Sweet wines are wines that keep some of the grape’s natural sugar after fermentation. To get there, winemakers need grapes with far more sugar than usual, or they stop the fermentation early. The method shapes the style, which is why a light, fizzy Moscato d’Asti and a rich, amber Tokaji are both called sweet wines but taste nothing alike.
Because they are concentrated and served in small glasses, most sweet wines come in half bottles of 37.5cl or 50cl, and a bottle goes further than a table wine. The dessert category lists many of them, though it also contains some unrelated items, so check product names.
How sweet wines are made
| Method | How it works | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Late harvest | Grapes left on the vine to ripen further and lose water | Vendanges Tardives (Alsace), Spätlese and Auslese (Germany) |
| Noble rot | A fungus, Botrytis cinerea, shrivels the grapes and concentrates sugar | Sauternes, Tokaji, Beerenauslese |
| Icewine | Grapes picked frozen on the vine; water stays behind as ice | Eiswein (Germany), Icewine (Canada) |
| Dried grapes | Grapes dried after picking, on mats or racks | Passito (Italy), Vin Santo, straw wine |
| Fortified | Spirit added to stop fermentation and keep sugar | Port, sweet Sherry, Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise |
Late harvest
The simplest method: leave the grapes on the vine longer so they ripen further and start to shrivel. Late harvest wines are usually medium sweet to sweet, with fresh fruit flavours. Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Muscat are common choices.
Noble rot
In the right conditions, misty mornings followed by dry, sunny afternoons, the Botrytis fungus pierces the grape skins and lets water evaporate, leaving concentrated sugar and acidity. The wines taste of honey, apricot, marmalade and spice. Sauternes in Bordeaux, Tokaji in Hungary and German Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese are made this way. Because the rot spreads unevenly, pickers often go through the vineyard several times, which adds to the cost.
Icewine
Grapes are left on the vine into winter and picked while frozen, usually at night. Pressing them while frozen leaves much of the water behind as ice, so only a small amount of very sweet juice runs out. Germany and Austria call it Eiswein; Canada, particularly Ontario, is a major producer of Icewine, often from Riesling or Vidal.
Dried grapes
Grapes are picked ripe and dried for weeks or months, traditionally on straw mats or in airy lofts. Italian passito wines, Vin Santo from Tuscany and the straw wines of France and central Europe are made this way. They are often rich, with dried fruit and nutty notes.
Fortified
Adding grape spirit during fermentation stops the yeast and keeps natural sugar in the wine, and raises the alcohol, usually to between 15% and 22%. Port, sweet Sherries such as Pedro Ximénez, and fortified Muscats are the best known. These are stronger than unfortified sweet wines, which matters when working out units.
Grapes to look for
- Muscat in its many forms gives grapey, floral wines, from light Moscato to rich fortified Muscats. See Muscat and Moscato.
- Riesling makes sweet wines with very high acidity that keeps them fresh. See Riesling.
- Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc are the grapes of Sauternes.
- Furmint is the main grape of Tokaji.
Serving and storing
- Temperature: serve most sweet wines well chilled, around 6 to 10°C. Port and other fortified wines are often served a little warmer.
- Glass size: smaller glasses and smaller pours are usual, around 75ml to 100ml.
- After opening: recork and keep in the fridge. The high sugar helps them keep longer than dry wines, often a week or more for unfortified sweet wines and longer for many fortified wines. Check the producer’s advice.
Food matching
The classic rule is that the wine should be at least as sweet as the dessert, otherwise the wine tastes thin and sour.
- Fruit tarts and lighter puddings with late harvest or Muscat wines.
- Crème brûlée and apricot desserts with Sauternes or Tokaji.
- Blue cheese such as Stilton or Roquefort with Sauternes or Port.
- Foie gras or pâté with a noble rot wine.
- Dark chocolate with fortified wines such as Port.
For help with the terms you will see on German and French bottles, see the guide to reading a wine label. For dry Riesling, see the guide to crisp white wines.
Quick checklist
- Check the method: late harvest, noble rot, icewine, dried grapes or fortified.
- Expect half bottles of 37.5cl or 50cl.
- Check the ABV; fortified wines are much stronger.
- Serve well chilled, about 6 to 10°C, in smaller glasses.
- Choose a wine at least as sweet as the dessert.
- Try sweet wines with blue cheese, not only with puddings.
- Recork and refrigerate after opening.
Common questions
Why are dessert wines sold in small bottles?
They are concentrated, often costly to make and served in small glasses, so a half bottle of 37.5cl or 50cl serves several people.
How long does an opened bottle of dessert wine last?
Kept corked in the fridge, many unfortified sweet wines stay good for a week or more, and fortified wines such as Port for several weeks. Check the label, as styles vary.
Is Moscato a dessert wine?
Light, gently sparkling Moscato is sweet and low in alcohol, and is often served with fruit or light desserts. Richer Muscat wines, including fortified ones, are more classic dessert wines.
