Apricot Tart

Dessert · Full · Sweet

Bordeaux's legendary sweet white — Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc hit by noble rot, then patiently fermented. Honey, apricot, candied citrus, and a finish that lasts a small eternity. Pair with foie gras, blue cheese, or a fruit tart.

Works with Apricot Tart · Apricot Frangipani Tart

Bordeaux's quietly excellent sweet white — Semillon-based, often noble-rot-touched, drinking like budget Sauternes. The Bordeaux dessert wine no one talks about.

Sparkling · Light · Dry

Méthode champenoise from the most chalk-rich corner of France — fine bubbles, brioche, lemon zest, and a finish that goes on for half a minute. The wine for anything fried, salty, or special.

Drôme's traditional sweet sparkling — Muscat-based, light, low-alcohol, peachy. The Rhône Valley's quietly delightful sparkling wine.

The Loire's noble-rot Chenin Blanc — honey, quince, candied citrus, balanced by trademark Chenin acid. Ages magnificently; the sweet wine for those who find Sauternes cloying.

A small Southwest French appellation with an outsized range — dry whites from native grapes, traditional-method sparkling, and quietly serious reds. Curious wines, all of them.

Sparkling · Light · Sweet

Asti's more refined sibling — gently frizzante, only 5-6% alcohol, all peach and orange blossom. The perfect summer dessert wine.

Languedoc's classic Vin Doux Naturel — fortified Muscat with honey, orange peel, and a long sweet finish. The dessert wine for southern French summer evenings.

White · Light · Off-dry

Aromatic, racy, and shapeshifting — bone-dry in Alsace, off-dry on the Mosel, syrupy and ageless when late-harvested. The single most versatile wine for spicy food on earth.

Fortified · Full · Sweet

Port aged in cask for years, taking on nutty, caramel, dried-fruit character. The 10-, 20-, 30-, and 40-year designations are the most reliable indicators of style.

Hungary's historic dessert wine — noble-rot Furmint, apricot, marmalade, ginger. The Aszú designation marks the noble-rot bottlings.

Fortified · Full · Sweet

Port from a single declared year, aged in bottle for decades. Dense, structured, ageless; the pinnacle of fortified wine.