halbtrocken [HAHLP-trahk-en]
German for “half-dry” or “medium-dry,” pertaining to wines that are sweeter than troken (dry) wines. In most parts of Germany, halbtrocken applies to wines containing between 9 and 18 grams of residual sugar per liter (0.9 to 1.8 percent), although the official definition also states that the residual sugar cannot be more than 10 grams greater than the total acidity (see acids). For example, if the residual sugar is 18 grams, then the total acidity must be at least 8 grams; if total acidity is only 6 grams, then the residual sugar can’t exceed 16 grams. In Austria, halbtrocken has a slightly different meaning, referring to wines with between 4 and 9 grams of residual sugar per liter.
The New Wine Lovers Companion, 2nd Edition, by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Copyright © (1) 2003, 1995 by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's Educational Series, Inc.