White wines are made from peeled berries of white grape varieties, the sugar content of which is about 20 percent. Semi-sweet white wines usually have a strength from 9 to 12 degrees, the sugar content in them is from 3 to 8%. The color of such drinks may be straw, amber or even silver, but in any case not too saturated. The bouquet depends on the grape variety, which served as raw material, and the area where it was grown. Most often, it captures floral, fruity or nutty notes, although the overall range is much richer and more unique. If you purchased a bottle of high-quality alcohol for dinner, you should find out what to bring to it, so as not to muffle its taste and aroma. If you want to taste the drink in question in this material, you need not only to be able to choose it, but also to know what white semisweet wine is drunk with, from which glasses and to what temperature it is cooled before.
Best grades and brands
The most popular white semi-sweet wines made from the following grape varieties:
- Chardonnay. Most often, wines from this variety of berries have citrus, vanilla and honey notes. Sommeliers also note the presence of oily and floral notes in bouquets made from this grape. It is believed that the best wines from Chardonnay grapes are made in France, in Burgundy. They often have notes of hay and green apples. Australian wines of Chardonnay are also appreciated, in which you can distinguish the notes of nuts and gooseberries;
- Riesling. Wines from this grape variety come out a little more acidic than others. Most often in their bouquet there are notes of peach, apple, melon. People with the most subtle sense of smell, distinguish it and kerosene notes. The best producer of such wines is Germany. The Riesling wines from New Zealand and Australia have a good reputation;
- Sauvignon. Wine from grapes of this variety has a rich bouquet, in which there are notes of fresh greenery, currants and gooseberries, tropical fruits. Sauvignon wines from New Zealand are appreciated. Such drinks from Germany and South Africa enjoy a good reputation;
- Muscat. The aromas of pink petals, honey, blooming acacia, raisins, nutmeg make a bouquet of wine made from this grape variety easily recognizable. Good wines from this grape variety are made in France, Italy, Moldova, in the Krasnodar Territory and in the Crimea.
When choosing a brand of semi-sweet white wine, it makes sense to pay attention to the products of Crimean wine-makers. It is affordable, different acceptable quality. Good reviews have:
- “The pearl of Massandra” (“Massandra”). Ordinary wine made from Muskat and Kokur grapes. Contains 11% alcohol, 4% sugar. It has a golden color, honey-nutmeg aroma;
- “Magarach is semi-sweet white” (“Magarach”). In the production of using several grape varieties: “aligote”, “Rkatsiteli”, “Sauvignon”, “Riesling”. The color of the drink is straw. Fortress - 11%, sugar content - 2%;
- “Solar Valley” (“Solar Valley”). It has a golden color, sometimes with a faint pink tint. It is made from the grape varieties “Solnechnogorsk”, “Chardonnay”, “Aligote”, “Rkatsiteli”, “Sauvignon”. Refers to ordinary wines;
- “Sauvignon Crimean” (“Inkerman”). The wine has an exposure of 1, 5 years, straw color, characteristic of the variety of the bouquet. The strength of the drink - 10-12%, sugar content - 3%;
- “Crimean Riviera” (“Inkerman”). The raw materials are “chardonnay”, “aligote”, “pinot gri” and nutmeg grapes. The bouquet has floral notes;
- “Crimean night” (“Inkerman”). The wine is made from the Muskat grape variety “Ottonel”. The bouquet has notes of rose petals and orange flowers. The strength of the drink - 10, 5%, sugar content - 3%.
If you belong to the admirers of Georgian wines, you will like the white semi-sweet wine “Alazansky valley”.
The choice of appetizers and the serving temperature of a drink often depend on the particular brand of wine, but there are some general rules.
Usage Features
White semi-sweet wine belongs to the category of table wines, it is served for lunch or dinner, they do not drink separately. Its use has several other features.
- The temperature to which it is better to cool the white semi-sweet wine, to some extent depends on the grape variety that was used as a raw material, sugar content, characteristics of the bouquet. Some wine manufacturers recommend cooling to 8-11 degrees, others - up to 10-13 degrees, and still others - up to 12-14 degrees. If the manufacturer’s recommendations are not known to you, then focus better on the average.
- Pour white wine in glasses on a high stem with a bowl slightly widening upwards. Typically, the volume of glasses for this type of beverage does not exceed 300-350 ml. Make them from transparent glass without too much decor. Fill these vessels by two thirds.
- Drink white wine in small sips. Before you take the first sip, etiquette prescribes to admire it, inhale its aroma and gently sip.
Usually white semi-sweet wines are drunk in their pure form, but if their taste seemed too sweet to you, you can dilute the drink with clean water. Usually, a ratio of 1: 3 is used, and first wine is poured into the wine glass, and then water.
Than white semi-sweet wine bites
When choosing snacks for white semi-sweet wine, it is advisable to give preference to:
- fish and dishes from it. You can cook fish in any way, but stewed and baked dishes in cheese and sour cream sauce showed themselves especially well as a snack for white semi-sweet. Experts do not recommend to use a lot of herbs when cooking fish intended as a snack for wine, as they can distort the bouquet of the drink;
- seafood (shrimp, mussels, squid and others). The same requirements are applied to their preparation as to the preparation of fish;
- salted fish, caviar. Tartlets with them are also well combined with white semi-sweet wine. The exception is herring, which is not suitable as an appetizer for wine in any form;
- bread. Wheat bread is considered a perfect addition to white semi-sweet wine. This does not mean that it’s enough to offer sliced loaf as a snack. However, toast with white bread, biscuit and crackers would be quite appropriate;
- white poultry meat. Dishes of game, chicken breast, duck liver well set off the taste of white semi-sweet wine. They will be just as appropriate as a snack than a fish;
- cheese. Preference is given to cheeses that do not have a spicy taste. Well suited cream cheese or not too savory solid varieties. Blue cheese will not be the best choice;
- fruit. Almost all fruits will become a suitable snack to white semi-sweet wine, especially juicy, without excessive sourness.
Do not serve pork, mutton to white semisweet wine, even veal is not considered to be the ideal snack for this drink. Steak and kebabs from the menu will have to be excluded. The same applies to appetizers, dressed with a sauce rich in vinegar, pickles.
When choosing snacks for white semi-sweet wine, sommeliers are advised to adhere to the rule: the richer the bouquet of wine, the simpler the dishes offered to it should be.
White semi-sweet wine has a moderately sweet taste, low strength, delicate bouquet with floral and fruity notes. They drink it with fish, poultry, cheese, bread, seafood and fruits. Having correctly picked up an appetizer for an alcoholic beverage, you can best appreciate its rich bouquet and delicate aftertaste.
