Choosing a good white semi-dry wine with the current assortment offered by shops is not an easy task. It's good if you have a preferred manufacturer or a favorite brand of this drink. But if there are none, then you can spend a lot of time looking for the "golden nectar". What should the buyer focus on - on the packaging, on the composition, or on the region of manufacture? Are there outward signs of a good white semi-dry wine?
With the right choice, semi-dry white wine can become a real gem of the table. To do this, first of all, you need to take into account a number of recommendations regarding combinations of products and wines. So, semi-dry white wine belongs to the category of table wine. Therefore, it should be served with meals, traditionally, with vegetables, fish and white meat.
If you want to pamper your guests with several types of wines, it is advisable to adhere to this rule: first, red wines are served, then white. In this case, it is better not to "lower" the degree of the alcoholic drink.
Is a beautiful bottle good wine?
The first thing that attracts our attention is the appearance of the product. Even the price sometimes fades against its background, and we are ready to overpay only for the table to be decorated with a beautiful bottle. However, bright packaging is not yet a guarantee of quality products. Neither the shape of the bottle, nor the color of the glass, nor the concave bottom are the hallmarks of a good wine. All this, of course, can subsequently play a role in the overall assessment of the product. However, we focus primarily on the taste of the drink. Therefore, so that the joy of buying a beautiful and expensive bottle is not replaced by the chagrin of its contents, at the stage of choosing a wine, you need to focus on the data indicated on the label.
What does the label tell you about?
First, you need to pay attention to the characteristics of the wine. White semi-dry should "fit" in the following indicators: from 9 to 12% of alcohol turnover and from 1 to 2.5 grams of sugar per 100 milliliters. Be sure to see if the country of manufacture is indicated on the label, it is better if there is also data on the region of production. If the wine is brought from abroad, then the "wine passport", as the label is often called, must contain the contact details of the importer in Russian. However, the determining factor when choosing a wine, as a rule, is its varietal composition. And here it is pointless to advise: there is no comrade for the taste and color. If you are new to the selection of semi-dry white wine, you can try several varieties of it, made from the same grape variety, and then move on to wines with mixed varietal compositions. And so, gradually, determine your preferences. In this case, you should not be guided by the harvest year. In a number of countries, this figure on the label of table wines is not indicated on completely legal grounds. And of course, there shouldn't be any artificial additives in the wine. Minor amounts of sulfur are an exception, but manufacturers are allowed to add this chemical to avoid product oxidation.
Sediment at the bottom of a bottle of table wine may indicate that the drink was stored improperly or non-compliance with production technologies. If you notice sediment, check the label for related information.
Is the price tag an indicator of quality?
In Russian stores, you are unlikely to find a wine with the above data on the label and a price lower than 250-300 rubles. Imported wines tend to be more expensive. Too low a price should alert you, because cheap wine can spoil the impression of diligently prepared dishes, and, as a result, become a source of unpleasant emotions both for the hosts of the evening and for the whole company. But sincere conversations over a bottle of good wine are priceless.
