Fortified/Late Harvest/Dessert Wine

• Banyuls
• Brandy
• Tokaji
• Madeira
• Port
• Sauternes
• Sherry
• Vendange Tardive

Not a whole lot more to say about Yquem that hasn't been said, but it is arguably the greatest winery on the planet.  The 2013 is a very good if not top vintage, but still a thrill to drink.  Golden in color, light with just a tinge of orange.  The nose is great with apricots, slight honey and slight tangerines.  Viscous.  Full bodied.  Great balance.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Flavors of apricots and tangerines.  Sweet with enough acidity to not be cloying.  The finish goes on forever.  This is drinking well now and should drink well for another twenty to thirty years.  Great on i

Always a pleasure to try something like this.  While 1961 was a top year for reds, less so for whites.  This one was past prime.  It still had a bit of roasted fruits to offer and not dead, it peaked thirty years ago.  Still fun though.  

Purchased in Budapest this summer.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is mild but nice.  Aromas of ground cherries and slight dill.  Interesting.  Viscous texture.  On the palate, much more intensity than the nose.  Ground cherries and peaches.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  Tasty.  This should drink well for another ten years.  It is great on its own and would work well with an apricot or peach pastry for dessert.  

Still very young but drinking well.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has dark chocolate, cherries, dried cherries and slight sandalwood.  Full bodied.  Viscous.  Slightly sweet.  Deep.  Light tannins.  On the palate, dark chocolate covered cherries.  Slight warming on the finish.  This drink well for another twenty years or more.  Nice on its own or would be great with a chocolate dessert.  

Nice to revisit this.  At age 19, this is still youthful but starting to show some refinement.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is great with chocolate covered raisins and some red raspberries.  Lots of energy.  Slightly viscous.  On the palate, chocolate and raisins.  Sweet, not cloying.  Some heat on the finish.  This should easily go another fifteen or twenty years.  Great on its own or with some type of blue cheese.

Always a pleasure to drink Rieussec.  It is one of the great wines from Sauternes.  This year it also comes in a spiffy  new bottles that is very different.  A blend of 89% Sémillon, 9% Sauvignon Blanc, 2% Muscadelle according to the winemaker's notes.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with apricot, orange zest, slight honey and a bit of lemon.  Full bodied.  Viscous.  Sweet, not cloying.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Orange zest, lemon and honey.  Long, long finish.  This should drink well for thirty years.  Great on its own, it will work with a le

Tasted at the winery.  This is a wine that is unfortunately, not seen too often.  Golden in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is very pretty with minerals and slight limes.  Great texture.  Slightly viscous.  On the palate, there is a nice bit of acidity to offset the sweetness.  It is sweet but not cloying.  Minerals with a hint of lime.  Long finish.  Complex.  Delicious.  This should drink well for the next twenty-five years.  It will go with a les sweet cake, but it deserves to be consumed on its own.  

This is a new winery for me.  At age 52, it still has some life left although I am sure past prime.  It is the color of iced tea.  The nose has some oranges and slight honey.  Medium bodied.  Some sweetness although most has faded.  The palate has some apricot and honey.  Enough acidity to carry some food.  Drink up.  It will work nicely with a plain sponge cake.  

This is a dessert wine made from Muscat a Petit Grains in the southern Rhone.  Vidal Fleury is now owned by the Guigal family, but the winery is the oldest in the Rhone.  Thomas Jefferson visited in the 1700's.  This is an excellent value in dessert wine.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is pretty with apricot and blood orange and a slight honey note.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  Sweet, not cloying.  On the palate, oranges and slight honey notes.  Long finish.  A nice way to top off an evening.  This is nice on its own and would work well with a less sweet cake or cookie.  

The is a beautiful dessert wine from Austria.  Beerenauslese literally means berry selected which means the grapes are harvested individually and not in bunches to ensure ripeness.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has honey, apricot and a slight balsa wood note.  Viscous.  Sweet, not cloying.  Enough acidity to cut through.  The palate also features the apricots and honey.  Long finish.  This is delicious and probably serves to be consumed on its own.  Drink over the next twenty years.  10.5% abv.