SWEET WINE

In the production of sweet wine, not all of the sugar is converted into alcohol during fermentation. This can be realised in various ways. With the help of noble rot, otherwise known as Botrytis Cinerea, the grapes are dehydrated on the vine. Examples are Auslese, Beerenauslese or Trockenbeerenauslese wines from Austria, Tokaj from Hungary or Sauternes from France. The grapes can also be frozen on the vine at temperatures below -8°C, whereby the most sugary water does not yet reach the freezing point. Due to the climatic conditions, the resulting ice wine can only be produced in a few places in the world, making it a rare treat. However, the grapes can also be dried on reed mats or straw mats after the harvest. A well-known example of this is Vin Santo. Sweet wine can be matured with or without barriques.

Sweet wine, also known as dessert wine, usually appears golden yellow to amber-coloured in the glass, depending on the grape variety and maturity. It is graded according to style from slightly sweet to sweet, sweet to richly sweet and very sweet. The most important grape varieties for sweet wine all have a high acidity, as this harmonises with the sugar. These grape varieties include Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Furmint, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Many sweet wines can be stored for a very long time, for example Sauternes from Bordeaux, Tokaji from Hungary, Vin Santo from Tuscany, low-alcohol and low-calorie Moscato d'Asti, sweet wine from the producer Kracher from the Austrian Burgenland, from Vouvray or Quarts de Chaume in the Loire Valley, from the island of Pantelleria or ice wine from Canada. Sweet wine goes perfectly with desserts such as apple pie, which is why it is also called dessert wine. Some people also enjoy sweet wine as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to foie gras or cheese.

Moscato is a light summer drink. This is a sweet wine made from the Moscato grape, which has a very low alcohol content. Moscato d'Asti is a sweet wine from Piedmont with a very low perlage. It is an excellent accompaniment to fresh fruit.

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