At the end of the 1970s, when I had my first taste of wine, the choice was limited. It was either cloyingly sweet German Liebfraumilch, or something from the Don Cortez or Hirondelle types, both of which were sour and brash. That, younger readers, was how bad things were, and why many of us during that time stuck to lager and lime.
When Le Piat D’Or came on the market, it was, frankly, a relief. But things have changed, including my palate. Sweet or semi-sweet wines can be delicious, and bear no resemblance to the cheap German variety of my youth.
Many moons ago, invited to my first posh dinner party, I was bowled over when served a lightly sweet Riesling with a fruit crumble. Riesling is a key component in Liebfraumilch, but not all Liebfraumilch is Riesling. This top-quality version was very different from the brown bottles found on the shelves of every corner shop back in those days. That one delicious glassful got me hooked on dessert wines at an impressionable age, and I have never looked back.
I have two golden rules. The first is that the wine must be sweeter than the dessert. The second is that sweet wines are not just for pudding.
In some countries, it is actually common to start the meal with a sweet wine, such as the classic Portuguese aperitif of port and tonic. In France, many begin with a chilled tawny port. I love an aromatic, floral white like Gewürztraminerwith spicy foods, such as Thai, South Indian or Malaysian. Ruby port is delicious with charcuterie and all smoked and cured meats, as is Lambrusco. Yes, you did read that right – Lambrusco, another of those much-maligned wines of the 1980s. It’s true that, back in the day, they sent us the rubbish – but now it’s possible to get hold of the really good ones, such as Vitivinicola Fangareggi. This is perfect with any salty, fatty snacks, including Italian antipasti spread. Try it with gnocchi fritto.
I never have red wine with cheese, preferring a sweet sherry, such as those made with the Pedro Ximénez grape, just right with a salty blue or cheddar. Sauterne works with a soft goat or Camembert. Duck and liver go very well with Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos, which is a superb Hungarian sweet wine. It is very rich, honey-like, but with flavours of orange zest and forest mushroom. Tokaji is a verb in our house, as in ‘I was a bit Tokaji’d’. It is just too good to stop at one glass at the end of the meal. Tokaji is named after a town in Hungary, and I first tried it in Budapest. Back then I had no idea it came in so many varieties, ranging in sweetness.
One of my favourite Tokajis is Aszú, a deeply sweet wine that is hugely labour-intensive to produce. The grapes are introduced to noble rot, which is a special fungus that shrivels the berries, concentrating the sugar. When ready, they are individually hand-picked from the vine, then mixed with a dry base wine and fermented together. The very high sugar content is counterbalanced by a glorious freshness.
If you are using giblets for your gravy, add a glass of a lightly sweet dessert wine; the rich, offal flavour goes well with it
This Christmas, I am making chocolate mousse for dessert which I will pair with L’Occhiolino, a sparkling but delicate Italian red. It is full of juicy red berry flavours, and works perfectly. The friends I have coming are apt to forgo a cocktail (in order to still be standing at the end of the day) and opt instead for a glass of light, chilled and semi-sweet wine such as Moscato d’Asti or a late-harvest Riesling.
I also use sweet wine to make a sauce to accompany pork, lobster and giant prawns, especially when I have added chilli. If you are using giblets for your gravy, add a glass of a lightly sweet dessert wine; the rich, offal flavour goes well with it. Throw in a few sticky, pre-roasted garlic cloves, and a large sprig of rosemary. After an hour or two, sieve, reduce and enjoy.
Lastly, for Christmas-style desserts, Sauternes (from Bordeaux) is best paired with fruit tarts, while a heavy port such as tawny is more than a match for anything chocolate-based or indeed Christmas pudding. And do try Moscato d’Asti with cheesecake, or Muscat with mince pies.
If you have been invited elsewhere to Christmas dinner this year, why not think outside of the hastily grabbed bottle of Malbec to present to your host, and venture into something sweet?
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