How much sugar is really in wine – and how to choose lower-sugar bottles

Diet fads come and go, whether it’s caveman-style keto, cabbage diets or old-school Vogue “cigarettes and wine” (honestly, look it up). None is as enduring as the “no sugar diet”.

Of course, as dietary no-nos go, excess sugar consumption has probably been one of the most consistently red-flagged nutritional hazards for decades. We can all agree that too much sugar is definitely bad for us, but not all sugars are created equal. And what if you enjoy a glass of wine?

I don’t want to give you flashbacks to school-classroom chemistry, but the very reason that wine exists is because of sugar, and its importance really can’t be overemphasised. At its most basic level, wine is the product of alcoholic fermentation, whereby the naturally occurring sugars in grapes are consumed by yeast and turned into alcohol. It’s the fundamental process behind making wine, beer and cider and is even the reason bread dough rises.

So once we acknowledge that all grapes contain sugar, like pretty much all fruit and vegetables, it’s useful to know that not all wines contain the same amount of sugar. But how do you know what to look for if you want to minimise your sugar consumption?

First, the good news. Most dry wines actually have very low levels of natural sugar at the end of the fermentation process, often referred to as residual sugar. But much like my four-year-old son, we are naturally drawn to sweet things. And here’s the sting: a lot of industrially produced bulk wines do have added sugar, which is used as a way to balance out flavour, in the same way that sugars are added to all sorts of food that you wouldn’t immediately associate with being “sweet”. However, it tends not to be as much as you might think.

I’m going to stay lean on the wine-geekery, but residual sugar ranges from less than 1g per litre (basically untraceable), to a whopping 400g per litre in an unctuously sweet sherry like Pedro Ximenez (which is outstanding poured over ice cream). But the vast majority of dry wines that we drink regularly tend to hover somewhere between 1-5g per litre of residual sugar, so not much considering a bottle is less than a litre at 750ml.

But if you really want to seek out wines that are naturally lower sugar, here are some easy tips to help you.

While it might seem counterintuitive, red wines have lower sugar than whites. Grape varieties like cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, sangiovese (chianti), merlot, malbec, syrah (also known as shiraz), tempranillo (lots of riojas), and malbec are low-sugar grapes. Similarly, white wines including sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot gris, chenin blanc and riesling tend to have lower sugar levels, (though confusingly, they can also make sweet wines, but we’ll park that for now).

It’s very easy to do, but it’s equally simple to work out the difference. After taking a sip of wine, lick your lips; if they feel a bit sticky or taste sweet, then chances are there’s a little bit of sugar in the wine. If there’s no stickiness, you’re just tasting sweet, ripe fruit flavours.

I have never understood why extra-dry prosecco is labelled as such, as it's really quite sweet. It’s so utterly confusing for consumers as there could be up to 17g of residual sugar per litre, which is about 2g per glass. If you really do want a dry fizz, look for brut, extra brut or brut nature on the label next time you’re reaching for a bottle of sparkling wine. Most crémants tend to have about 1g of sugar in a glass, compared to 35g (seven teaspoons!) in a can of Coke, or 18g in a standard gin and tonic.

If you see amarone or wines that say “ripasso” or “apassiemento” on the label, the grapes in these wines have been partially dried to concentrate the sugar, so the yeast struggles to convert it all into alcohol. They do, however, taste outstanding, so don’t deprive yourself of the pleasure.

Please, I implore you, swerve the horrific Jam Shed wines at all costs. These are sickly, overly manufactured wines that have quite literally had sugar poured into them. Spend your hard-earned money on a different bottle instead.

When it comes to wine, sugar isn’t the devil. It’s often incorrectly assumed that it’s packed full of added sugar, but that really isn’t the case. In fact, it’s significantly lower in sugar than a lot of alcohol-free wines, where sugar is often a vital ingredient used to create flavour and mouthfeel. So give yourself a break and have a glass of exactly what you enjoy; don’t fret about the sugar content. And if you want the best dessert swap, my advice is to have a glass of sweet wine instead.

open image in gallery

Majestic, £16 any mixed six (£18 single bottle), 11.5% ABV

A lean and poised crémant that really feels like a supremely elegant alternative to champagne. It has a warming toasted brioche note alongside ripe pears and golden apples, with an invigorating dry finish that feels like a bracing walk by the ocean.

Waitrose, £30, 12.5% ABV

Made by a highly respected house, Maison Bonet, this 100 per cent Pinot Noir Champagne is brimming with notes of ripe red cherries, slices of strawberries, freshly whipped cream and delicate, fine bubbles

Morrisons, £9, 12% ABV

A perfect blend of grillo and catarrato, two of Sicily’s indigenous white grapes, it has a beautiful lemon-cream core with aromas of citrus blossom and soft white peaches.

M&S (in-store) or Ocado (online), £18, 12.5% ABV

One to turn even the hardiest of sauvignon sceptics. Hailing from a village very close to Sancerre, this refined sauvignon has notes of fresh lime and lemon zest alongside cut grass, and a steely, mineral finish. M&S’s Collection range always offers great value for the higher price point.

Aldi (in-store only), £8.99, 12.5% ABV

I’ve recommended this wine to so many friends. It’s a little Spanish wonder. Cigales is a historic Spanish wine region, and this blend of tempranillo, grenache and verdejo delivers notes of puckering raspberries, lightly scented rose petals and fresh pink grapefruit. It’s as pretty on the palate as it is in the glass.

open image in gallery

The Wine Society, £10.95, 13% ABV

You always get such value in Le Marche in Italy, and I love this blend of sangiovese and montepulciano. It’s got brambly spiced fruit alongside ripe plums and hints of sweet cherries. It’s eminently appealing, and feels like a warming cuddle in a glass.

Majestic, £13 any mixed six (£15 single bottle), 13.5% ABV

I’m a big fan of Loire valley reds, especially cabernet franc, and this is a gorgeous example of the region. It’s a pure expression of unadulterated fruit, with crushed cranberries, juice-laden blackcurrants and soft raspberry, and a quenching, crunchy finish.

Co-op, £9.50, 13% ABV

I don’t know how the Co-op has landed this pinot noir for under £10. It’s a holy grail in wine buying, but I do know they’ll have done it with skill and great integrity. I love German pinot noir and this lighter red is packed full of sweet damsons, ripe dark cherries and a hint of warming vanilla spice.

The Wine Society, £25, 13.5% ABV

If you’re expecting a big-basher of a shiraz, then think again. This is everything that gets me excited about Australian wines today. Exemplary winemaking that shows great finesse, this wine is a supremely elegant expression of syrah. Expect notes of blackcurrant, redcurrant and morello cherries alongside cracks of black pepper and sweetly marinated black olives. It has a generous length that just keeps on giving. What an utter joy to drink.

Lidl (in-store only), £9.99, 14.5% ABV

This is such an outstandingly good value example of the southern-Rhône’s warming appeal. It’s got a lovely spicy kick alongside ripe dark plums and fleshy hedgerow fruit. It’s unashamedly full-bodied, but remains wonderfully approachable.