Sweet Wines

The sweetness of a wine is determined by the presence of residual sugars at the time of bottling. The perception of sweetness in a wine generally corresponds to a minimum sugar content of 35–40 g/l. From zero up to this value, sugars contribute to creating a sensation of body and smoothness, which gradually, as the quantity increases, becomes true sweetness. A sweet wine can be still or passito, sparkling, or fortified.

Sweet wines are generally paired according to the rule of harmony, that is, with desserts. However, there are many distinctions and some exceptions, depending on the type of sweet wine in question. Non-sparkling sweet wines—which are actually almost always slightly sparkling, with varying levels of carbon dioxide—pair well with classic cakes and fruit tarts, preferably red fruit in the case of red wines. Sweet sparkling wines are ideal with leavened pastries, such as pandoro and panettone, or desserts with cream, thanks to the “fat-cutting” effect of the bubbles. Passito and botrytised wines, as well as late harvest wines, pair well with dry pastries (e.g., cantuccini) but in many cases make a superb pairing with blue cheeses, since their high sugar concentration effectively balances the cheese’s pungency and aroma. The same applies to sweet fortified wines, which should be paired with very intense and structured desserts and can even hold their own when paired with chocolate.

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