E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Dry Wine.
Opposed to sweet or fruity wine. In sweet wine some of the sugar is not yet decomposed; in dry wine all the sugar has been converted into alcohol. The doctoring of wine to improve its quality is called dosage.
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“Upon the nature and amount of the dosage, the character of the wine (whether it be dry or sweet, light or strong) very much depends.”—Vizetelly: Facts about Champagne, chap. v. p. 59.
