The Art of Dessert Wines
Description
Sweet wines are often purchased during tastings but rarely opened at home due to our psychological tendency to prefer sweeter options in small quantities rather than full glasses.
• Four different styles of dessert wine explained - late harvest, cane cut, muscat, and botrytised Sauternes
• Dessert wines need sugar levels above 50 grams per litre to be classified as sweet
• The psychology of purchasing dessert wines mirrors the Pepsi-Coke taste test experiment
• Late harvest wines concentrate natural sugars through raisining without botrytis influence
• Cane cut is a uniquely Australian technique where the cane is cut from the trunk to trigger raisining
• Botrytised wines like Sauternes require specific climate conditions with morning fog
• Dessert wines are often best paired with salty, fatty foods rather than desserts
• Blue cheese, terrine, and prosciutto create excellent contrasting pairings with sweet wines
• Most dessert wines don't require extended aging and should be enjoyed within a decade
• Opening a special bottle can make an ordinary day feel like a special occasion
Don't wait for a special occasion to open that dessert wine you've been saving. Get a nice cheese board, invite some friends over, and make opening the bottle the occasion itself.
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