Dessert presents an almost insurmountable challenge to ordinary dry table wines, but that happily clears the path for enjoying a sumptuous sweet wine with a meal’s grand finale.
Although dessert wines come in many types and styles, the best ones share a common denominator: Intense, lush fruit couples with a sweetness that is never cloying but instead tautly balances with acidity or tannin.
When picking one, the only rule of thumb is that the wine should be slightly sweeter than the accompanying dessert. Otherwise, all you will taste is the wine’s acidity, and instead of harmony you will have conflict, and who wants a war at dinnertime?
My favorite dessert pairings follow that basic rule. But remember: The world of sweet wines is almost as varied as the world of sweet food, which means there is plenty of room for enjoyable experimentation.
Creme brulee, flan, creme caramel: Ice wine, with its vivid fruitiness, perks up the flavors of these delectably creamy, neutrally flavored desserts. Excellent choices include Bonny Doon Muscat Vin de Glaciere from California and those from other wine regions. From Germany, top ice wine producers include Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch/Erben Muller-Burggraef, Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler, Muller-Catoir, Joh. Jos. Prum, Selbach-Oster, Dr. Loosen and Rudolf Muller. From Canada, I’ve been impressed by the quality of the Riesling and Vidal ice wines from Mission Hill in the Okanagan Valley, and also by the unusual red ice wine made from the cabernet franc grape by Peller Estates in the Niagara area. Prices for ice wines range from about $15 to well over $100 for limited-production bottlings.
Chocolate, mocha and coffee desserts: One school of thought holds that no wine goes with chocolate, but I disagree. The deep, often bittersweet flavors of chocolate and mocha-type desserts, such as flourless chocolate cake, are great with so-called “dark” dessert wines, such as port. Tawny port, with its mellow caramel flavors, pairs especially well with mocha cakes and fillings, while the redder vintage character and ruby port harmonize better with cherry-infused chocolate concoctions. For chocolate desserts that are not very sweet, a French Banyuls, from Chapoutier or Domaine du Mas Blanc Dr. Parci, is superb. Top port producers include Fonseca, Grahams, Dow, Taylor Fladgate and Warre, all of which offer a full range, from inexpensive tawnies to pricier and more profound vintage ports.
Pecan pie and other nut desserts: The toffee-like, creamy flavors of aged sherry are tailor-made for the nutty flavors of these desserts. Select a fairly sweet type, such as a cream sherry or sweet oloroso. The best producers include Emilio Lustau, Gonzalez Byass, Osborne and Pedro Domecq.
Apple, pear, peach, nectarine and apricot desserts: Sauternes, sweet chenin blancs and late-harvest semillon and sauvignon blanc-based wines harmonize with the yellow-fruit flavors of desserts built around tree and stone fruits, such as apple pie, peach cobbler and apricot pastries. Although top Sauternes such as Chateau Yquem and Chateau Rieussec are quite expensive, many moderately priced Sauternes and Barsacs offer excellent quality. Excellent semillons and sauvignon blancs made in a Sauternes style are available from Chateau Ste. Michelle in Washington and from Beringer in Napa Valley, among other good producers. For chenin blanc, try a French Anjou, or consider a sweet chenin blanc from a good South African producer, such as Ken Forrester or Rudera.
Citrus and tropical fruit desserts: Classic German Ausleses and Beerenausleses and other late-harvest Rieslings are products of botrytis, the mold sometimes called “noble rot” for its ability to create exceptional dessert wines; the botrytis notes bring out the tang in orange, lemon, lime, mango and other citrus desserts. In addition to German Riesling from the top producers (listed above under ice wines), excellent late-harvest Rieslings are available from Australia, New Zealand, Oregon and Alsace. Ask your retailer for a recommendation.
Berry desserts: Because of their high acidity, many desserts featuring berries don’t do well with the major dessert wines. However, demi-sec champagnes and sparkling wines have just the right balance of sweetness and acidity to bring out the sweet fruit of the berries. Excellent demi-secs are available from major French champagne producers, such as Moet &Chandon and Piper-Heidsieck, and from Schramsberg and other wineries in California.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
