Dessert wines are served after dinner, with or without dessert. For many, the wine is dessert enough. But if you're pairing the wine with an after-dinner treat, foods that aren't terribly sweet are best. Try fruity desserts or baked goods, because sweet desserts can make the dessert wine taste sour.
Fortified Wines
Fortified have additional spirits, typically brandy. These spirits are added after fermentation to boost the 's sweetness. The most popular and well-known among fortified dessert wines is port. Ruby port is the most tannic, with a fruit-forward taste. The darker-hued tawny port has a toasted-nut flavor. The more expensive vintage port is a complex wine that often must age for a decade or more before its flavor reaches its peak. Port and other fortified wines are generally served at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Sauternes
Sauternes derive their sweetness--and high alcoholic content--from the juice being concentrated before fermentation. The characteristic flavor of a Sauternes comes from a fungus that's allowed to grow on the grapes while they're on the vine. This growth, or "noble rot," withers the grapes, resulting in intense sweetness with a honeyed edge. Sauternes, or golden wines, are best served very cold.
Ice Wines
The grapes for an ice wine traditionally are picked after the grapes have frozen on the vine. They are generally the first and only harvest after the first frost. While this practice is maintained in Canada and Germany, where it is called Eiswein, in other countries, the grapes are picked and then frozen. Ice crystals in the grapes help produce a nectar-like liquid when pressed. Like Sauternes, ice wines are served very cold.
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