It probably seems odd to talk about dessert wine this time of the year. We tend to think about dessert wine as it relates to big holiday dinners, gathering family and friends around a meal to be shared and as we head straight into summer, most everyone is enjoying light, crisp, chilled whites or rosés. A dear friend recently reminded me though, that there is no one particular time to enjoy a dessert wine and I whole-heartedly agree - I personally drag one out on a fairly regular basis.

If you want to discover how incredible fine dessert wine can be, keep in mind that often older bottles will deliver greater complexity in which layer upon layer of nuance will unfold on your palate. Although these older wines must be stored properly to yield the desired result, some such as Château d’Yquem from Bordeaux’ Sauternes appellation are today still being enjoyed from the 1800s.

These wines age gracefully because they have a high content of acidity (a chemical compound present in varying degrees in all wine), which acts as an antioxidant allowing the wine to age. On the palate the acidity is mostly masked by the high sugar content but it also balances the sweetness; otherwise you may as well just take a swig of Aunt Jamima and heave accordingly.

There are a few little pockets in the world perfectly conducive for botrytis cinerea (known as “noble rot”) to affect grapes. Botrytis is a fungus that has microscopic spores that puncture the grape skin releasing the water content in the grape. The dissipation of up to half of the grape’s water content effectively concentrates the sugar content, ideal for dessert wines. Weather is the gatekeeper of botrytis requiring cool humid mornings that allow the fungus to grow and warm afternoon sun to keep the fungus under control. Think of grapes turning to raisins, only without the raisin taste. Typically grapes used for these incredible Sauternes and Barsac wines are a Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc blend, with sometimes a little Muscadelle.

Here are some to look for:

Sauternes and Barsac – France (soh-TEHrN – bar-SAK)

Sauternes and Barsac appellations were listed in the original Classification of 1855 and are arguably just as relevant today as they were then. The only Premier Grand Cru in the Classification is Château d’Yquem, which, for good reason is one of the most sought-after wines in the world. Some of the others I recommend include Châteaux Suduiraut, Climens, Guiraud, and Rieussec and on the lower end of the scale (and not always by much) are Châteaux Doisy-Védrines and Doisy-Daëne. Some of these drink well in better vintages almost upon release like the Château Rieussec 2005, although they will undoubtedly develop greater complexity with cellar time. The classic food pairing with Sauternes as an aperitif is with foie gras and as dessert, pair it with chunks of fresh Roquefort cheese– truly fabulous.

Quarts de Chaume – France (kahr duh SHOHM)

This is my latest personal discovery. Ridiculous value and fantastic by any measure, these will blow you away. Made with botrytised Chenin Blanc from the Loire region, the exquisitely nuanced and long finish is unexpected from this grape. I love Loire Chenin Blanc when vinified dry but until recently, I was unaware of the little village of Chaume that specializes in the dessert version. The grape yields are very low here too which contributes to the very high quality of the finished wine. Look for Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume, one of the best wineries, and enjoy for up to 30 or 40 years.

Riesling – Germany and Austria (REEZ-ling)

The Riesling grape has really made great inroads into the US over the last couple of decades. What can be confusing is how many different styles are made from this versatile grape, from bone dry to remarkably sweet. I love them in all styles but the Mosel region in Germany makes, in my opinion, the best of the best. The minerality from the Mosel is undeniable (and easily identifiable) that adds to the wine’s complexity. If you move up the German quality chain from Kabinett, Spälese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, to Trockenbeerenauslese, you will increase your pleasure along the way. Eiswein, is exceptional too from this country but ‘ice wine’ as produced in the US and Canada, comparatively lacks dimension and character or is just plain sweet, lacking that acidity for balance. Look for labels from Gunderloch, Joh. Jos. Prüm, and Georg Breuer.

Port – Portugal (yew NOH this-won)

Of course Port is a classic dessert choice and with good reason. Deep, complex, big, and brooding, Vintage Port is very desirable and collectible partly because like other great wine, it ages and develops beautifully over the course of many years. Port is also a fortified wine, meaning alcohol is added, which raises the alcohol level to 18 to 20% - pretty ‘hot’ for a wine. In this case alcohol is made from distilled grapes and is added during fermentation, where the high alcohol kills the yeast and stops fermentation leaving a high content of residual sugar. There are other styles of Port like Ruby, Tawny and White but Vintage Ports are always best, so good in fact that they are not even made in lesser vintages. In terms of grapes used, typically the main grape variety for Vintage Port is Touriga Nacional (this is not misspelled, it just look like it is). Dow, Taylor Fladgate, Fonseca and Graham are a few notable producers of fine Vintage Port.

Vin Santo – Italy (veen SAHN-toh)

The Italians are surely no strangers to winemaking and these guys probably introduced the practice to France way back when. Italy gives the world the gift of Vin Santo (Holy Wine) for dessert but the techniques employed to make it undoubtedly give traditional winemakers nightmares. Essentially grapes are hung from ceiling after harvest or placed on straw mats inside of barns or other such non-air conditioned environments for up to six months. Having had much of the water content dissipated during this time, the sugary grapes are then pressed and fermented in barrels that contain a small amount of thick wine left over from the year before. Are you still with me? The wine ages in barrels for as many as six years but the barrels are not completely full and have air inside! To further abuse this wine, (presumably staying with its religious theme) the barrels are placed in an attic-like environment, which subjects the wine to not only oxidation but also huge temperature extremes. That a wine can endure these conditions is nearly unfathomable to me but the fact is they are utterly fantastic. Although there are a few Vin Santo wines that are vinified dry, most is meant to be a dessert wine and what a treat - well worth seeking out. There are a gazillion grape varieties in Italy to choose from but often Vin Santo is made with Trebbiano and Malvasia.

Tokaji – Hungary (toh-KAY)

Originating from the town of Tokaj (not misspelled; the wine’s name adds an i at the end of the name which indicates a possessive form of the word) in Hungary, this wine is considered by many to be amongst the finest dessert wines in the world. Like many wines, there is classification of quality ranging from (lowest to highest) Tokaji Szamorodni, Tokaji Aszú, Tokaji Aszú Essensia, and Tokaji Essensia. Tokaji is made mostly with the Furmint grape blended with Hárslevelü to add spicy aromatics, both affected by botrytis. These also age well and are gorgeous wines you’ll want to share with friends and family or even wine bloggers. Be aware, however, that the best Tokaji can be difficult to find as output is usually in very small quantities.

Notice that everything here is imported. I know that some of the domestic regions are stepping up in quality too, although few have achieved the veneration of the wines listed above. I am aware of decent Rieslings from Washington State and even great Rieslings from the Château Ste. Michelle – Dr. Loosen partnership and their creation of Eroica Single Berry Select. The Finger Lakes New York region, Traverse City/Old Mission Peninsula region in Michigan, and of course Napa winemakers are also adept at making very fine nice dessert wines; Shafer Firebreak (Napa) comes to mind, which is its version of Port, while Riesling Ice Wine from Peninsula Cellars (Michigan) is also an excellent find.

Although there are many domestic dessert wines available, remember that generally you get what you pay, for thus an $8 bottle of domestic dessert wine is not going to yield the results you would achieve from an $800 bottle of Sauternes. Also unless you are having a dinner party with a lot of guests, a half bottle is enough to pour about four small (but generous enough) glasses and is recommended for smaller gatherings.

If there’s any takeaway here, it’s that dessert wines should not be forgotten or enjoyed only around the holidays. There are so many truly fascinating dessert wines in the world that living well is easily accomplished by exploring even this small segment of the wine world. Here’s to your amazement!

David Boyer

Photo: 1983 Château d’Yquem