| Dessert wines are wines
that have more than 14% alcohol. Generally, alcohol was added during or
after the fermentation process. Some parts of the world, like the
Sherry region in Spain and the Port region in Portugal, have made a specialty
out of this type of wine.
They are called dessert wines because they're
usually sweet and often enjoyed after dinner. This term can be misleading
because not all dessert wines are sweet and some are not to be consumed
with desserts because they are too dry. Dry Sherry is an example
of this.
Dessert wines are also referred to as fortified
wines because alcohol has been added.
Types of Dessert Wines:
Port (pðrt)
Port is a sweet fortified wine from the grapes
growing on the deep valley walls sloping down to the Douro River in Portugal.
Its name comes from Oporto. Port is made from up to about 40 grape varieties,
most of which are red. Port virtually demands 15 to 20 years
of bottle age. There are other "wood-aged" Ports which have spent more
time in cask (wooden container that store wine). These can be young "Ruby"
Ports, aged "Tawny" Ports (which will sometimes average up to 40 years
in cask), and "Late Bottled Vintage" Ports. Port wine has 20% alcohol compared
to unfortified red wines that have 11% to14 % alcohol.
Sherry (sher ê)
Sherry is a fortified wine from the area around
Jerez, Spain ("Sherry" being the anglicized corruption of the word "Jerez").
Made primarily from the Palomino grape. Interestingly, because of
the fortification and the exposure to air, Sherry is essentially being
oxidized already! An open bottle of Sherry will last almost indefinitely.
Sherry is also an ingredient when cooking foods.
Vermouth (vur-Mooth)
Even though Vermouth is practically married to
Gin, Vermouth is a fortified wine and not a spirit. Because Vermouth is
flavored with herbs, it is often not necessary to start out with fine wine.
But some producers do use good quality wine as a base. It is made in as
many different styles as there are producers.
When do you drink dessert wine?
Trick question! As mentioned earlier,
not all dessert wines are to be used after dinner. As a general rule,
however, dessert wines are enjoyed after dinner because the majority of
them are sweet.
Dry dessert wines like Dry Sherry should be
enjoyed before dinner.
Dessert Wine Food Matching
|
Wine
|
Food Match
|
| Dry Sherry |
Before dinner drink |
| Port |
Port traditionally accompanies walnuts and stilton
cheese |
| Sherry (not dry) |
Desserts |
| Vermouth |
Desserts |
|
