Common wine classification criteria

We often taste wine in our daily lives, so do you know how wine is classified?

In general, the three most common criteria for classifying wine are color, CO2 pressure, and sugar content.

I. By color

When divided by color, wines can be classified as red, white, and rosé. Red wines are made from red grape varieties fermented with skins and are mostly purple or ruby red when young, gradually lightening in color with age and even developing into teal or brown. The color of red wines is closely related to the grape variety and the time spent macerating the skins. For example, wines made from thicker-skinned varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are darker and more intense, while wines made from Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo are lighter in color. In addition, the longer the skin is macerated during winemaking, the more pigments are extracted, and the darker the finished wine will naturally be.

White wines are usually made from white or sometimes red grape varieties, which are pressed to separate the skins and then fermented, extracting very little pigment, so the finished wine is usually lemon-green or lemon-colored, gradually turning darker golden yellow and eventually amber or even brown with age. Wines made from Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris are generally lighter in color. In addition, the winemaking process also affects the color of white wines. In the case of Chardonnay, for example, wines that have been aged in oak barrels will be darker than those that have not been.

The color of rosé wines also comes from the contact between the juice and the skins, but the contact time is much shorter than in red wines, so rosé wines are generally pink, salmon, or orange in color. As with red wines, the longer the skins are macerated, the darker the finished wine will be.

II. By pressure of carbon dioxide

According to the pressure of carbon dioxide in the bottle, wines can be classified as Still Wine and Sparkling Wine.

Wines with CO2 pressure in the bottle below 0.05 MPa at 20°C are classified as Still wines, and most of the wines on the market today are of this type. Under the same conditions, if the carbon dioxide pressure in the bottle is greater than or equal to 0.05Mpa, it is a sparkling wine. The well-known Champagne from France, Cava from Spain, Asti from Italy and Sekt from Germany are well-known representatives of sparkling wines.

III. By sugar content

During the fermentation process, the sugar of the grape fruit is converted into alcohol by the action of yeast. At the end of fermentation, the remaining sugar in the liquid is called Residual Sugar.

According to the amount of residual sugar, wines are generally classified into the following types: 

1. Dry: The sugar content is less than or equal to 4g/L. Most of the wines available on the market are of this type

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2. Medium Dry: sugar content greater than 4, less than or equal to 12g/L

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3. Medium Sweet: more than 12 and less than or equal to 45g/L

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4. Sweet: greater than or equal to 45g/L

For sparkling wines, in addition to the natural residual sugar at the end of fermentation, sparkling wines made using the Traditional Method, Transfer Method, and Tank Method are supplemented with liquid to adjust the sugar content of the finished wine. Sparkling wines can be classified according to their sugar content as follows:

1. Brut Nature: 0-3g/L of sugar

2. Extra Brut: between 0-6g/L  

3. Extra dry (Brut): 0-12g/L

4. Extra-Sec: between 12-17g/L

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5. Dry/Sec: between 17-32g/L

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6. Semi-Sec/Semi-Seco: 32-50g/L

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7. Sweet (Doux/Dulce): sugar content >50g/L

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