Sweetness Only on the tip of the tongue The first taste which people recognise and the first they notice is sweetness, which is registered on the tip of the tongue, almost like a tiny electric shock. The sugar content of a wine is usually given in grammes/litre. In sweet wines (for some the level has to be shown on the label) this may reach up to 60g/l, while in dry wines the residue is usually lower at 1-2g/l (up to 4 g/l is admissible). Depending on the quantity it is classified as medium dry ('abboccato') (up to 15 g/l), medium sweet ('amabile') (from 16-45 g/l), sweet or fortified and liqueur wines (over 45 g/l). The ethyl alcohol (produced by the fermentation and considered as a sugary substance) also influences the sweetness of a wine. It is particularly responsible for the smoothness as it balances and dampens down the effects of acidity, thereby harmonising the balance of tastes.