Jäännössokereita

Jäännössokereita is a Finnish term that translates to "residual sugars" in English. It refers to the amount of sugar remaining in wine or other fermented beverages after the fermentation process has completed. Fermentation occurs when yeast consumes sugars and converts them into alcohol and carbon dioxide. If the fermentation is stopped before all the sugar is consumed, or if the yeast is naturally unable to ferment all types of sugars present, some sugar will remain in the final product.

The amount of residual sugar is a key factor in determining a wine's sweetness. Wines are often categorized based on their residual sugar content, ranging from very dry (low residual sugar) to very sweet (high residual sugar). For example, dry wines typically have less than 4 grams per liter of residual sugar, while dessert wines can have upwards of 50 grams per liter.

Factors influencing residual sugar levels include the initial sugar content of the grape must, the type of yeast used, the fermentation temperature, and the duration of fermentation. Winemakers can also deliberately stop fermentation, for example by chilling the must or adding sulfur dioxide, to control the final residual sugar level and achieve a desired sweetness. In some cases, residual sugar can also be a result of unfermented sugars in fruit wines if the fruit used contains them.