'Abboccato' is an Italian word literally meaning 'palatable,' from the word bocca, which translates to 'mouth.' When applied to wine, the term is used to designate a level of sweetness below that of wines labeled 'amabile.'
'Sweet' has come to be known as somewhat of a derogatory term in the wine world. This is perhaps in large part due to the rise to popularity of mass-produced, overly sugary table wines that peaked around the 1970s through 90s. Many of us remember our parents drinking Portugal's slightly sparkling Mateus rosé or Germany's syrupy Blue Nun liebrfraumilch. This style of wine has since fallen out of fashion, with the younger generation of oenophiles seeking out drier versions of their saccharine predecessors.
The term 'dry,' indicating the absence of residual sugar in a finished wine, is much more en vogue these days, though it brings with it considerable confusion to the unseasoned consumer. Many people have been taught by osmosis that dry = good and sweet = bad. But if you ask a few of these people what exactly they mean when they say they want a dry wine, you're likely to get a range of (mostly inaccurate) answers. Some believe that the word implies high tannin, while others think it has to do with the level of acidity. There are those who associate the term with the presence of oak, and those who associate it with the absence of oak. A large number of people do not really know what dry wine is, but they know that it is what they are "supposed" to like.
When I am asked to give a wine recommendation, I always begin by asking "what do you usually like to drink?" More than fifty percent of the time, the answer is something along the lines of "I like dry reds (or whites), nothing too sweet..." The unintentionally redundancy here confirms my suspicions regarding the confusion of terminology. If consumers knew that "dry" means "not sweet," they would not bother to state the same fact twice--instead, they would include additional information to help narrow down the selection.
The unfortunate thing here is that throughout the world, many respectable, high-quality wines are produced in an off-dry, semi-sweet, or lusciously sweet style, but they are frequently overlooked due to misconceptions about sugar in wine. Sauternes, Tokaji, trockenbeerenauslese Riesling, Madeira, and Port are just some of the many stunning sweet wines that risk or have experienced declining market share due to decreased demand.
The key to successful sweet wines, as with almost all wines, is balance. It is vital that the different components that contribute the the palate of wine--sweetness, acidity, tannin, and alcohol--are in balance with one another in order to achieve a harmonious flavor. A wine that is low in alcohol but high in tannins and acidity will come across overly astringent, while the inverse will result in a wine with a mouthfeel that feels soft and flabby. Similarly, a wine that is high in sugar but lacks acidity will read as cloying, but a wine with the right balance of each will likely be fresh, lively, and enjoyable.
The best-known, though increasingly rare example of an Italian abboccato wine is Orvieto Abboccato DOC, which comes from the commune of Orvieto in the Umbria region of central Italy, about 125 km from Rome. This is a slightly sweet, typically inexpensive style of white wine that is bright, simple, and easy to enjoy, made from a blend of grapes which can include Trebbiano, Grechetto, Malvasia, Verdello, and Canaiolo Blanco. The flavors and aromas can be relatively neutral, although versions with Malvasia in the blend often have a pleasant floral perfume.
