The Difference Between White, Sparkling, And Dessert Wine

Newcomers to the world of wine are often baffled by the many varieties they find. It's not easy to determine which type of wine would suit the palate and is right for the occasion. Most people are aware that red wines are usually manufactured using red grapes and white wines are manufactured using white grapes; however, they don't realize that winemaking techniques can alter the taste and texture of the drink. This article discusses the difference between white, sparkling, and dessert wines because they use different winemaking techniques.

What is White Wine?

As mentioned before, white wine is manufactured using green grapes. Despite its name, this beverage isn't actually white in color. The wine can be pale amber to rich gold in color, based on the amount of tannin present in the drink. White wine is actually produced from both white and red grapes because once extracted, grape juice is clear.
Contact with the skin gives the beverage color if needed. This wine is manufactured traditionally so the juice is extracted, stored in barrels and allowed to ferment until the yeast turns the sugar into alcohol.

What is Sparkling Wine?

Sparkling wines are made from almost all varieties of grapes, though they're usually white in color. Champagne is the most famous example of sparkling wines. These wines are bubbly and can be sweet or dry, based on the amount of fermentation and the type of grapes used. Winemakers trap the carbon dioxide bubbles naturally generated during the process in the wine to create that bubbly effect.

What is Dessert Wine?

Dessert wine is quite sweet and not as alcoholic as other wines. The grapes used in these wines are harvested late to ensure high sugar content. They're also dried in the sun to increase the concentration of sugar before the juice is extracted. Winemakers will also stop the fermentation process before all sugar is converted into alcohol by the yeast.