Dessert wine just might be the most complicated thing in all of drinkdom. Germans have there “-leses,” as in trockenbeeren and aus. Lest we forget there are their eisweins, too. The French have Banyuls, Sauternes, Monbazillac, Jurancon, Maury and Rivesaltes, to name but a few. In Italy there’s bunches of Moscatos and Reciotos and Passitos to add a little sweetness to one’s meal, pre- or post. Leaving Europe for North America there’s all that crazy Canadian and Upstate New York ice wine. Not to be out done Argentina is developing ice wines of their own for those with a sugar addiction. And then there’s the Aussies who excel at sweet wine making.
More, you say? How about Port, Pedro Ximenez, late harvest anything, Tokaji, Constantina, White Zinfandel (it’s as lousy a representation of sweet wine as it is of zinfandel the grape), Madeira, Sack, Canary, Generoso, etc. You get the point. There are as many different kinds of sweet wine and sweet wine making methods around the world as there dentists to fill the cavities.
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What some may not know is that sweet wine was the norm for a very long time. The enjoyment of dry wines is a relatively recent development that can be traced to the technological advancements made in wine making at the time if the Industrial Revolution. Ports, Madeiras and Sherries were for a very long time some of the most sought after wines anywhere. When they fell from grace due to either changes in fashion, regimes or to rearrange the lines on the geopolitical map sweet champagne was there to take their place. This being the handiwork and foresight of The Widow, Madame Veuve Clicquot and her well-positioned salesman/pusher-man Mr. Bohne who got the Russian aristocracy addicted to the sweet bubbles then drained their coffers.
In the coming days we will examine sweet/dessert wines from around the world in an effort to demystify these charming wines that nearly all types of wine lovers can enjoy and that make excellent “gateway” wines for those wishing to get acquainted with the pleasures of the grape.
Comments
Kevin, Kevin, How can you make a mistake like that, right there in the first sentence? Germans have their "-leses" ...
Bryan, I don't see the mistake. I took apart the words used in the QmP, as in trockenbeerenaus and aus both of which are hobbled to the suffix "lese(s)." Maybe not so much a mistake as just a plain old bad joke?
Hi Kevin, Would have loved to read more about Tokaji Aszú wines from Hungary. Recently went to the Budapest (Hungary) wine festival and got to taste several amazing 5 and 6 puttonyos wines as well as an fabulous Ezsencia. Pure GOLD !!
Hello there Kevin,
I am myself very found of the sweet whites and preferrably the rieslings from the Mosel area because of their balance between acid and sweetness. Since I had the opportunity to visit the "Mittelmosel Weinfest" ( actually a tradition of mine ), I must make an advertisement for the 2008 Eiswein, the producers claimed it to be the best vintage ever and I am prepared to believe them. If you have the possibility, try it. You will not be disappointed. Here you can really enjoy a perfect balance between "säure und süsse" and you will find an interesting mineral tone in the beautiful, light amber coulored wine.
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