What is the Sweetest Wine?
The sweetest wine is Tokaji Eszencia, a wine with 450 g/L residual sugar (even upwards of 800 g/L) from the Tokaj region of Hungary. Although dry wines are produced from grapes in Tokaj, they're most well known for the luciously sweet wines.
The Sweetest Wines are Typically Considered "Dessert Wines"
Even though there is no simple definition of a "dessert wine". The top sweetest wines are Port, Moscato, Ice Wines, Meads and Tokaji Eszencia. Mead in particular is sweet, fruity and made with honey.
Residual sugar (RS) is the measure of sugars, usually grape sugars, leftover in a wine after the alcoholic fermentation finishes. It's measured in g/L, for every 1%, there's 10 g/L. If there’s less than 1%, the wine is considered dry. Greater than 1%, and you have yourself a sweet wine.
It’s important to note that the residual sugar levels are somewhat up to the winemaker and what level of residual sugar that's desired.
Interested in learning more about sweet wines? We run through the top 8 sweet wines.
Sweetest Wine Types (see sweetest wine chart below!)
Note that this list isn’t exhaustive and, in large part, doesn’t consider the intense sweetness of unique wines created by winemakers. It is, however, a great starting point for anyone looking to extend their palate to super sweet wine.
Chart info from Batch Mead
1. PORT
Port is a dessert style wine that typically has a residual sweetness of 100 g/L. Due to it’s richness (some would describe as “thick”), it’s also not something you would probably want to drink on a hot summer day.
Port is widely known as a “dessert” wine. It’s high in alcohol content, typically 19%, and high residual (leftover) sugar. It’s a Portuguese fortified wine produced in northern Portugal. There are different types of Port including Tawny, Ruby and White Ports.
2. MOSCATO
Moscato is considered a sweet, and sometimes dessert wine. The residual sugar level of Moscato is typically 14% RS. It comes in both red and white (plus, you might be familiar with the “Pink Moscato”). This is fruit-flavored to the max, with a flavors like sweet peach, orange blossom and nectarine. Alcohol percentages range from 5-10%.
Moscato also comes in three different styles, still (like most wines), slightly sparkling (or frizzante), and sparkling. If you’re one for carbonated alcoholic beverages, Moscato is an option. Moscato is made from the Muscat grapes, also used for raisins. Grab one of the most popular bottles of Moscato here.
3. ICE WINE
Ice wine is considered a dessert wine, with residual sugar levels of 180-320 g/L. This dessert wine is produced from grapes grown in colder climate regions, typically the grapes are picked once they freeze on the vine, hence the term "ice wine".
Typically Ice Wine is very fruity with high acidity and high sugar content to give a lucious dessert like taste. The alcohol percentages vary for ice wine, but typically 6-10%. You can order Ice Wine from Wine.com.
4. MEAD
Mead is typically considered a sweet wine, but it can also be dry, off-dry and semi-sweet depending on the fermentation. The residual sugar of mead can very from 10 g/L to upwards of 450 g/L depending on the fermentation.
The mead-making process is taking honey (no grapes or grains) and fermenting with yeast and water. Mead is gluten free and can be traditional or fermented with fruit or spices for fun sweet fruited wines. Learn more about all the types of mead.
5. TOKAJI ESZENCIA
Tokaji Eszencia is considered the sweetest wine. It's a rare wine with 450 g/L residual sugar (even upwards of 800 g/L!) from the Tokaj region of Hungary. Although dry wines are produced from grapes in Hungarian Tokaj, they're most well known for the luciously sweet dessert wines. Yes, you did that math right, that's upwards of 80% Residual Sugar!
Order a bottle of sweet Tokaji wine.
What’s your go-to sweetest wine? Something on our list or something else? Curious about trying mead?
Order our award winning meads (we have several sweet honey wines!)
Sweetest Wine FAQs
What wines are sweet and fruity?
Several red and white wines are sweet and have fruit characteristics, such as Port, Moscato, Riesling and of course, fruit wines. Wine can be made from any fruit or honey. There are several sweet hard ciders (apple wines) and honey wines available from Batch Mead.
Do sweet wines have more alcohol than other wines?
The alcohol content in sweet wines is not necessarily higher than in other wines. In fact, many sweet wines tend to have a lower alcohol content. The sweetness of a wine is determined by its residual sugar content, not its alcohol content. Wines with an Alcohol By Volume (ABV) of 12.5% or higher are typically considered 'dry,' with little to no perceptible sweetness. Most wines that have less than 10% ABV are considered sweet.
How should I store sweet wine?
Like all wines, sweet wines should be stored in a cool, dark place with a steady temperature. Once opened, they should be consumed within a few days for the best taste.
Can sweet wines be paired with food?
Absolutely! Sweet wines can be paired with a variety of foods. They work especially well with spicy dishes, as the sweetness can help balance out the heat.
What is the Perfect Wine List for sweet wine drinkers?
How is the sweetness of wine determined?
The sweetness of a wine is determined by the amount of residual sugar it contains after fermentation. The more residual sugar, the sweeter the wine.
About Us
MEAD (HONEY WINE) IS A PASSION FOR US
We started Batch Mead in 2019 to leave our Silicon Valley tech careers and pursue our real passion, MEAD!
We love locally sourced honey, apples and other ingredients. We focus on small batches to keep taps rotating and deliver delicious meads and hard ciders.
We believe mead is an experience, and our tasting room reflects all the notes of that ideal experience.
We recently won Best in Show from the San Diego International Beer Festival (2020, 2021 & 2022)! As well as several other wine, beer & mead awards!
