Dessert wines

Dessert wines – sweet seduction for connoisseurs

Dessert wines are the crowning glory of a successful menu and offer a wide range of flavors – from honey-sweet and fruity to nutty and complex. They are the result of special production processes such as late harvesting, noble rot, drying or enrichment with alcohol. These wines are perfect to round off a festive meal or as a moment of pleasure in their own right.

The most important dessert wine types & regions of origin

1. noble sweet wines (with natural sweetness due to noble rot or late harvest)

Sauternes (France) – Noble sweet wine from Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle, characterized by honey, apricots and caramel notes.
Tokaji Aszú (Hungary) – Hungary’s famous sweet wine made from noble rotten Furmint grapes, with aromas of dried fruit, honey and spices.
Beerenauslese (Germany & Austria) – Highly concentrated with aromas of honey, exotic fruits and flowers, usually from Riesling or Welschriesling.
Trockenbeerenauslese (Germany & Austria) – Extremely sweet, oily and highly complex with notes of figs, honey and caramel.
Ruster Ausbruch (Austria, Lake Neusiedl) – A rare sweet wine with intense honey, apricot and blossom aromas, comparable to Tokaji Aszú.
Samos (Greece) – Sweet Muscat wine with floral and honeyed notes, often with exotic fruits.
Pantelleria Passito (Italy, Sicily) – Sweet wine made from the Zibibbo grape, intensely fragrant with notes of candied fruit, honey and spices.
Malaga (Spain) – Sweet, oxidative wine made from Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel, with dark notes of caramel, coffee and dried figs.

2. sweet Spätlese & Auslese

Spätlese (Germany & Austria, sweet varieties) – wines from late harvested, fully ripe grapes with harmonious sweetness and fresh acidity.
Auslese (Germany & Austria) – Even more intense than Spätlese, with pronounced fruit aromas of apricots, honey and exotic fruits.

3. liqueur wines (fortified wines with added alcohol)

Port wine (Portugal) – From fruity Ruby to nutty Tawny, with notes of berries, chocolate or caramel.
Sherry (Spain) – Sweet Pedro Ximénez with notes of figs and coffee or semi-sweet cream sherry.
Madeira (Portugal) – Long-lasting sweetness with caramelized notes, available from dry to sweet.
Marsala (Italy) – Rich, caramelly and often with vanilla notes, ideal for desserts or cooking.

4. ice wines (concentrated through frozen grapes)

Ice wine (Germany, Austria, Canada) – Highly concentrated, with intense sweetness and fresh acidity, usually from Riesling or Vidal Blanc.

5. straw wines (from dried grapes)

Vin Santo (Italy, Tuscany) – Nutty, caramelly, often with notes of figs and dates, traditionally served with cantuccini.
Passito wines (Italy, France, Greece) – sweet wines made from air-dried grapes, e.g. Recioto della Valpolicella or Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise.

6. muscat wines (aromatic sweet wines)

Moscato d’Asti (Italy) – Slightly sparkling, fragrant, with aromas of peach, orange blossom and nutmeg.
Muscat de Rivesaltes (France) – Intensely fragrant with notes of honey, flowers and tropical fruits.

Food pairing – perfect companions for sweet wines

Noble sweet wines (Sauternes, Tokaji, Beerenauslese, ice wine, Ruster Ausbruch) – ideal with blue cheese (Roquefort, Gorgonzola), foie gras or fruity desserts.
Sweet Spätlese & Auslese – Perfect with apple strudel, light fruit desserts or nut cake.
Port & Madeira – Excellent with dark chocolate, nuts or mature cheese. Tawny Port goes perfectly with caramelized desserts such as crème brûlée.
Sherry (Pedro Ximénez, Cream) – Perfect with chocolate desserts, dried fruit and vanilla pudding.
Vin Santo & Passito wines – classic with cantuccini or almond desserts.
Muscat wines (Moscato d’Asti, Muscat de Rivesaltes, Samos, Malaga) – Light, fruity desserts such as lemon tart or panna cotta are ideal partners.

Whether as the crowning glory of a menu or as a soloist – dessert wines provide special moments of pleasure and round off the evening in style.