what is dry white wine

Dry white wine is a type of white wine that contains little to no residual sugar, meaning it is not sweet. During fermentation, yeast converts most of the grape sugars into alcohol, so dry white wines typically have less than 10 grams of residual sugar per liter, with many having less than 1 gram per liter. This gives dry white wines a crisp acidity and fresh flavors rather than sweetness. They often feature flavors such as citrus (lemon, lime, grapefruit), green apple, pear, stone fruits like peach and apricot, as well as floral, herbal, and mineral notes. Popular types of dry white wines include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay (which can be oaked or unoaked), Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, and Muscadet. Dry white wines are usually light to medium-bodied and are enjoyed chilled. They are also commonly used in cooking due to their acidity which enhances food flavors. The dryness of these wines makes them distinct from sweet white wines which retain more residual sugar and taste noticeably sugary. In summary, dry white wine is a crisp, refreshing white wine characterized by very low sugar content, with emphasis on acidity and fresh fruit or mineral flavors rather than sweetness. It pairs well with a variety of foods such as seafood, salads, and light pasta dishes. If you want a specific style within dry white wines, there is a spectrum from bone dry (almost no sugar) to semi-dry (slightly more sugar but not sweet) to accommodate different palates. Bone dry wines will have less than 0.5 grams of sugar per liter while dry wines can have up to 10 grams per liter.