Dessert Wine

For example, in Emilia Romagna, the Italian Sommelier Association in Romagna, along with the sections in Emilia and Marche from the same associations will host a new event ‘An Excellent Union – Life experiences in Romagna, Marche and Emilia’. It is a new project that will unify the wines from the three regions. The first event will be held on March 5th.

There is also another collaboration in the air, in Trentino, with the deal between the Grappa Institute and the Consorzio Vini Trentino to promote the area and the quality of the local products. They are now officially linked with a partnership for the human resource management for the wine promotion of the territory.

There is also some good news from Liguria, where the town of Monterosso al Mare and the Port Network Authority of the Eastern Ligure Sea have signed a memorandum of understanding, with the purpose of promoting and supporting the project Strada dei Vini delle Cinque Terre: a project that is supported by all the cities of Cinque Terre and that has Monterosso as the management chief. In 2021 the administration of Monterosso, along with Vernazza and Riomaggiore, already supported the initiative by giving their legal aid, also for touristic itineraries.

Dessert wines: how to produce them

As stated before, dessert wines are sweeter, in confront to simple red wines, white ones or rosés. There are three main kinds:

• Straw wines: They are obtained by drying grapes, simply left to dry or harvested later. The drying process increases the concentration of sugar and the chemical reactions inside the grape develop new aromatic substances with the typical aromas of raisin wines. These wines are typically fermented in casks and then aged in bottles for a long time. These wines often have an aroma of fruit, coconut, honey and jam. Usually, the grapes chosen for these wines are Malvasia, muscat, Zibibbo, Chardonnay, Fiano. Some examples of these sweet wines are: Moscato di Pantelleria, Piccolit del Friuli, Ramandolo, Vin Santo from Tuscany and others.
• Botrytised wines: they are wines produced with moldy grapes. Mold must be botrytis cinerea and only in some specific areas, characterized by a humid climate in the morning and sunny in the afternoon. In these conditions, the mold induces the concentration of sugars in grapes and the chemical reactions that develop aromatic substances. Some of the most characteristic aromas are lime, apricot, quince, honey, orange peel.
• Oxidized wines: they are wines obtained by exposing the must or wine to air during the wine making process. Exposure to oxygen can happen before, during or after fermentation. The aromas present in these wines are reminiscent of tobacco, chestnuts, nuts, cane sugar, fenugreek, leather,... Wines obtained this way are Marsala, Madeira, Tuscan Vin Santo, and Sherry. Many of these wines have distillates added during the vinification process in order to increase alcohol by volume.

Best dessert wines

The three best dessert wines to accompany the moment after dinner are:

• Donnafugata Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria DOC White Sicilian Dessert Wines Doc I Grapes Zibibbo 100%. It has a golden amber color, and an aroma of fruity and citrus notes, typical of the Mediterranean. The aroma is characterized by an extraordinary olfactory richness and a succession of delicate notes of sugar and pink powder, then sensations of sage, saffron, candied citrus, sweet orange blossom flowers, salty aromas and acacia honey. The mouthfeel is persuasive and sweet, balanced by an important acidic and savory shoulder supporting the fine soft structure. Great harmony and long persistence. Undoubtedly one of the greatest Sicilian dessert wines. At the table, it should be served with caramelized duck, blue cheeses, foie gras, dry pastry and signature chocolate. It is also excellent to drink alone, it should be served at 14 ºC. The grapes are harvested by hand, fermentation takes place in stainless steel barrels, and then raisins are added. It is aged for 8 months in bottle.

• Bolla Recioto della Valpolicella Classico DOCG Cl. 50 The Bolla winery in the Veneto region produces this very intense sweet ruby red wine with violet hues. On the palate, it is full bodied and velvety with an aroma of cocoa and dried fruit. It can be served with desserts, dry desserts such as tarts and strudel, or it can be considered as a meditation wine. It is to be recommended with dry desserts such as tarts or even better with dark chocolate. It is made with Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella, very sweet grapes, the fermentation is very slow, and it lasts about one month. Maceration is cold. Bolla Recioto della Valpolicella Classico DOCG Cl. 50 is one of the most sought-after Italian dessert wines for the Italian wine lover.

• Giacomo Borgogno Barolo Chinato DOCG Vino Aromatizzato it is produced in the area where Barolo wine originates, in the province of Cuneo. It shows a red color between amber and garnet. The scent is opened with chocolate and woody notes. To the palate, it is warm and round, with a pleasing bitter-sweet persistence. Perfect to be matched with dry chocolate and dark chocolate desserts, it should be served at 13°C (61°F). It is produced by using as base wine the prestigious Barolo wine, to which are added alcohol and a characteristic infusion made of natural products such as roots, leaves, flowers, seeds and spices. Giacomo Borgogno Barolo Chinato DOCG Vino Aromatizzato is one of the most recommended Italian dessert wines of Italian wine lover.

On the website www.italianwinelover.it you can also find wines such as white wines, Italian sparkling wines and Italian rose wine, directly from the best Italian wine wholesalers online to supply your wine shop or your supermarket with fine and less fine wines, to accompany your customers in the right choice, with varieties from all over Italy.