Sweet and Fortified Wines

This is the first time I have put together a lesson solely for dessert wines, they are normally combined with sparkling wines because so many people “think” they don’t like sweet wines.  Personally I have grown to not only like them but absolutely adore them.  I like to think I have done a reasonable job of converting the odd student along the way mainly because the theory regarding the different methods of production is fascinating and as a bonus the best foods to match the wines are, amongst a few other things, desserts!!

In the Sweet and Fortified Wines session, in April 2014, we tasted:

*Domaine Cazes, Muscat de Rivesaltes, DOC, France, (Organic), (Muscat of Alexandria/Muscat de Petit Grains), 2006, MYR69, Residual sugar 110g/l

**Cape White, De Krans, (Chenin Blanc), South Africa, NV, MYR65, Residual sugar 65g/l

***Vin Santo, del Chianti Classico, DOC, Italy, (Malvasia/Trebbiano), Isole e Elena, 2004, MYR182, Residual sugar 200g/l

****Cape Tawny Port, De Krans, (Tinta Barocca/Touriga Nacional/Tinta Roriz), Western Cape, South Africa, NV, MYR88, Residual sugar 98g/l

* 1/3 grapes pressed at harvest, 1/3 macerated 24 hours (both fermented separately, 1/3 destemmed, wholebunch carbonic maceration fermentation, all blended then fine lees maturation).
**Fermented on skins, fortified with unmatured brandy spirit, wood matured for 1 year.
***95 points Wine Spectator.
****Matured in old barrels, 6-9 years, (min 8 years old) blended vintages, freshened with small % of younger vintage (many awards)

Food and Wine Matching:

Almond, Hazelnut & Apple Cake with Almond Crunch Topping and Mascarpone
Chocolate Salame
Aged Gouda and Danish Blue Cheese
Biscotti for dunking in Vin Santo