Dessert Wines Is The Perfect Way to End Your Meal
Author: David Cowley
If you ask any group of wine enthusiasts what they think of
dessert wines, you are likely to get mixed reactions. Some wine
drinkers wouldn't think of "insulting" their palate with sweet
or fortified wines, while others wouldn't dare end a meal
without a delightful dessert wine. As with many things in the
wonderful world of wine, there are many degrees of taste
involved.
Dessert wines are very sweet, and are typically much thicker and
richer than table wines. The servings of dessert wines are much
smaller than table wines. They are usually served with dessert
following a meal because the sweetness of dessert wines
complements the sweetness of desserts.
Like any wine and food pairing, it's essential to pair dessert
wines with foods that they will balance nicely. Dessert wines
should always be sweeter than the dessert with which they are
served. The reason for this is that if your dessert is sweeter
than the wine, the wine will taste bitter after you take a bite
of dessert. However, if the wine is sweeter than the dessert,
taking a bite of dessert will actually calm the sweetness of the
wine somewhat.
Finding dessert wines to go well with chocolate desserts can
pose a great challenge, since it's rare to find a dessert wine
that is richer and sweeter than a chocolate dessert.
Types of Dessert Wines
The very definition of a dessert wine is the topic of debate in
the wine community. In the United States, the legal definition
of a dessert wine is one that is fortified and contains more
than 15% alcohol by volume. However, many people believe that it
is the sugar content that makes the distinction. After all, some
fortified wines with more than 15% alcohol are in fact
aperitifs, meant to be consumed before eating, not after.
Sherry is perhaps the most well-known of dessert wines. It is
typically made in Spain. Port follows closely in popularity as a
well-known dessert wine originating in Portugal. Marsala (from
Italy) and Madeira (from Portugal) are other popular choices of
fortified dessert wines.
There are also several non-fortified wines which may be used as
dessert wines in some instances, such as Moscato d'Asti and Vin
Santo (of Italian origin) and Sauternes or Champagne Doux (from
France).
How Dessert Wines are Made
Grapes destined to be made into dessert wines are harvested when
they are at a higher sugar content than table wine grapes. Their
ageing process is halted before all of the sugar is able to
ferment, leaving a distinct residual sweetness. Then, either
additional alcohol (usually brandy) is added to make fortified
wine, or the immature wine is concentrated to condense the
alcohol content. Though choosing a dessert wine can seem
intimidating, it's actually a very enjoyable process. They tend
to be more expensive than table wines, but they also last much
longer due to the small portions. When you find a dessert wine
that you enjoy, you will never want to end a meal without it
again.
About the author:
David Cowley has created numerous articles on Wines. He has also
created a Web Site dedicated to wine information. Visit Wine Information
|
