DESCRIPTOR

YOUWILL EXPERIENCE

RESIDUAL SUGAR

XD

0 – 8

No sweetness; clean, crisp acidic finish

g/L

EXTRA-DRY

DRY D

3 – 18

No sweetness perceived; well-rounded, with balanced acidity

g/L

M

18 – 42

Slight sweetness perceived

g/L

MEDIUM

MS

42 – 45

Noticeably sweet

g/L

MEDIUM-SWEET

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S

45+

Distinctively sweet

g/L

SWEET

161

FOOD & DRINK HOLIDAY 2021