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Happy Hour: Trentadue Chocolate Amore

YumSugar — Wed, 28 May 2008 16:15:20 -0700

Most people know that red wine pairs amazingly with dark chocolate. However, the folks at Trentadue Winery have taken the amazing combo one step further. Their Chocolate Amore ($25) combines red wine with chocolate and is really the best of both worlds. Trentadue uses the traditional port-making technique but stops fermentation in order to trap more sugar. Once the wine is done aging, the winery adds a bit of chocolate extract to enhance the flavor. It's rich and decadent and goes well over vanilla ice cream. But be warned: It's not meant to be guzzled by the glass - I think you'd end up in a dessert coma - but is meant to be enjoyed sparingly.

So tell me, are you interested in trying this wine? Have you ever had a chocolate-infused wine before?

Happy Hour: S3x 2006 Late Harvest White Riesling

YumSugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:29:31 -0700

One of my favorite wines at the SF Chronicle Wine Competition Tasting was the S3x 2006 Late Harvest White Riesling ($39). They say S3x stands for S three times - small, sweet sips - but I think there's a bit of a subliminal thing going on. Yet regardless of the name, it was one of the nicest dessert wines I've ever tasted. The odor was super fragrant, full of ripe peaches, and the taste was like little tiny little bubbles of candy.

It was the 2008 Sweepstakes winner and is a rare wine that is only produced when all the right pieces fall into place. One of those pieces being a natural mold called Botrytis cinerea (otherwise known as "noble rot"). But before you get skeeved out by the mold idea, let me tell you what it does. The mold weakens the grape skins and causes water to evaporate, creating crazy sweet juices. These juices then are turned into delicious wine.

If you're a fan of dessert wines - or are looking for one to try - then be sure to look this one up. I went back for a second tasting and can't wait to order a bottle of my own.

Happy Hour: Pfeiffer Rutherglen Muscat

partysugar — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:31:31 -0800

While I'm not crazy about a female oriented bottle of Port, I have recently been loving dessert wines. More specifically Chris Pfeiffer's Rutherglen Muscat. If you've never tried Muscat - a fortified dessert wine more luscious than Port - hurry and get your hands on this Australian import. Its smooth, fresh flavor and delicious raisin scent would pair perfectly with a Valentine's Day vanilla panna cotta. The body is voluptuous and the color golden. With a slightly nutty flavor, this wine would also make a wonderful hostess gift.

Happy Hour: Quinta de Roriz 2004 Vintage Port

partysugar — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:30:12 -0700

Last week I was invited to Wine & Spirits magazine's Top 100 Wine Tasting, where I sipped plenty of lush wines and was introduced to many interesting varietals. However, the most exotic wine I tried was the 2004 Single Quinta de Roriz Vintage Port. As this smooth, subtly sweet, full-bodied wine slipped down my throat, I realized we've never featured a Port here!

Port is a dessert wine native to Portugal's Douro Valley and usually served after a meal. I'm not normally a huge fan of Port, but this wine, with its deep purple-black color and fine finish, was incredibly easy to drink. It would pair deliciously with creamy blue cheese, honey, and walnuts. A bottle would also make a wonderful hostess gift.

Happy Hour: Nivole Moscato Michele Chiarlo

partysugar — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 13:11:19 -0700

Last Friday night, when I was out and about spring breaking it in New York City, I went to a small get together at a friend of a friend's house. I was feeling a little tired from too much partying the night before, so I opted to drink only wine. After a glass or two I was feeling better and rolled up my sleeves (not really, I was wearing a spaghetti strap top) to help Mike, the man of the house, prepare dessert. He let me pick out a bottle of dessert wine from his extensive collection and I chose this Moscato for two reasons: (1) according to Mike it was the least sweet of all of his dessert wines (my sister doesn't like sweet dessert wines so I wanted her to be happy) and (2) the pretty sunset like label appealed to my romantic side. It's made with an ancient grape called moscato bianco that dates back to the Italian 17th century. The wine was incredibly light on the palate which forced us to open several bottles. A pale straw color (perfect for Easter) adds to this wine's sublime delicateness and smooth elegance. It has a fragrant fruity bouquet with a fresh, clean finish. We all enjoyed this wine: 92 Sugar Points.

