Page 20 - Boca Club News - January '24

Page 20, Boca Club News
Grape Expectations: Dessert Wines

Dining Out from page 19

WHY...do chefs think we are impressed with their By Ed Wolfarth, who recently become even sweeter and more raisinated, resulting in
ability to “deconstruct” every standard recipe into moved to South Florida after grapes with concentrated sweetness. In Alsace, late harvest
something that doesn’t even come close to its origin? retiring with his wife, Vicki, as is called “Vendage Tardive,” and in Germany it’s referred
WHY….do waiters always tell you everything is Professor of Sports Sciences & to as “Spatlese.” Any grape left on the vine can be used for
great on the menu when you ask for a recommendation? Physical Education at both Queens late harvest wines. Most common, however, are Chenin
And why do they always choose the most expensive College and Hofstra University. Blanc, Semillon and Riesling grapes.
item as their menu suggestion? He is a nationally ranked senior Noble Rot is a type of spore called Botrytis Cinerea that
WHY…do restaurants tell you there are no tables tennis player and long-time USPTA eats fruits and vegetables. While it may sound disgusting,
available as a walk in, when you can obviously see Elite Teaching Professional. Ed has noble rot adds unique flavors of ginger, saffron and honey
open ones? I suggest stepping outside, going to the written many educational and tennis articles in the past. to sweet wines. Sauternes and Barsac that use Semillon and
“Open Table” app and getting the same table with no Over the past few years, Ed has turned his hobby of wine Sauvignon Blanc are rich golden-hued sweet wines. The
problem. collecting into a way of continuing his passion for writing, most famous of these is Chateau d’Yquem, which sells for
WHY…hasn’t someone invented a device to level and has written on the subject for publications. As a self- hundreds of dollars in small amounts!
out wobbly tables? The bent papers coasters are not proclaimed “wine snob,” he has collaborated on many German Rieslings–the sweetest being labeled Auslese,
doing the trick! wine lists for private clubs and a few restaurants. Ed can Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese. These ultra-sweet
WHY…aren’t there hooks or more hooks under a be reached at wolfarthe@msn.com. wines with good acidity are a perfect match for almost all
bar to hang your purse? This one is Hungry D’s most Basically speaking, there are five main types of dessert sweet desserts but will cost a pretty penny. On the German
frustrating curiosity. wines: sparkling wine, lightly sweet dessert wine, richly scale of sweetness they are a step above Kabinett, the least
WHY…do restaurants constantly over-use the sweet dessert wine, sweet red wine and fortified wine. For sweet of the German Rieslings.
“Farm to Table” concept? Doesn’t all our meat, produce our purposes we’ll talk about the more common three. Fortified wines are made when brandy is added to a
and dairy come from farms? Remember, for the most part we want a wine that goes wine. Most are high in alcohol (about 17-20% ABV) and
WHY…are there tables located next to noisy with desserts that are often sweet and rich. These wines have a long shelf life after they are opened. My favorite
waiters’ stations, drafty doors, swinging kitchen doors should be served in small glasses and drunk close to the dessert wine is Port. Made in the northern part of Portugal
or aromatic bathroom entrances? Please don’t seat me vintage date. near the Douro River, these rare sweet wines are made with
there! Lightly sweet dessert wines are also great with spicy a variety of local grapes. After fermentation and fortification
WHY…do we all settle for a dish that either tastes foods, such as Indian or Asian cuisines. Expect these wines to processes, Port can be made in a few distinct styles. First is
awful or is improperly cooked to our liking. “I’ll eat it be exploding with fruit flavors and well-suited to accompany Ruby. This is the introductory style and least sweet. Then
anyway” is not a good option when you are spending vanilla-driven desserts. Consider Gewurztraminer, known there’s Vintage Port & LBV Port. Both are sweet but not as
good money. And don’t take it out on your waiter… for its lychee and rose petals aroma. Gewurztraminer has sweet as Tawny Port. Tawny Ports taste of figs and nuts;.
he’s simply the messenger not the cook! light alcohol and is commonly found in Alsace, Alto-Adige 30- to 40-year-old Tawny is best!
If you have any of your own curiosities or restaurant in Italy and New Zealand. Sherry comes from Andalusia in Spain. Again, local
annoyances, please drop me a note and I will be Riesling–consider the sweeter styles more commonly grapes are used and purposely oxidized to develop nutty
happy to add them to the list. Please email them to found in Germany. A wine with natural acidity, which aromatics. There’s Fino, or dry Sherry, and Manzanilla,
HungryAl@comcast.net helps cut the sweet taste of desserts. Or Chenin Blanc, also dry. There’s also Moscatel, a sweet Sherry with fig
Thanks! most often made in a sweet style and found in the U.S. and date flavors.
and South Africa and the Loire Valley of France. Viognier, There are so many other so-called dessert wines,
which when made in a fruit-driven style can be oily and including Madeira and Ice Wines, another one of my
rich on the palate. This wine is best found from Condrieu favorites, but you get the idea. Dessert wines are simply
in the Rhone Valley of France. made to accompany sweet, rich desserts and should be
Rich sweet dessert wines. There are several ways to sipped and savored. A $500 Chateau d’Yquem or an
produce richly sweet dessert wines and you can understand Inniskillin Ice Wine from Canada (my personal favorite)
them better by how they’re made. Late Harvest – Exactly and others available for much less, offer a perfect way to
what it’s called! As grapes hang on the vines longer they end a grand meal and deserve to be savored!

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