Dessert wines - what's the art in choosing the right one?
Discussion
None at all, in my opinion. Red wine is good with cheeses, and as they should be served after the main and before dessert, then you just carry on with the red you've been drinking.
Dessert wine should be served with desserts - that's what it's for. Something special (sauternes or whatever) on its own, but something like Lindemans or Brown Brothers Muscat with a good robust pud.
That all sounds a bit didactic, sorry.
Dessert wine should be served with desserts - that's what it's for. Something special (sauternes or whatever) on its own, but something like Lindemans or Brown Brothers Muscat with a good robust pud.
That all sounds a bit didactic, sorry.
What about some more special cheeses then?
If it's new year - Vacherin Mont D'Or, heat it in the oven in the box, bit of bread? Go nicely with a dessert wine. Or even better a bottle of madeira?
Waitrose cheese selection now very good, and they do Md'O. Majestic for wine, or Waitrose too.
If it's new year - Vacherin Mont D'Or, heat it in the oven in the box, bit of bread? Go nicely with a dessert wine. Or even better a bottle of madeira?
Waitrose cheese selection now very good, and they do Md'O. Majestic for wine, or Waitrose too.
Pretty much as vernan says, there's no real secret, just a bit of experience. I would suggest that the 'rules' are less than for regular wines (white with fish, etc.), so it is more about just personal choice. A lot of it comes down to trying alternatives and deciding whether you like them - half bottles come in very handy for this, and Oddbins are normally pretty good for halves.
Step 1 is perhaps to work out what's out there. A trip to WH Smiths library is probably worth it right now - all the wine annuals are out. So take a browse (Hugh Johnson's pocket book may be good, though I don't have a copy to hand) for notes on wine with food and lists of dessert wines. Then it's a case of jumping in and trying them.
Some will work for you, some won't. I don't particularly like the Australian Muscats (too apricotty for me), but love Italian Vin Santo. And a good Amontillado sherry can work, make a good aperitif as well, and be relatively cheap. Others will have their own favourites, and you'll find your own taste. Just have fun getting there.
Step 1 is perhaps to work out what's out there. A trip to WH Smiths library is probably worth it right now - all the wine annuals are out. So take a browse (Hugh Johnson's pocket book may be good, though I don't have a copy to hand) for notes on wine with food and lists of dessert wines. Then it's a case of jumping in and trying them.
Some will work for you, some won't. I don't particularly like the Australian Muscats (too apricotty for me), but love Italian Vin Santo. And a good Amontillado sherry can work, make a good aperitif as well, and be relatively cheap. Others will have their own favourites, and you'll find your own taste. Just have fun getting there.
A superb combination is Stilton or another quality blue cheese - and probably softer the better and a good dessert wine. The Australians and New Zealenders have been producing some of the world's finest dessert wines for a good while now.
I would heartily recommend:
Henchke Late Harvest Semillon and Henchke Late Harvest Riesling.
Also, if you can get it, "Virtu" from Montana wines in NZ.
All fab. Great with blue chees and simply stunning with Tiramisu.
I would heartily recommend:
Henchke Late Harvest Semillon and Henchke Late Harvest Riesling.
Also, if you can get it, "Virtu" from Montana wines in NZ.
All fab. Great with blue chees and simply stunning with Tiramisu.
ah the chap has a website. google is a wonderful thing.
http://www.thewinedoctor.com/austria/kracher.shtml
http://www.thewinedoctor.com/austria/kracher.shtml
Port and Stilton is a classic combination; not the most imaginative, perhaps, but it's a classic for a reason. Vintage port is the ne plus ultra but priced accordingly; single quinta ports are made in lesser years and offer a lot of the same bang for considerably less buck.
On similar lines, Sauternes and Roquefort is a classic French combination; the mixture of sweet and salty is absolutely gorgeous (and if you can get good cherry tomatoes, it's like having little taste bombs explode in your mouth when you combine the three!).
As Vernan already suggested, Madeira can be superb with stronger flavoured cheeses like Mont d'Or (and the fact that it's relatively unfashionable these days and, hence, great value is a pleasant bonus).
For the others, I'd personally prefer a red wine but, as with all matters vinous, it's 99.9% subjective and you should go with whatever feels/tastes right to you!
One other thing; I always find it hard to taste a red wine properly after drinking something very sweet - the palate takes a while to recover. You might want to avoid keeping the best wines for the end of the evening if you find the same.
A period of intensive research before the New Year could be in order
!
On similar lines, Sauternes and Roquefort is a classic French combination; the mixture of sweet and salty is absolutely gorgeous (and if you can get good cherry tomatoes, it's like having little taste bombs explode in your mouth when you combine the three!).
As Vernan already suggested, Madeira can be superb with stronger flavoured cheeses like Mont d'Or (and the fact that it's relatively unfashionable these days and, hence, great value is a pleasant bonus).
For the others, I'd personally prefer a red wine but, as with all matters vinous, it's 99.9% subjective and you should go with whatever feels/tastes right to you!
One other thing; I always find it hard to taste a red wine properly after drinking something very sweet - the palate takes a while to recover. You might want to avoid keeping the best wines for the end of the evening if you find the same.
A period of intensive research before the New Year could be in order
!Ranger 6 said:
Yes, a selection of the typical supermarket ones - Brie, Port Salut, Emmental and possibly Stilton or a lighter blue cheese.
I adore Port Salut. In my experience you can't beat a good Merlot or a Châteauneuf-du-Pape to accompany this delicious cheese. If I were sufficiently wealthy as to be able to indulge myself in this combination as much as I wanted I would be the size of a house by now!That would've been the sensible thing to include in the first place...
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