Sweet or Dry?

Q: Why is wine referred to as "dry" or "sweet?"

A: During fermentation almost all of the grapes' natural sugar is converted into alcohol. Most varietal wines-wines named for a grape, like Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon-pair well with a wide range of cuisine. In sweet wines, fermentation is stopped before all the sugars have completely converted to alcohol, leaving a small percentage of "residual" sugar. White Zinfandel, certain styles of Rieslings and wines made from varieties of the Muscat grape, like Moscato d'Oro, are examples of popular sweet wines. In dry wines virtually all of the natural sugar is converted into alcohol resulting in a "drier" flavor.

 

Source:  http://www.bvwines.com/experience-bv/ask-our-sommelier