If you’re still with me, it’s clear that the world of sweet wine is a series of elaborate processes that entail a considerable amount of time and resources, which means many of them command a higher price point. In fact, some of the most prestigious wines in the world are sweet (Vintage Port, TBA Riesling, and Sauternes, to name a few). And they’re not meant just for dessert—these wines have piercing acidity, which makes them incredibly food-friendly.
“There is a constant refrain of ‘I don’t like sweet wine’ from diners, yet I think sweet wines can bring a fabulous added dimension to a meal,” master sommelier and Kohanaiki wine director Andy Myers says, who counts Rieslings from Auslese up to Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) ripeness as his favorites to pair with fatty dishes, which brings up a valuable point: sweetness is a scale. A pour of off-dry Riesling (which tempers spicy cuisine magnificently, FYI) is nowhere near as sweet as, say, Tokaji Eszencia from Hungary. Keeping this in mind, continue ahead for a few standout sweet wines well-suited for food pairings to get you started on your path to a more diverse, well-rounded wine-drinking experience.
Port
There are a number of different Port styles to dive into—Tawny, Ruby, Vintage, Late Bottled Vintage, and so on. Begin with a 10-Year-Old Tawny Port for its delicate nuttiness and mellow notes of butterscotch, walnut, and chocolate. Enjoy it with creamy gorgonzola cheese for a blow-your-mind kind of duo.
Madeira
Sommelier Victoria James once told me Madeira is the perfect birthday gift as you can buy your loved one’s birth year vintage. I did this for my fiancé and now every March we break out the bottle and enjoy it with aged cheddar and roasted almonds. Oxidized, fortified sweet wines from Madeira (a Portuguese island) are high in acidity, have a wonderful nutty quality to them, and can age well over a hundred years.
Tokaji
These wines come from the Tokaj region of Hungary near the Slovakian border and are well-regarded for their botrytized sweet wines (though late harvest styles are also made here). The sweetest style is referred to as Tokaji Eszencia with the legal minimum level of residual sugar at a whopping 450 grams per liter. There’s also Tokaji Aszú, which is less sweet and offers the loveliest notes of honey and ginger balanced with high levels of acidity—try it with Sichuan.
Sauternes
This is a sweet wine made from noble rot in France’s Bordeaux region. These wines offer flavors like apricot and citrus peel and are usually a bit higher in alcohol and acidity. “There’s a reason why Sauternes is a classic pairing for foie gras and livers,” Silver Apricot and Figure Eight sommelier and managing partner Emmeline Zhao says, referring to Sauternes’s reputation for being so well-balanced.
Ratafia de Champagne
This one’s interesting! Ratafia de Champagne is a sweet fortified wine that’s made with the last pressing of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, or Pinot Menuier (the three varietals of Champagne) and then fortified by adding grape spirit. It’s an excellent aperitif and a fun one if you love lesser-known wines. You can enjoy it on its own or with small bites like melon and ham.
Sherry
While my personal favorite styles of Sherry are in fact dry, it’s worth calling out Pedro Ximénez (or PX). This is a very sweet (and prestigious) style of Sherry that’s deep brown in color and offers aromas of dried fruit, coffee, and spices. PX wines are luscious and can reach 500 grams per liter of residual sugar. (Serving suggestion: drizzle PX over vanilla ice cream.)
Vinsanto
On a recent trip to Santorini, I was introduced to the island’s iconic sweet wine called Vinsanto (modeled after the Italian style, Vin Santo). These amber-hued wines are made with sundried grapes and have complex notes like cinnamon, clove, and dried fruits. Pair this 2016 Vinsanto with fresh cheese and fruits for a lovely spring picnic.
Moelleux
This refers to sweet Vouvray wines, which are made from the Chenin Blanc grape in France’s Loire Valley. “This style has notes of honey, lemon, hay, and some subtle nuttiness and is also known for a bracing acidity, which really counteracts the sugar,” Jodie Battles says, who’s the beverage director and partner at Faccia a Faccia and Bar Pallino in Boston. She suggests pairing them with artichokes, pastas with cream sauce, or dishes with Thai flavors.
Riesling
The Riesling grape can hold onto its high acidity while accumulating sugar, which makes it a great variety for sweet wines, typically made from noble rot. The German labeling system is a headache-inducing level of complexity, so lean on your wine shop workers for advice until you feel better acquainted. (Quick tip: if a German Riesling has trocken on the label, that means it’s dry.) Spätlese is made in the late harvest style and a great place to begin your Riesling journey (preferably alongside a pulled pork BBQ sandwich, according to Point Seven’s Luke Boland).
Brachetto d’Acqui
A still or sparkling sweet wine from the Piedmont region of Italy, Brochetto d’Acqui’s effervescence and low alcohol make it a lovely pick for weekend brunch, as do its notes of bright berries and a fresh, stony finish. “Make it your breakfast wine and pair it with Pain Perdu,” Hotel Chelsea wine director Claire Paparazzo suggests.