Austrian sweet wines

Austria is a land of natural sweet wines.   Their sweet wines are found on almost every good wine list, are appreciated by wine experts and highly acclaimed by journalists. Several worldwide famous wineries are coming from this country. What are so special on their wines? Region, like usually. Neusiedl Lake (Neusiedler see) makes a special conditions for nearby vineyards, hot temperature during the daytime and wet air influencing grapes during the night. Because of these conditions, it's easy to get a noble rot on the grapes. This fundus dry out the water out of grapes and make the rest liquid more concentrated than usual.

The best Austria's specialists on natural sweet wines:

Kracher - http://www.kracher.com/
Kracher's family is strongly rooted in Illmitz, at Austria´s Lake Neusiedl. Alois Kracher Sr. made great sweet wines from noble rotten grapes long before everyone else began to discover them.

Hans Tschida - http://www.angerhof-tschida.at/
This winery is a family-based, resident in Illmitz and producing the best sweet wines in Austria. Hans Tschida obtained an award  Sweet Wine Maker of the Year 2010,  Len Evans Trophy „for consistent performance over the past five years“ and Alois Kracher Trophy for Champion Sweet Wine. 

Steindorfer - http://www.weingut-steindorfer.at/
Another family-based winery. This one is situated in Apetlon. Their sweet wines belong to the best. Almost every sweet wine was awared on international competition.

Willi Opitz - http://www.willi-opitz.at/
The Willi Opitz Winery only started in 1995 but in these few years of their history it was able to receive a lot of success with their wines all over the world. You can find their wines at the Vodafone McLaren Formula One Team too.

Scheiblhofer - http://scheiblhofer.at/
The Weingut Scheiblhofer is situated in Andau. Andau has the most hours of sun and highest temperatures in the country and is know as the hotspot of Austria. Over 40 ha makes them one of the biggest wineries in Burgenland.

Tokaj - tokaji - tokay

These three synonymous are representing a remote region of Hungary and Slovak Republic (both situated in Central Europe) where the world's first botrytis wine is coming from. These topaz colored sweet wines are dating back to 16th century. Tokaj wines are made from late-ripened grapes affected by a certain type of fungus (noble rot - Botrytis cinerea) that concentrates the grape sugars which, in turn, flavors the wine into a honey-like sweetness. These great wines was favored by Beethoven, Goethe and even France's king Louis XIV.

Tokaji wines are like no others, in aromas, tastes as well as production. They are topaz gold in colour, almost like a light single-malt, and their high sugar content is well-balanced by amazing high acidity. The flavours are of dried fruit, apples, golden sultanas or apricots, with notes of exotic fruit that can range from grapefruit to mellow orange-peel, and there are often flowery aromas as well.

A special type of Tokaj wine is Essencia. It is the concentrated sweet juice that runs from a small vat of fully Botryised grapes, without pressing. It is only marginally alcoholic (from 0.5% to 6.0% alcohol) with fermentation by ambient yeasts. Then liquid seeps slowly dripping in demi-johns. Essencia is composed of around 700g/l of sugar - sometimes up to 900g/l. That means 90% of the liquid is sugar, the remaining 10% being the most intense raisined flavour imaginable.

Sherry

Sherry is a famous wine (sweet or dry) - complex and esoteric, made as fortified. Usable as an apéritif to table wine but also as an after-dinner sipper. Sherry has an origin in Spain, where it is produced in "Sherry Triangle" which means three towns Puerto de Santa María, Jerez and Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Almost all Sherries are made from the Palomino Fino grape.

There are two kinds of Sherry - Fino which is dry and light and contains over 15% alcohol, and Oloroso - dry but rich in body and over 18% alcohol. Other types of Sherry are -  Manzanilla (similar to Fino),  Amontillado (something between Fino and Oloroso),  Palo Cortado (rare kind of Sherry),  Sweet Sherry,  Cream Sherry (sweet one),  Pedro Ximénez (very sweet).

History of Sherry:
Southwest Spain in region Andalucia we can find the town named Jerez. In 711, The Arabs invaded in Spain and renamed the town to "Sherish" which changed in time to "Jerez". That's where this delicious wine got it's name - Sherry or Jerez. This kind of fortified wine started it's history in 1400, to help Sherry stabilize on the ocean voyages, a bit of Brandy was added to the wine.

Some great Sherry wineries:

Gutierrez-Colosia - http://www.gutierrezcolosia.com/vinos_ingles.html
Founded in 1838, Gutierrez-Colosia is located in the mouth of the river Guadalete. The dry and the hurrid winds make the optimum conditions for their wines to age. The quality of the Gutiérrez Colosía wines is guaranteed by careful ageing through a process known as "criaderas y soleras", following the region's tradition.

Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana - http://www.lagitana.es/html/index1.htm
La Gitana is one of the oldest Sherry producers. The winery was initiated in 1792. Till know, the winery continue to use traditional methods for their wines.

