By: Derek Rogers,SITE
For people who love sweets, a meal is not completely satisfying unless it finishes off with a sumptuous dessert. Some of the most popularly sought after desserts include cakes, pastries, fruits, pies, nuts, sorbet, breads, pudding and chocolates. While they are great on their own, their flavours can be enhanced and complemented by the perfect wine. But how does one know what wine to match which dessert?
A good dessert wine serves to bring about the best in every dessert. The popular notion of wine is different when it comes to dessert wines though; this is because dessert wines are especially sweet. As such, a dessert that doesn't compete with the sugariness of the wine is a good option. For instance, dark chocolates that contain more than half of cocoa ingredients in it go well with a dessert wine. The basic guide then in choosing matching desserts and wines is to get to know how different dessert wine selections taste like.
Sauternes wines from France are made from Sémillon grape, Sauvignon Blanc, or Muscadelle grapes. These wines almost have a yellowish or golden colour and they have a citrus taste. The Gewürztraminer and Tokay Pinot Gris wines in particular are great with chocolates and other intensely flavourful afters.
Meanwhile, in Portugal, the port red wines are known for their enticing flavours and alcohol content. They come in tawny, ruby, and vintage varieties. Tawny ports have a suave nut-like tang to it that go well with toffee and milk chocolates. In the meantime, vintage ports are so zesty that they are best with banana cream pies, dark chocolates, and walnuts. All the port varieties are generally enhanced with pumpkin pies, cheesecakes, chocolate mousse and cobblers. Similarly, Vin Santo from Italy has a nutty essence that is likened to a hazelnut. The sweetness is not that much that it can be taken with almond cakes, almond shortbreads, and biscotti.
Interestingly, there are wines that are manufactured from grapes that are covered with ice on the vine. In Germany, they are appropriately called ice wines and they have a balanced, sugar-enriched and invigorating acid flavour. Consequently, ice wines can be paired off with desserts like apples, peaches, pears and hazelnuts. Thinking about ice wines might make you imagine ice cream with dessert wine together, but unfortunately, the cold can mute the taste buds that sorbets are not to be served with sweet wines.
Muscat wines are for individuals who enjoy munching on raisins as they are crushed from grapes that are typically made into raisins. It likewise has this rich aroma and a taste that is very similar with mild fruits such as peaches and apricots. To achieve the palatable temptation of Muscat wines, the dessert should be composed of smooth Tiramisu, milk chocolate or white chocolate.
All these wines are highly recommended, however, tasting them on your own can prove to be delightful for you and your guests. This experience then can be used until wine and dessert matching becomes an addition to your expertise.
For people who love sweets, a meal is not completely satisfying unless it finishes off with a sumptuous dessert. Some of the most popularly sought after desserts include cakes, pastries, fruits, pies, nuts, sorbet, breads, pudding and chocolates. While they are great on their own, their flavours can be enhanced and complemented by the perfect wine. But how does one know what wine to match which dessert?
A good dessert wine serves to bring about the best in every dessert. The popular notion of wine is different when it comes to dessert wines though; this is because dessert wines are especially sweet. As such, a dessert that doesn't compete with the sugariness of the wine is a good option. For instance, dark chocolates that contain more than half of cocoa ingredients in it go well with a dessert wine. The basic guide then in choosing matching desserts and wines is to get to know how different dessert wine selections taste like.
Sauternes wines from France are made from Sémillon grape, Sauvignon Blanc, or Muscadelle grapes. These wines almost have a yellowish or golden colour and they have a citrus taste. The Gewürztraminer and Tokay Pinot Gris wines in particular are great with chocolates and other intensely flavourful afters.
Meanwhile, in Portugal, the port red wines are known for their enticing flavours and alcohol content. They come in tawny, ruby, and vintage varieties. Tawny ports have a suave nut-like tang to it that go well with toffee and milk chocolates. In the meantime, vintage ports are so zesty that they are best with banana cream pies, dark chocolates, and walnuts. All the port varieties are generally enhanced with pumpkin pies, cheesecakes, chocolate mousse and cobblers. Similarly, Vin Santo from Italy has a nutty essence that is likened to a hazelnut. The sweetness is not that much that it can be taken with almond cakes, almond shortbreads, and biscotti.
Interestingly, there are wines that are manufactured from grapes that are covered with ice on the vine. In Germany, they are appropriately called ice wines and they have a balanced, sugar-enriched and invigorating acid flavour. Consequently, ice wines can be paired off with desserts like apples, peaches, pears and hazelnuts. Thinking about ice wines might make you imagine ice cream with dessert wine together, but unfortunately, the cold can mute the taste buds that sorbets are not to be served with sweet wines.
Muscat wines are for individuals who enjoy munching on raisins as they are crushed from grapes that are typically made into raisins. It likewise has this rich aroma and a taste that is very similar with mild fruits such as peaches and apricots. To achieve the palatable temptation of Muscat wines, the dessert should be composed of smooth Tiramisu, milk chocolate or white chocolate.
All these wines are highly recommended, however, tasting them on your own can prove to be delightful for you and your guests. This experience then can be used until wine and dessert matching becomes an addition to your expertise.
