Sweet and dry.

I would like to dispel the perception that there is something inherently wrong with sweet wines, or with the tastes of people who like them. There are sweet Rieslings from Germany that are generally agreed to be some of the finest wines in the world. There are moelleux Vouvrays from the Loire Valley in France that can age for decades, developing absolutely stunning elegance and complexity, all the while staying amazingly youthful. I had an Italian Vin Santo over the holidays that was so good I wanted to get out of my seat and hop up and down while clapping my hands like a child.

I tell you this because I want people to be honest about the type of wine they like. There is a tiny voice in the collective mind of the American wine consumer that tells them sweet wines are not for sophisticated wine drinkers. That voice is at war with the palates of many American consumers.

The term ‘Extra Dry’ on sparkling wine labels is a perfect example of this principle. Sparkling wines labeled Extra Dry are actually sweeter than those labeled Brut. The Extra Dry labeling was introduced for the American market, where wine drinkers wanted sweeter wines, but couldn’t admit it to themselves.

The other important thing to realize about sweetness is that actual sugar content is not the only factor that contributes to a wine seeming sweet. In both white and red wines, acidity plays a part in balancing any residual sugar, and in red wines there is also tannin, a compound that comes from the skins and seeds of the grape. Tannin creates a drying sensation in the mouth and is often mistaken for chemical dryness. I’ve been asked many times if, for example, Cabernet is more dry than Merlot. The truth is it isn’t, but Merlot is often made in a softer, more approachable style, while Cabernet’s heavy tannins make it seem “more dry.”

This distinction of dryness and tannin is especially important if you’re accustomed to sweet wines but looking to expand your horizons. Most red wines have little to no residual sugar, although there seem to be a growing number of reds with at least a little bit of sweetness to them to make them more palatable. The problem with sweet wines in dry disguises is that they lack balance and acidity. The acidity in a balanced wine makes your mouth water, refreshing your palate.

If a wine lacks that balance, the sugar will leave a cloying aftertaste in your mouth. That will either put you off the wine and convince you that you don’t like Cabernet or Chardonnay or Riesling or other varietal, or it will cause you to actually drink faster in an unconscious effort to wash away the aftertaste with more of the very thing that caused it. This can also cause you to overconsume and, combined with the sugar and other compounds in the wine, can lead to red wine headache which, while often lumped together with sulfite sensitivity, is an entirely separate issue and much more common than sulfite allergy.

While it can be difficult to find good sweet red wines, it is much easier to find dry reds that are fruit-forward and not overly tannic. Beaujolais is a good example. Nouveau Beaujolais is dry, but very fruit-forward and approachable, and non-nouveau Beaujolais are also very fruit-driven but a little more serious and ageworthy. Sangiovese, Barbera, Grenache and Syrah are a few other varieties that are also often made in very fruit-forward, youthful, approachable styles.

Here are a few examples I’ve tried recently, all of which should retail around $15 or less:

• Quattro Mani Barbera 2010

• Lechtaler Teroldego 2009

• Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais Villages 2009

• Honoro Vera Monastrell Jumilla 2009

WINE CLASSES

I will be giving three Wine 101 classes from 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 4 and 18 and March 3 at Cafe Vicino, 808 W. Fort St. The classes are a series. The first is a general overview, the second focuses on white, rose, and sparking wines, and the third covers red wines. The classes are $20 each or $50 for all three. Reservations may be made by calling the Co-op wine shop at 472-4519, or by calling Cafe Vicino at 472-1463.

Leil Cardoza is the Boise Co-op wine shop’s inventory manager. Blog: ithinkaboutwine.wordpress.com. Email: ithinkaboutwine@gmail.com