Dessert Wines - Which is Yours?

I've always been semi-fascinating by the various dessert wines made in different countries. I know that the first time I heard the term "Noble-Rot" I had to learn more about what that meant and what it could produce. So, naturally, my first dessert wine was a half bottle of Chateau Guiraud, I dont even remember the vintage. But that was enough to get me hooked. I couldnt rest until I tasted a 1959 Chateau d 'Yquem. The golden almost brownish tint of the wine intrigued me. One sip and I just went to heaven.

There are several major ways in which the sugar content in wines can be increased to create dessert wines:
1. Naturally by later the grapes stay on the vines longer till they almost look like raisins (Noble Rot)
2. Sugar added before fermentation
3. Sugar added after fermentation
4. Adding brandy to fortify the wine (ie Port and Brandy}
5. Removing the water (Ice wines)

After that, my quest went on to other countries:
Sauternes
Trockenbeerenauslese from Germany
Tokaji Aszu #5 from Hungary
Moscato d' Asti from Italy
Various Ice Wines

I still think my preference are with the French Sauternes. I always tell some of my better customers, You need to treat yourself and try a nice French Sauterne . Some have
and enjoyed it so much, others felt there were a bit too pricey

There are several major ways in which the sugar content in wines can be increased to create dessert wines:
1. Naturally by later the grapes stay on the vines longer till they almost look like raisins (Noble Rot)
2. Sugar added before fermentation
3. Sugar added after fermentation
4. Adding brandy to fortify the wine (ie Port and Brandy}
5. Removing the water (Ice wines)

1. You're confusing the issue by conflating late harvest with botrytis cynerea, which are two entirely different things. Yes, they both may occur, but then again, one doesn't necessarily indicate or require the other.

2. Most of the time, sugar added prior to fermentation is not done to add sweetness, but to provide enough sugar in poor years to each the minimum required alcohol level. NOT to add sweetness. Those who chaptalize don't do it to make a dessert wine, but only when they have to during permitted conditions to make table wine.

4. Adding brandy or neutral spirits doesn't add sweetness unless you've added sugar to the spirits. Besides, the purpose of adding brandy is to stop fermentation. You don't make that clear. Fortifying stops the process by raising the alcohol (not raising the sugar); that retains the sweetness level you desire.

5. You forgot passito/paille, or the drying of the grapes to reduce water content. another traditional method of producing sweeter wines. This is often, although not necessarily, accompanied by limited levels of botrytis/noble rot.

Nit pick: you have to watch your details. You mention "Sauternes", then spell it later as "Sauterne". Two entirely different wine types and designations there. Could provide a serious jolt to those who follow your suggestions. Leaving off the "s" makes a difference.

Hoke,

Points taken, thank you.

I guess its going to take me a little time to get used to the audience here. When I write articles for magazines, I try to focus my audience as being novice wine drinkers.
When I am posting here, I think explaining the differences between Chaptalization and Süssreserve.
Yes and I didnt include the Italian raisin wine as you identified.

The more I know about everyone here, the easier it will be for me to adjust my posts..... (The spelling of Sauternes vs Sauterne) is just a downfall in depending too much
on spellcheckers.

[Robin Garr]

spellcheckers.

Of course, "spill chuckers" will pass spell checking ...

Currently, Sauternes is 2nd place for me, after a three way tie for first place between Tokaji, Loire and Germany.I Just find them less balanced than the other three.

I have tasted all the major Sauternes except for Yquem and Rieussec.

[Robin Garr]

I'm not a huge fan of dessert wines, but when it comes to preference, it's fortified for me - Port, Madeira or Sherry.

Ron, you don't mention port and sweet Madeira which, for me, are the dessert wines par excellence. IMO they stand up to substantial desserts, especially chocolate, far better than Sauternes, sweet Loires and sweet Germans, which are beautiful on their own or with a nibble after the meal. Vintage port is, of course, wonderful with some cheese; e.g. Stilton.

The fortified Grenache based reds (Vins Doux Naturels) from Roussillon, the French Catalan region, are perhaps even better than port with chocolate desserts.

Ron, I certainly understand the difference between writing for novices and writing for knowledgeable enthusiasts. Different approaches entirely.

And spell checker---or even worse, the dreaded 'autocorrect' has put me in dicey situations before (like, for instance, the way my own name gets autocorrected).

This is a pretty friendly crowd, and we're all glad you're here; but many are also proud of what they know and have learned over the years and don't hesitate to do their own version of "autocorrect".

Tim, I'm with you: the Roussillon wines, and especially the Maury and Banyuls, hit the sweet spot for me. Usually not as heavy as Port, and without the sometimes tartness of Madeira. In Madeira, I'm particularly hooked on the Broadbent 5 Year Old---it's made from Tinta Negro Mole, and I have come to love it (as has my wife.)

Not having much of a sweet tooth, I am not a big fan of young dessert wines, but older Huet Moelleux and German sweet wines are among my favorite "sweet wine" experiences. Of course, by then they are not all that sweet... Port makes for a nice digestif on cold winter nights, but I can only have so much before saturation occurs. Increasingly I have found that botrytis character overwhelms all other characteristics of the wine for me, so I much prefer e.g. Auslesen to BA or TBA Prädikats. I also have had some fascinating encounters with Tokaji Azsu, too.

