Creme Anglaise

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 Fruit Tart With Creme Anglaise · Vanilla Souffle With Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise

Sweet wines made for the end of the meal — Sauternes, Tokaji, Ice Wine, late-harvest Riesling, Vin Santo. Match the sweetness level of the wine to the dish.

Dessert · Medium · Sweet

Grapes frozen on the vine, pressed in winter for concentrated nectar. Honey, peach, ginger, and acid that keeps the sweetness from cloying. Sip cold, in small glasses, after dinner.

Sparkling · Light · Sweet

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

White · Light · Dry

The Loire's seaside white — Melon de Bourgogne grape, bone-dry, slightly briny, perfectly transparent. The platonic ideal of oyster wine.

The Muscat grape family — covers everything from dry Alsace styles through sweet Beaumes-de-Venise to ancient Greek dessert wines. Always perfumed; always smells like grapes.

Fortified · Full · Sweet

Fortified red from Portugal's Douro Valley — sweet, warming, and surprisingly versatile. Ruby and LBV are for everyday; Vintage and Tawny are for serious occasions. Pair with blue cheese, walnuts, or just a fire.

Germany's name for Pinot Noir — increasingly serious bottlings from Baden and the Ahr, all red cherry, smoke, and quiet sophistication.

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.

Fortified · Full · Sweet

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