Tired Of Bone Dry Wines? Try Four Sweet Styles

Posted on: 5 May 2017

If you're not a fan of heavy, super dry wines such as Sauvingion, Blanc, and Tannat, then you probably should look into wines with a sweeter finish. You can get sweet reds, whites, and even dessert wines, which are a perfect served after dinner. Here's a list to check out.

Moscato

If you like light and bubbly white wine, but don't want too many bubbles you're going to love Moscato. Unlike champagnes and Prosecco, the bubbles in Moscato are very light. The term used in the wine making world is  frizzante, which translates to "semi-sparkling". Also, it's on the sweet side. So, you don't have to worry if you've only ever had expensive, dry champagne at a New Years Eve party, not all sparkling wine is like this. Moscato has a very sweet flavor palate, and also is low on the alcohol scale. So, if you like to have more than a glass but have always shied away because of the alcohol heavy Chardonnays and Sauvingion Blanc's that people tend to serve, then this is a fantastic wine to keep on hand. It's served chilled, and is great for afternoon lunches and even summer dinner parties.

Riesling

If you don't like bubbly white wine, but do like the idea of a sweet, chilled wine, then you might like Riesling. The important thing to remember is that not all Riesling is sweet. The Rieslings that come from New York, Australia, and the Alsace region of Germany are not too sweet. Instead, you're looking for Riesling that comes from the Mosel region (particularly the wines termed Kabinett, which means fully mature and ripened). The riper grapes produce a much sweeter flavor. And unlike Moscatos, you get a bit more alcohol in your wine, so it's nice for people who are not fans of the super low alcohol sweet wines.

Port

If you are looking for a really sweet red wine that can be served after dinner, then you will love port. It's a fortified wine, so it has more alcohol than normal red wine, and you don't drink as much of it as you might a cab sav, or some other "normal" red. Port can either be ruby or tawny. The ruby has a deep red color, but if you're looking for the absolutely sweetest of the ports, then you should look for tawny. Port will also come aged, so you might see a 20, or 40 year port, like with scotch. The nice thing about port is that, unlike a un-fortified wine, you don't have to drink it withing a day of two of opening it, it will stay good because it is fortified.

Sauterne

One of the great classics in the French wine world is sauterne. It's a sweet white wine that has an incredibly intense flavor. This superb flavor is due to "noble rot", which is a highly desirable fungus that affects a very select group of wines in just the right climate. This fungus creates a "raisining" effect, which concentrates the flavor in the grape. It comes mainly from the Bordeaux region, and another unique aspect of the wine is that it is good at many ages. A "young" sauterne is a excellent choice, as is one that has been aged. Some people like drinking it warm, however, it's also very popular to slightly chill it.

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