A Primer on Dessert Wines
Indulge in a liquid dessert? Absolutely! Dessert wine is one of the most captivating yet often overlooked wine categories. I always marvel over why these are such little known gems, thus the decision to do a primer on dessert wines.
True dessert wines can range from slightly sweet to the delightfully luscious, and offer the perfect finish to a meal or party. With their characteristic sweetness and moderately high alcohol content, they wines have intense aromas and concentrated flavors reminiscent of candied fruits and concentrated honey.
By the way: some get these confused with the other “sweet wines” out there — but these are in a completely different category.
How Dessert Wines Are Made
So, how do dessert wines get to be sweet? There are a few different ways that dessert wines are made but they all have one thing in common — increasing the sugar content in grapes in any way possible. I’ll cover the basics on each method, below.
Method 1: Fortification
Fortification is one of the most common ways winemakers will sweeten up a wine. Typically, during or after the fermentation process, a grape spirit (or “brandy”) is added to a wine, depending on the specific type of wine being made.
If the grape spirit is added after fermentation, the wine develops a dry finish, and if added during fermentation, the wine intensifies its sweetness. When the wine ferments the added spirit, its alcohol content breaks down the yeast. This leaves residual sugar in the wine, making it sweeter and increasing the overall alcohol content. A higher alcohol percentage allows some fortified wines to be aged and have a long shelf life. Popular fortified wines are port, sherry and madeira.
Method 2: Late Harvest
Leaving grapes on the vine for longer than intended allows them to over-ripen, which causes the grapes to be packed with natural sugars. The extra time winemakers will allow the grapes spans anywhere from one to two months after the initial harvest. Many favorite dessert wines come from this method of production! The most popular grape types for making late harvest wines are Riesling and Gewürztraminer and believe it or not, Zinfandel and Cabernet Franc.
Method 3: Noble Rot
Despite the word “rot” in this production method, it produces some of the most expensive sweet wines. Winemakers who use this method will usually let late harvest grapes sit on the vine until they rot and develop a grey fungus, called botrytis.
The botrytis fungus grows on the outsides of the grape clusters. This fungus severely dehydrates the grapes, stripping away their water content but simultaneously skyrocketing the sugar concentration! The most famous botrytised dessert wines are Sauternes and Tokaji.
Method 4: Ice Wine (Frozen Grapes)
This production method is perhaps the most difficult. Vineyards with climates that drop below freezing points cause the water in their grapes to freeze solid. While the grapes are still frozen, these grapes are harvested in the dead of night to ensure cool temperatures. Once pressed, the fermentation can take between 2 to 6 months since the juice is so concentrated and sweet. The most famous ice wines are German Eiswein and Canadian ice wine, but ice wines are also made in the United States, Hungary and beyond.
Method 5: Passito
Passito is an Italian word that means “raisin” and refers to wines made from grapes that are semi-dried before fermentation. This production method involves drying grapes like any other type of fruit.
First, the grapes are essentially left on the wine until they are nearly entirely dried out, then harvested. The next step is to either further dry the grapes by laying them on straw mats or hanging them from ceilings in warm, indoor rooms. Wines made in these styles include Italian Passito wines as well as various styles of Vin Santo that are made throughout Italy and Greece.
Sweet Sparkling Wines
An article on dessert wines would be incomplete without a nod to the beautifully sweet sparkling wines! Sparkling wine, one of everyone’s favorites, is a perfect pairing with desserts. This is because both the bubbles and the high acidity balance the sweetness of the wine. Additionally, the bubbles are a great palate cleanser.
Obviously, the level of sweetness will depend on how much sugar the wine contains. To know this, look at the label. In general, sweet wines in French will appear with the word demi-sec, doux, or moelleux, while amabile, semi secco or dolce is how it is used in Italian, and dulce in Spanish. Some of the more notable sparkling dessert wines include Asti Spumante, Moscato d’Asti, and Brachetto d’Aqui.
Pairing Dessert & Dessert Wines
Should you decide to serve a sweet wine with food, there are two roads you can go down: complimenting or contrasting the sweetness of the wine. When serving a dessert wine with something sweet, a general rule is to ensure that the wine is sweeter than the dish it is being served with. If the food is sweeter than the wine, the wine may feel too acidic on the palate.
You don’t always have to serve sweet wines with sweet foods. Get creative and don’t limit yourself; try sweet wines with your favorite charcuterie and cheeses. The sweetness and acidity in some dessert wines make a great contrast to the savory and salty notes in some meats and cheeses. For a classic pairing, try Sauternes with Roquefort.
Or as I always say, dessert wines are dessert in themselves!
Cheers!
xx—BB
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