Happy Hour: Bonny Doon Dessert Wines

YumSugar — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 14:00:54 -0800

A few years ago the boy and I ended up in Sweden for a long weekend (I know, ended up seems like a weird choice of words, but honestly, we looked at air fares and just sort of ended up there). Our adventure took us through many taste sensations (including a lot of salmon and fish) and along the way we ended up at a trendy restaurant (sorry I've since forgotten the name, but do know its logo was the letter F in a circle) where we had a great meal and decided that it would be nicely finished off with a glass of dessert wine.

Well, the wine menu arrived and much to our surprise, the dessert wine was a wine from Bonny Doon Vineyard! At the time the boy was living in Santa Cruz, CA and the Bonny Doon Vineyard was about 30 minutes from his house. We were surprised by how small the world felt at that moment, but not surprised by their choice. Bonny Doon makes a really nice Muscat that contains the usual cinnamon and jasmine aromas with hints of orange blossom and lemon. I also think I can taste a bit of Asian pear. The wine itself is overly sweet, and you really don't want to drink that much, but it's delicious, and makes a really nice after dinner treat.

For a funnier treat, try their cheeky-named Bouteille Call. It's a naughty little beverage with blackberry and raspberry flavors. It's best for dessert, and I personally love to give it as a housewarming gift - the cute label and name definitely spark a discussion.

Cranberries Move From Sauce to Sorbet

YumSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:28:15 -0800

Although Thanksgiving is all about tradition, I love to take a quintessential holiday ingredient and add a new twist to it. Cranberry sauce is essential to turkey day, but it's time to move this berry over to dessert - with a white wine and ginger infused cranberry sorbet. Normally sorbet is served between courses to cleanse the palate. However, I like to offer it after the feast for guests who prefer something lighter and more refreshing than pumpkin pie. If you're interested in moving your cranberries from the dinner table to the dessert table, keep reading.

Do You Like Dessert Wines?

YumSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:15:20 -0800

Happy Hour: Quady Elysium

YumSugar — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:30:49 -0700

While hosting a spur-of-the-moment dinner two nights ago, I wanted something sweet to end our meal, so I invited my guests to enjoy a glass of liquid dessert: Quady Elysium ($15.99), made with black muscat grapes.

The concentrated, blackberry-hued wine is rich with both floral and fruity flavors, so I enjoyed it in little sips. Because it's so intensely sweet and full-bodied, it's easy to overlook the alcohol content. Although it's detectable on the nose, I was surprised to find it was 15 percent alcohol, and had to pace myself! The winery also recommends enjoying it on ice with equal parts tonic water and wine, with a squeeze of lemon - something I fully intend to try next time I want a sweet sip that won't get me sloshed.

I've been hooked on stickies made by Quady Winery, a Central California-based producer that specializes in fortified wines, ever since I sampled its other dessert wine, Electra. Have you ever enjoyed Elysium or Quady's other dessert wines?

Unusual Dessert: Blueberries in Wine

partysugar — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 15:51:31 -0700

Lately, I've been craving blueberries so much, I had to find a dessert recipe that would highlight their pure tart flavor. I came across many cake, pudding, and pie recipes, but was in the mood for something different, something unusual that would shock my guests. I had an Eureka moment when I found this recipe for blueberries in a black pepper-Syrah syrup. While the name sounds sophisticated and complicated, this dessert is surprisingly simple to put together. It's a heavenly finish to an elegant summer dinner and pairs decadently with a chocolate truffle and a glass of bubbly, so get the recipe, just read more

Blueberries in Black Pepper-Syrah Syrup
From Sunset magazine
Image Source

1 bottle (750 ml.) Syrah
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cartons (6 oz. each) blueberries, rinsed and drained
Twists of lemon peel

In a small pan, combine Syrah and sugar. Boil over medium-high heat (watch to make sure mixture doesn't boil over), stirring often, until reduced by about half, about 15 minutes.
Stir in vanilla and pepper and let cool.
Put blueberries in a bowl and pour Syrah mixture over them. Chill airtight for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.
Serve in small dessert bowls or glasses garnished with twists of lemon peel.

Serves 6.

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 132(2% from fat); FAT 0.3g (sat 0.0g); PROTEIN 0.8g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; SODIUM 12mg; FIBER 2g; CARBOHYDRATE 23g

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