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Sweet wines have a rich and enchanting history, and before modern techniques, sweet wines were the most highly prized and revered wines in the world. Made from dried or late harvest grapes, the wines become hugely concentrated, lusciously sweet and incredibly aromatically complex. Not to be dismissed as an after-thought, sweet wines are magnificent served with Rochetfort or fois gras and a fitting crescendo paired with dessert; enhancing the depth and character of any sweet dish. The right sweet wine will ensure that you finish your meal in style.
Italian Vin Santo traditionally described as “Holy Wine” is made with dried Trebbiano and Malvasia or more recently, Sangiovese grapes. The process is a labour of love, requiring a huge amount of patience, precision and a great deal of luck. Most modern wine makers shy away from producing these wines, and but left in capable hands the results can be profound. Late harvest wines such as Rieslings are made from grapes that are left on the vine even after they’ve reached their peak ripeness. The grapes become sweeter over time, as each individual grape dehydrates and the sugar content becomes more concentrated. Late harvest grapes are typically picked 1-2 months after the regular harvest time and the resulting wines are characteristically crisp in flavour, with fleshy white peach and citrus aromas with a bright and addictively sweet finish.
Sauternes, made from the aptly named noble rot, demands nerves of steel on the part of the winemaker as it requires the perfect conditions of morning mist and afternoon sun to develop late in the season, any deviation in the weather could end in disaster and the loss of their crop to grey rot; the Dr Jekyll to noble rot’s Mr Hyde. But in exceptional years, when the stars align and noble rot forms, the results are simply superb. Marmalade, apricots, honey and sweet spice melding with dramatic and memorable effect. The sweetness is perfectly balanced by a pure, vibrant, citrus acidity which shines through the wine like a laser beam ensuring they remain fresh and moreish despite their richness.
Here is a selection of our favourite sweet wines for you to try this Christmas.
