Wines can at times be classified as fine or strong depending on their alcohol by volume contents. Lots of people prefer fine wines as they, in most cases, are perfect for special occasions. Of the most loved fine wines are Brut and Extra Dry.
The smooth wines are more or less like champagnes only that they are a little cheaper. Most of the brut and extra dry wines are found in the Northern Italy due to the climatic conditions, winds and mountain terrains, therein.
So, what are some of the things brut and extra dry wine share in common? And how different are they? Well, this is where the extra dry vs brut becomes an interesting read. In this article, we therefore seek to lay bare all the truths concerning the two.
Dry Wine
What does it take to call a wine dry? What are some of the things such wines got that others don’t? These are questions so many wine lovers ask, not you alone. Well, for wine to be classified as dry it has to have low residual sugars.
Dry wines are therefore not as sweet as you might want them to be. But how can wine have low sugars when the grapes from which it’s extracted are known to be of high sugar levels? Grapes have high sugar levels, yes, but some of these sugars are lost during the process of fermentation resulting into the dry wine.
So what does sugars got to do with wine’s dryness? The yeast used in the wine production often eats away some sugars. The remaining sugars is dependent on the duration of fermentation. If the fermentation hasn’t taken long, the resulting wine is sweeter and if it takes long dry wine is yielded.
However, there are instances where sugars can be added back to the wine to make it sweeter regardless of how long it has taken to ferment.
Even though there is a little bit of sweetness in dry wine, it can taste nice altogether; thanks to additional flavors that can be introduced during production.
How dry wines taste?
As you are already aware, low sugar contents mean the wine won’t be sweeter. However, there are flavors that can be added to such wine till you might not even realize the dryness. The taste of the wine can in most cases be affected by the fruity flavors, aging process, alcohol levels as well as acidity.
Low acidity levels in a dry wine will make it sweeter. At the same time, aging in oaks will increase sweetness by adding flavors like caramel, vanilla and toasted oak. High alcohol by volume content also makes dry wine taste sweeter.
Carbonation of dry wine also helps in edging off dry notes by lifting flavors. Another way of making dry wine taste better is by adding ripe fruits with higher sugar contents such as tropical fruit into the wine.
Are dry wines popular?
Dry wines are popular and at the same time unpopular depending on which part of the world you come from. In the United States, they are quite unpopular. Many have tried to know why the unpopularity in the US and it can for sure be attributed to their sweeter cuisines.
Some of the finest wines are actually the very dry so regardless of where you are you will definitely come across a few of them.
What are some of the misunderstandings about dry wines?
Many tend to think that when wine is dry it leaves some dry sensation in the mouth. However, this is not the case as dry sensations are usually as a result of tannins. Red wines have higher tannins compared to white ones and might taste dry even if they have higher sugars.
Dry wines aren’t sweet though but are refreshing and crisp.
Brut
Brut is a more dryer wine compared to the extra dry wines. The sugar levels in brut are extremely low at about 1.5%. These are less sweet.
Compared to extra dry wine, brut is crispier and more of an aperitif drink.
Extra dry vs Brut: How to choose between the two
Deciding between brut and extra dry is usually challenging to some people. Not any more though as this section recommends some of the best occasions to enjoy which of the two. These are some of the factors to consider when choosing between the two:
Type of sparkling required
If you need something sparkling and fruity, an extra dry wine will be the most ideal for you.
- Occasion
For festive occasions, extra dry wines are the best. A more formal event will definitely call for a brut. Nonetheless, it will be much okay to ask your guests in advance if they are well-conversant with dry wines before you purchase some for the occasion.
- Flavor notes
Whichever of the two with fruity flavor notes will be a good one to settle on.
- Budget
Brut wines are more expensive compared to extra dry wines. Depending on the amount of money at your disposal, you can decide on whichever of the two to choose from.
Examples of Brut wines to go for
- Taittinger Brut La Francaise- Fruity with lots of richness.
- Schramsberg Brut Rose 2016- Delicate with subtle flavors with hints of fresh rapberries and ginger.
Examples of Extra Dry wines
- La Marca Luminore Prosecco Superiore- Pairs do well with so many other foodstuffs and is great for special occasions.
- Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Extra Dry- Stylish with hints of sweetness so ideal for drinking alongside contemporary cuisine.
Wrapping Up
Differentiating extra dry wine and brut hasn’t been so easy for many wine lovers. The difference just comes about from their sugar levels which again isn’t much apart. As you have seen though, they can be used in different occasions and with different food pairings.
Having read the extra dry vs brut above, which of the two can you consider your favorite? Why would you choose it over the other? Feel free to share your thoughts with us.