Pear Upside Down Cake

Sparkling · Light · Sweet

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

Works with Pear Upside Down Cake · Carmelized Pears Upside Down Cake With Cognac Whipped Cream

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 Pear Upside Down Cake · Carmelized Pears Upside Down Cake With Cognac Whipped Cream

Fortified · Full · Sweet

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

Works with Pear Upside Down Cake · Carmelized Pears Upside Down Cake With Cognac Whipped Cream

Austria's late-harvested whites — Riesling or Grüner Veltliner, often with the laser acid that defines the country. Sweet, but never cloying.

A California crossing (Semillon × Gewürztraminer) — perfumed, lightly floral, mostly used in late-harvest dessert styles. Rare but charming.

Sparkling · Light · Dry

Asti, Moscato d'Asti, or Brachetto — Italy's sweet, low-alcohol sparkling tradition. Peach, orange blossom, gentle fizz. The summer-dessert wine.

A perfumed Muscat variant grown in California and Australia — orange blossom, mandarin, dried apricot. Almost always made as a dessert wine.

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.

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.