Fortified/Late Harvest/Dessert Wine

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

This is an artificially frozen dessert wine from the Scorched Earth Vineyard.  It is made from Syrah grapes that were harvested at 37 brix.  The residual sugar 8% and 14.5% ABV.  It has held up quite well and is drinking very well, perhaps, on better now.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, a simple syrup note, plums and chocolate covered raisins.  On the palate, this is drinking well.  Sweet, not cloying.  Very port-like.  Not a ton of complexity.  Goes quite well with a bit of cheese or chocolate.  This was a one off and only made this one time.  

This is a "Port" like wine from Israel.  We served it at our Seder with a flourless chocolate tort and it was an excellent match.  This is made from Petite Sirah grapes.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, dark chocolate, alcohol and raisins.  On the palate, this is sweet but not cloying.  It does have a fair amount of heat but it settles a bit with air.  Some depth.  It is a very interesting wine and proved popular at the table.  Our wines were limited to Kosher and from Israel, so this was a nice find.  Perhaps a bit pricey, but so it goes.  

I seem to have had a lot of bottle variation with this one.  Or, given that this is usually the last bottle of the night, maybe it is palate variation.  In any event, this wine is always good to great and this bottle was in the middle.  Deep golden/orange in color.  The nose has honey and apricots.  On the palate, this is sweet but nowhere near cloying.  Enough acidity.  The honey notes come thru and pick up peaches.  Nice finish to the wine and to the evening!

From a 375ml bottle.  A bit of Port at the end of a nice dinner with a bit of chocolate is a lovely treat.  Since I didn't plan ahead, this was pop and pour and really deserved better, but so it goes.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  Even from this format, this bottle was not showing much age at 28 years from vintage.  The nose has cherries, milk chocolate covered raisins and slight dried cranberry notes.  On the palate, this is sweet, but not as much as expected given the producer.  Lively acidity.  Nice cherry fruit.  Some heat on the finish (air will help this).  Probably at its peak

Yquem might be the single greatest wine in the world.  Yes, those are bold words, but it is arguably true.  This bottle was wonderful indeed.  Paired with Mango roses in a Rose water and honey sauce, it was sublime.  Light golden in color, this wine is still quite young.  The nose is amazing with slight apricot, lots of honey and orange peel.  Viscous and sweet, not cloying.  The orange peel and honey carry thru.  The thing about Yquem is the finish.  It goes on forever and ever.  Very nice acidity in 2011.  This bottle will continue to age and mature for fifty years and no doubt at some po

Opened at a 40th birthday party as this was bottle in 1979.  This bottle seemed tired and over the hil but it was pop and pour.  Sometimes, older Port's need a bit kinder treatment.  Perhaps some slow oxidation would have put this in a better place.  Ruby in color.  The nose shows a lot of alcohol but also some dried fruit.  On the palate, this is shrill.  Tart cherries, slight tannins.  Really not pleasurable at this point.  Not sure how representative this bottle is at age 42, but if opening a bottle, it's probably a good idea to check it first and give it time to revive.  

Looking for a nice value in dessert wines?  This one retails for around $15 and is nice.  Golden in color.  The nose has nice pineapple fruit, with a bit of lychee and peach.  On the palate, the pineapple carries thru.  This is sweet.  A bit of honey.  Nice to have a couple of ounces on its own.  

This is an Eau-de-Vie ariginally made by Leonard Humbrecht back in 1976.  It was bottled in 2017 by his son Olivier and purchased at the winery a few weeks later.  This bottle had been opened last winter and about halfway consumed.  It seemed a perfect drink to finish off an Alsatian Gewurztraminer tasting.  Deep red-orange in color.  The nose has a lot of alcohol.  There is also some peach schnapps and lychees and a dried tea note.  On the palate, this is warm.  63.1% Alcohol will do that.  After the first sip it was welcoming though.  It has a nice depth and complexity to it.  Certainly,

Golden/green in color.  The nose has honey and slight apricots.  Thick and viscous.  Slightly cloying.  Not a lot of acidity. This is a solid dessert wine, but it really was much more impressive with an assortment of cheeses.  A stinky blue worked quite well.  12% Alcohol.  A nice finish to a meal.  This is in a great place but should last for a long time. 

This is an inexpensive Sauternes that retails for around $20.  That is a great value for a nice dessert wine.  Light gold/green in color.  The nose has apricots and slight honey.  It has just a hint of sweetness.  Some apricots on the palate.  Nice acidity.  A nice choice for large groups or just a nice finish to a meal.