Sweet 'n Dry, explained by a winemaker
Wil Franklin is a Moore Brothers alum, with the reputation as the finest wine producer in Humboldt County, California. He has given us permission to republish his pieces from The Courtier. Dry vs. Sweet Understanding a few essential characteristics of wine will go a long way to understanding how to make fine wine a part of our daily lives, just as it is in many cultures where wine is an essential part of every meal. One of the most perplexing characteristics of wine is the “sweet vs. dry” issue. Too many times I have heard friends say they don’t drink white wine because it’s too sweet, yet they like late harvest red Zinfandel that is sweet. Others tell me they don’t like red wine because it’s too dry, but then turn around and drink an even drier white wine. What is the root of these perplexing contradictions that keep some people from even considering half of all wines? Clearly the words dry and sweet mean different things to different people. In an attempt to make all this mor