Sweet wines for desserts. The best to pair your desserts. Desserts are the final moment of a meal and an ideal time to enjoy the appropriate wines.
We have all heard that sweet wines should be taken in desserts, but what not everyone knows is that they are not the only ones.
The name “natural sweet wine” leads to some confusion. It is not a natural wine, without special treatments in its preparation, but of natural sweetness.

Sweet wines for desserts

What is a sweet wine

They are wines whose processing must contains a high degree of sugar.
Usually their grapes are late maturing, and their collection is done at the last moment, when the grapes are more mature and therefore contain more sugar. Wine from spain

How sweet wines are made

We have said the collection is delayed as possible, so that the grape is over matured.
Later we hope that the must is sufficiently fermented, without the existing sugar being transformed into alcohol.
We must bear in mind that the degree of sugar should never exceed 250 grams per liter of wine.
Another factor that we should know is that the degree of alcohol can not exceed 12% of the volume.
As a wine of quality liquor, VLCPRD is regulated by the regulations of the denominations of origin.

The grapes used in sweet wines

The grapes that are most used in the production of sweet wines are:
-Pedro Ximénez: variety of white grape widely used in the production of wines from Spain. It is also used in Australia
– Muscat: this grape has many varieties. Widely used throughout the Mediterranean, it is very common in the production of wines in> Alicante.
– Malvasia: native to the Mediterranean and the Madeiras Islands. It is one of the most cultivated varieties due to its versatility. It is used for wines, cavas and sweet wines.

Types of sweet wines

We can basically find four types of sweet wines:

Bortrytis wine

it is a wine that is obtained by making the mushroom of the grapes grow by feeding on the sugar of the grapes. In this type of wines are Bordeaux sweet wines. It is recommended to take with strong cheeses and salty dishes.

Eswein

is obtained from grapes that were frozen in the vineyard. Its name comes from the German, and means ice wine. Given the great concentration of game that is obtained from its grape, its productivity is low, hence its price is higher.

Late Harvest

as its name indicates are wines that are obtained from grapes that were on the vine, longer than normal. This allows the grapes to have a greater amount of sugar, and therefore provide the wine with a greater sweetness.

Fortified wines

are wines obtained by the addition of an alcoholic beverage, usually brandy, producing a high degree of sugar. The most well-known of this type are those of Jerez Olorosos and Moscatos.

The types of sweet wines in Spain

In Spain, sweet wines are classified among types depending on the grape they use:
Muscat: to accompany with sweets
Malvasia: to drink at the end of a meal
Pedro Ximénez: to taste with cheese and chocolate
Its graduation in alcohol goes from 8º to 15º, also varying the tones of the colors from color mahogany, to dark browns almost black.
These wines should always be taken at a temperature between 8º-10ºC.

What type of cup to use

The cup used to drink these wines is usually a small cup with a wide body and a narrow mouth, in order to concentrate its aroma and smell.
Using a small glass forces us to take small amounts of this wine, which is a custom of tasting it in small doses.
Should be glass or glass, to enjoy all the features offered by these wines, together with the appropriate temperature that we have already commented, preferably 8ºC.
These wines are taken at the end of the meal normally with desserts, since their consumption before eating, reduces the appetite to eat.
We advise not to introduce the wine in the freezer, since the sudden changes of temperature can spoil the wine.
Therefore, it must be cooled in the refrigerator or in specific furniture for the wine.

The best sweet wines with desserts

When choosing a sweet wine in the dessert it is very important to know the type of dessert we are going to have.

Chocolate desserts

Perhaps the most common desserts. Here the best thing is to take a sweet wine that is made with Pedro Ximenez grapes. Especially if chocolate is something bitter.
Also use a mistela.

Fruit desserts. Sweet wines for desserts

When the dessert is made with natural fruit or simply take fruit in the dessert, there are several options.
We can use a cava, or a Frizzante wine, so fashionable nowadays, or the Italian Muscatos.

Good flavor-driving cider is also ideal in these cases.

Ice cream desserts

The best we can accompany with ice cream are the distillates, but in the case of wines the best ones are those made with riesling grapes (typical of Alsatian wines).

Desserts of biscuits

The dessert that we are going to taste is made with cookies, or we simply take pastas or cookies in the dessert, the most appropriate thing is to accompany it with a Muscat wine.
Now to enjoy the next dessert with its corresponding wine. Sweet wines for desserts

Article written by E. Fernández (Alicante)