Difference between Liquor and Wine
The Royal Spanish Academy defines wine as a liquor. However, according to many wine experts, this definition is not entirely correct. For this it is first necessary to know the definition of liquor. Liquor is defined as a type of alcoholic beverage that has the characteristic of having sweet flavors, since it is made from fruit or vegetable essences and extracts. Wine, which is made from grape juice, may or may not fit within the definition of liquor, this will depend on each person.
In any case, not many people consider wine to be a liquor. Even fewer people would confuse, for example, a grape liqueur with a red or white wine. Rather, it happens that for some wine can be classified as a liquor, while for others it is two completely different things and that they have nothing or little to do with each other.
Liqueur |
Came |
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|---|---|---|
| Definition | A liquor is an alcoholic beverage that is obtained as a product of the distillation, infusion or maceration of natural substances with some type of flavored alcohol. Liqueurs, therefore, are very aromatic drinks that have sweet but strong flavors, with bright colors and high alcohol content, in addition to having a significant percentage of sugar. | For the RAE, it is a liqueur obtained from grape juice that later goes through the fermentation process. An even more specific definition is that of the International Organization of Vine and Wine . This organization defines wine as “…exclusively the beverage that results from the complete or partial alcoholic fermentation of fresh grapes or grape must…” |
| Alcohol content | Liquors usually have an alcoholic content that varies between 15° and 55°. | As for wines, their alcohol content cannot be less than 8.5% vol. |
| examples | Anise liqueur, peach, coffee, mint, pepper, etc. Among the best known are the Triple Sec (orange), the crème de menthe (mint) and the liqeur d’or (pepper and lemon). | Red wine ( cabernet sauvignon, merlot , etc), white wine (chardonnay, pinot grigio, etc), among others. |