Mark Lipton

Sweet wines are a bit of a passion of mine, starting innocently enough with ice wines but moving quickly through to the others. I currently have sweet wines from 12 different countries and over 21 regions. They constitute about 10% of my cellar.

Mike

Love me the stickies. Tokaji, VT, SGN, Vin Santo, etc. I tend to prefer the non fortified though I do have plenty of time for Port, Sherry, the Aussies Muscats/Tokays/Ports/etc.

I'm a huge fan of Sauternes/Barsac and Vintage Port. I've purchased lots (cases) of Rieussec and Climens over the years. Just happened to pick up three 2003 Suduiraut's today at lunch. Lots of misc. Fonseca, Graham, Taylor and Dow in the cellar. I'm a '63 so I have a few bottles of '63 port for some upcoming birthday dinners.

I'd mention my fondness for Yquem but that gets me in trouble here.

I love lots of sweet wines but the only ones I really spend money on are Loire chenin and German riesling. And even then it's pretty rare because they don't fit into my usual consumption patterns.

I have a serious sweet tooth, and enjoy most types of dessert wines - it's hard for me to pick a favorite. My favorites are German GKA/BA/Eisweine (Riesling is best, but Scheurebe and Rieslaner can also be great); Alsatian VT/SGN, Loire Chenin, Italian passitos, Sauternes, Vin Santo, Tokaji, vins doux naturels, and Port. It's hard to leave out Austrian dessert wines, although nearly all of the Austrian wines that I have tried over the past couple of years have been either dry whites or reds.

If I'm not as high on Madeira yet, it's probably only because I have never had a vintage Madeira.

[Jenise]

Loire chenin and Sauternes for me. Great Hungarian Tokaji Aszu and some of Krachers stuff out of Autria have also made my socks roll up and down.

Liqueur muscat.

Liqueur muscat.

Not to mention the other great Aussie sweet fortified, "Tokay" (which is, in fact, made exclusively from late-picked muscadelle grapes).

well, the original list and even Hoke's response don't mention that often the point is not to increase sugar by whatever means; but to preserve it. that of course is what fortification does. but once you go down this path you also have to deal with how you keep German wines sweet - they aren't high enough in alcohol to stop by themselves - nor are Sauterne. Sulphur or filtration can do this. all wines get to be sweet by having unfermentable sugar and i believe that THAT can happen only if there are no viable yeast - for whatever reason.
In other words, the emphasis shouldn't be on how grapes get to be extra sweet; but how the wine gets to retain whatever sweetness is in fact in them. keep in mind that the typical grapes for vintage port are harvested at sugar levels BELOW those of higher end CA. reds - which of course is why the descriptor 'port-like' is so often used for them.

David:

Fortifying stops the process by raising the alcohol (not raising the sugar); that retains the sweetness level you desire.

But still, your clarification is important.

You can also stop fermentation with temperature (followed by filtration, of necesssity). Putting the yeastbeasts to sleep and then removing them, essentially.

but once you go down this path you also have to deal with how you keep German wines sweet - they aren't high enough in alcohol to stop by themselves - nor are Sauterne

Sauternes, please. "Sauternes" is the name of the wine region--it isn't a plural. There is a very inferior copycat product marketed in the USA called "Sauterne" (without the 's' on the end), but I don't think that is what you were talking about here.

Anyway, i believe Sauternes is high enough in alcohol for fermentation to stop naturally. That is the whole point of using botrytis-afflicted grapes. The botrytis causes evaporation of the grape juice without much loss of sugar. The result is super-concentrated must. You get an alcohol level of 14%+, and yet there's still a very significant amount of residual sugar that causes osmotic problems for the yeasts. They yeasts shut down and form spores, fermentation ceases, and you're left with a wine that is high in alcohol and yet also still high in sugar.

-Paul W.

Madeira. The Broadbent 10 Years Old Malmsey is a favourite. Next most frequently consumed are from France: primarily Sauternes but also some Monbazillac, Loupiac, etc.

I have to add my vote for Sauternes. My first was a 1969 d’Yquem when I was in high school. My Dad had ordered a cheap wine and the d’Yquem was delivered and my Mom picked it up after the store had called. She could not believe the price even then. It was delicious. I can count the d’Yquem I've had on one hand but I do have other as often as I can.

Our first choices would be a Maury or Banyuls. Lacking either, would fall back on a Tawny Port.

Anyway, i believe Sauternes is high enough in alcohol for fermentation to stop naturally. That is the whole point of using botrytis-afflicted grapes. The botrytis causes evaporation of the grape juice without much loss of sugar. The result is super-concentrated must. You get an alcohol level of 14%+, and yet there's still a very significant amount of residual sugar that causes osmotic problems for the yeasts. They yeasts shut down and form spores, fermentation ceases, and you're left with a wine that is high in alcohol and yet also still high in sugar.

-Paul W.

Why does the alcohol level of 14%+ seem to occur only in Sauternes and not in other botrytis-afflicted wines? Such appears to be the case, in my limited experience.