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“Decadent Desert Wines”
Sharing great food with close friends while enjoying fine wine is a special time and always memorable. So often the night ends way to quickly and back to the grind we go. With this in mind maybe the next time you throw a dinner party you'll finish the evening with a crescendo. One of the best ways I know to end a fabulous night is to pull out a luscious sweet desert wine. Whether its a sticky from Australia or a vintage Port the warmth and generosity of these beauties should be enjoyed more often. Pairing a desert with a desert wine is always a great way to go although another option is to use the wine as the desert itself. This creates a no mess no fuss ending that will get you out of the kitchen. Some of the greatest wines in the world are sweet wines and seem to get over looked much to often. My favorite desert wines come from all over the globe. Some families in Australia for example have been making world class sweet wines for over 130 years. These wines are lush, complex and fabulous values. Of course the Old World countries like Portugal, France, Germany and Hungary still produce the legendary models for desert wines, don't be afraid to try say a low production Petite Sirah Port from California. Heres a list of sweeties that will have your friends talking about for years to come.
Enjoy!
Bogle Petite Sirah Port , Calf.– this low production port style wine is rich and succulent with aromas and flavors of blueberry, blackberry and spice. Try with blue cheese. $19.99
Campbells Tokay, Australia – toffee and honey explode out of the glass and coat the palate. Apricot and tea notes fill the finish. This 130 year old winery is a classic in Rutherglen. Try with crème brulee. $17.99
Banfi Rosa Regale, Italy – the grape is the Brachetto and the area its coming from is Aqui. This sparkling beauty is full of aromas and flavors of strawberry, raspberry and cherry. Sweet but also refreshing and palate cleansing. Try with chocolate mousse. $19.99
Chateau Fayau, France – if you love Sauternes but want to spend less money than look to the area of Cadillac. This region produces some of the greatest value wine in sweet white Bordeaux. Brilliant gold color with aromas and flavors of apricot, honey, spice and ripe peaches. A great gift for the holidays. Try with a chuck of Stilton. $28.99
Fonseca Bin 27 Port, Portugal – this wine was created over a century ago for the Fonseca family consumption and released only to the public in 1972. The wine is rich and velvety with aromas and flavors of cherry and blackcurrant and blended from only reserve wines. Try with a chocolate cherry cake or sip it by itself. $21.99
Jeff Anderson
Sommelier
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