Dessert wine pairing rankings: 10 bottles to drink right now
Many people have high hopes and expectations when it comes to choosing the wine to go with their favorite and tasty desserts.
They consider dessert to be the highlight of the meal, especially during the holidays, but don’t worry: we’re here to assist.
The first rule when it comes down to dessert and wine pairings is: drink what you like!
The second rule of the dessert club is that the wine should always be sweeter than the dessert itself.
So this list of dessert wines can be considered a suggestion, a small window to let you know some great wines that deserve a chance.
You can pair them with simple apple pies, gorgeous cheesecakes, ice creams, crème brûlée, ricotta pudding, cassata, tiramisu or zuppa inglese.
Just avoid heavy chocolate cakes, and you’re going to be fine. We will tackle the chocolate-wine pairings soon, but for now, let’s consider only classic comfort food desserts.
That’s all; you don’t need elaborated strategies or books to sniff; let’s uncork some bottles!
Moscato Asti spumante Cascina Fonda
The most natural and simple wine for dessert is Moscato; an Asti Spumante always does its duty, and you can’t go wrong with an icy, fizzy Asti Spumante. Moscato has a very low amount of alcohol, fresh smells, and a lot of bubbles. It can cut through the fattiness of even the worst cheesecakes or bring out the smells of a classic apple pie. The sparkling wine from Cascina Fonda winery is a good product: perfumed, elegant, and with fine bubbles.
Malvasia di Candia La Vigna del Volta
This Malvasia di Candia, one of Italy’s best sweet wines, is the polar opposite of Moscato. It’s dense, spicy, and full-bodied, but with a vibrant and exciting freshness in the background. The scents of dates, vanilla, and nuts will create a stunning symphony with a crunchy pecan pie.
Rhum J. M Vieux V.S.O.P
A change of gear now with a sumptuous agricultural rum of great charm Vanilla, tobacco, and tropical fruits are woven together in a way that never ends. It has a full body, is sweet, and has a thick layer of alcohol.
But what makes this rum beautiful is its rhythm, which is dominated by elegance and an amazing roundness that comes from being aged in barrels for more than four years. Pair this great rum with coconut cookies, tiramisù, or a luscious red velvet cake.
Chateau d’Yquem 1998
A majestic sweet wine made with grapes affected by botrytis cinerea, this is more than a wine; it is a real jewel of the art of oenology, a heritage of all mankind. This wine is the quintessence of elegance and balance. Sweet but thin in the mouth, dense but always responsive with nuts, spices, vanilla, and candied fruit, it is always ready to show its aromatic thickness. If you want to make a great gift, look for this Chateau d’Yquem, and you will see the rising of a new dawn when you uncork it. Ok, maybe we got too excited, but if you are looking for the ultimate cheesecake wine, choose only the best.
Malvasia dei Colli di Parma, Camillo Donati
Malvasia di Candia is an ancient wine that has always been produced on these hills. We talked about Chateau d’Yquem, but if you want to pay a fair price and drink a tasty wine full of personality, try a Malvasia from Colli di Parma. My Malvasia Dolce from the Donati Camillo Winery is a beautiful bottle with lots of light scents and a freshness that makes me feel like I’m on fire.
D’Incanto di Francesconi Paolo
This Centesimino from the Francesconi winery is a wine that can make you fall in love, thanks to its scents of roses, cocoa, and mint that tickle your nose with a continuous melody. The palate is fresh and straightforward, going straight on its way with great balance and a perfect sweetness to lighten the creamy texture of a blueberry cheesecake.
Louis Roederer Carte Blanche Demi Sec
This sweet champagne is pure poetry in the glass. The typical minerality of Champagne wines dominates this wine from head to foot. It’s sweet and gentle, with delicate aromas of pear, lime, hazelnuts, and confetti, but it is always intense, driven by an incredible saltiness. Perfect balance and infinite finish with almond suggestions The cost is okay, and it could be a great gift as a companion for a key lime tart.
Don PX Pedro Ximenez wine dulce natural 2010
If you want a straight, punch in the face, sweet wine, look no further than Don PX Pedro Ximenez. Just pour it into the glass, and its density will stun you: the nose is packed with aromas of dried fruit and caramel, dates, baked apricots, spicy notes, and a smoky background that plays down this whole intensity. Suggested pairings: baklava, brownies, panettone, panna cotta, pudding, and plum cake.
2005 Niepoort Vintage Port wine
A Port wine of incredible complexity, but at the same time of rare finesse. It opens with delicate notes of flowers, spices, and nuts; however, you should wait a few minutes and stay near him, maybe hug him, and he’ll accompany you on an incredible journey of the senses. But apart from elegance, balance, and sweetness, you know what is the most surprising thing about this wine? Structure and energy: The taste is full-bodied and bold, smooth but powerful, and it doesn’t lack minerality or depth. It’s not cheap, but this 2005 Niepoort Vintage Port is one of the best ports produced in the last 20 years. With or without dessert, this will be an enlightening experience.
Ratafia d’Abruzzo, Praesidium winery
If you have never tried Abruzzo Ratafia, maybe it’s time to close this gap. What is Ratafia? A cherry liqueur made with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo wine; sweet as ambrosia, perfumed, and appropriately alcoholic, but with the tannins and grit of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo serving as a backbone. The purest and tastiest come from Praesidium Winery, a boutique winery nestled in the mountains of Maiella. Suggested pairings: chocolate salami; pear and chocolate tart; chestnut flour crepes with ricotta and chocolate sauce.