Dessert Wines

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Published: August 18, 2006

align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Dessert wines are typically sweet, usually a bit thicker than table wines, and carry flavors of refreshing fruits, herbs and honey along with them. White dessert wines, such as Rieslings, Sauternes and Eiswein (ice wine) will carry notes of citrus fruits and honey. Red dessert wines, also referred to as a fortified wine, generally have spirits added to them during production. Several fortified wines, such as Port, Sherry and Muscat, will carry with them notes of full fruits like blackberries, blueberries and raspberries and tend to have a higher alcohol content.

The grapes used in dessert wine making are left on the vine well into late fall until they become infected with Botrytis cinerea, also known as noble rot , a disease that produces a grayish mold on the fruit. This fungus causes the grape to shrivel in size which then produces a small amount of a sweet concentration of juice that is essential in the production of dessert wine. This method of production is the most common form used when producing dessert wines.

White dessert wines are best served chilled, served in a two ounce portion and are best paired with pastries and sweet cream desserts. Fortified wines are at their finest when served at room temperature or slightly chilled. These wines pair well with chocolate or puddings. They can also be served alone since spirits are added during production. This method is best since it does not confuse the palate or detract from the essence of the wine.

Purchasing a dessert wine requires some basic information. One should be aware that dessert wines are sold in two different sized bottles; 375ml and 750ml. Dessert wines are usually very affordable, around $10.99 for 375ml, but can exceed well over $375.00 when coming from a well-renowned vineyard.