Great as a dessert and on its own (aperitif), sweet wines are a hit for all occasions and for any drinking age. Usually served in smaller bottles, these sweet gems are meant to be shared amongst your loved ones for sweeter days.
When it comes to sweet wines, most fit under these categories:
Sparkling
Sweet whites
Sweet reds
Fortified wines
Sparkling
For a younger crowd, an easy drinking bubbly combination is hard to resist. And there is certainly a huge range to choose from, ranging from sparkling rosé to the sweetest Moscato d’Asti.
Sweet Whites
In our minds, dessert wines are honey coloured and smell of juicy fruits and blossoms. But we can also drink lighter coloured white wines such as Gewürztraminer, Chenin Blanc, and Riesling, which are refreshingly sweet. These wines pair well with Asian cuisine, including your favourite spicy Mala, and are best enjoyed when young.
Sweet whites with more intense fruit flavours can also pair well with fruit-based and vanilla-based desserts- Eg. Gewürztraminer smells of lychee and rose petals and is probably a fruit tart’s bff.
Pro Tip:
Not a fan of super sweet? Look out for Demi-sec (off-dry in French) or Amabile (slightly sweet in Italian) on the label.
Sweet wines can generally be predicted by their rich colour- The darker the wine, the richer and sweeter they are. Here are some ways in which sweet wines are made:
- Grapes from late harvest wines are left on the vine for longer periods of time, resulting in fruit that is concentrated and raisin-like. Vendage Tardive from France and Spätlese from Germany are great examples.
- We love our golden-hued trophy wines made from grapes affected by the Noble Rot (Botrytis Cinerea) including French Sauternes and Tokaji made from Hungary Furmint grapes.
- Ice Wine (Eiswein), Germany's crown jewel, is made by pressing frozen grapes harvested from frosty cold vineyards.
Sweet Reds
Not as common, but equally delish, a sparkling italian Lambrusco wine or a bold, lush Recioto della Valpolicella are both worth a try.
Fortified Wines
Heavyweights with a higher alcohol content (17-20%), these bad boys are sweetest in the market and are good for sipping. Whether it is a Tawny Port from Portugal, or a sweet Sherry from Spain, a bottle lasts forever and is a real bang for your buck.
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