 
Tio Pepe - http://www.bodegastiopepe.com/
Over 165 years of experience and dedication attest to the quality of their Sherry wines.   In 1835, Manuel María González Angel reached Jerez prepared to forge his way in the prosperous and thriving sherry business.

Sauternes

Sauternes - amazing sweet wines from French wine region. There are five villages in Graves that make this wine style - Sauternes, Barsac, Preignac, Fargues, and Bommes. Why are these sweet wines so special? Because this region is located near a river. These conditions help breed a "noble rot" also known as Botrytis cinerea, which is a kind of fungus that turned the flavor of the grapes into a rich, honey flavor, with a deep brown color. It's not easy to make a Sauternes wine - harvest workers hand-pick individual berries that have been properly infected with the fungus. This wine can age almost indefinitely. Sauternes are some of longest-lived wines, with premium examples from exceptional vintages properly kept having the potential to age well even beyond 100 years. Sauternes wines are expensive. For example a bottle of Chateau d’Yquem Sauternes (1787) was sold for $100 000.

There are three main grapes used for world-famous sweet Sauternes wines:

Semillon - This grape has undetermined origin but probably it's native to France. This grape has been used in for  quality wines in France (around Bordeaux) over the centuries. This gape gives elegant dry white wines, also used for blend with Sauvignon Blanc. On the other hand, it's important because its predisposition for Botrytis cinerea (which is a noble rot giving us the best sweet wines), multiplying sugars and aromas - also used for the best sweet wines in the world - Chateau d’Yquem of Sauternes.

Sauvignon Blanc - It is one of the most used variety of grapes over the world. We can find this grape mostly in the Loire Valley and Bordeaux in France. But also it is very popular in California (over 15,000 acres), Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Chile. In Sauvignon aroma we can find grass, grapefruit, lime, green melon, gooseberry, passion fruit or bell pepper. It is also used for Sauternes dessert wines.

Muscadelle -  We can find this grape in Bordeaux and southwestern France, Australia and particularly in Rutherglen and Glenrowan in the state of Victoria. It has typical floral and grapey aromas and is low in acidity.

Here is the list of the best Sauternes wineries:

Château d'Yquem - http://www.yquem.fr/
Winery is the only one listed in Premier Cru Supérieur class. It is an iconic winery famous all over the world. It's the best of the best in sweet wines. It's more than 400 years old with amazing history.

Château La Tour-Blanche (Bommes) - http://www.tour-blanche.com/
Founded in 18th Century, this winery is continually investing to maintain its reputation. It's fitted out with the most modern and efficient equipment. Recently renovated and air-conditioned, this winery stocks nearly 400 Bordeaux traditional barrels. They are made from French oak (stave-wood) and are renewed every vintage...

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey (Bommes) - http://www.lafaurie-peyraguey.com/
Located in the heart of the Sauternes region on high ground near the village of Bommes. History of this winery begins in 1618 and thru the years it developed to the world-famous winery with the best sweet wines.

Château Suduiraut (Preignac) - http://www.suduiraut.com/
Their wines are elegant, sweet and full-bodied with a remarkable life-expectancy. Color of these wines are gold with amber tints when aged. Harmony wines with full power, complexity and finesse - it is often said that a great Suduiraut is the essence of Sauternes.

Château Coutet (Barsac) - http://www.chateaucoutet.com/
Estate founded in 13th Century pruducing wine since 1643. 95 acres of vineyards producing the best   Sauternes from Barsac. Château Coutet benefits from an exceptional terroir. The vines' deep roots extract elements from a limestone and clay-based soil, giving the grapes freshness, richness and strength.

Château Climens (Barsac) - http://www.chateau-climens.fr/
Climens is a wine with a strong and heady character. Every deed and every gesture involved in their complex trade as winemakers is aimed tirelessly at attaining this objective, finding that particular grace every year that is the signature of Climens, beyond the differences in vintages, and with which so many passionate wine lovers have fallen in love.

Château Guiraud (Sauternes) - http://chateauguiraud.fr/
Château Guiraud just  obtained organic farming certification. South from Bordeaux, Château Guiraud extends over 128 hectares on the left bank of the Garonne river. It is located in the village of Sauternes. Château procudes 100.000 bottles of amazing sweet wines every year.

Château Rieussec (Fargues) - http://www.lafite.com/eng/Bordeaux-Estates/Chateau-Rieussec
Château Rieussec is owned by Barons de Rothschild Lafite. For many generations, Château Rieussec has been a leading name in Sauternes wines. "Rieussec produces wines that are very similar to Yquem wines." -   Charles Cocks, 1868.  

Port wine

Port wine (Porto) is another world-famous sweet delicacy. There's an interesting story behind the birth of Port Wine.   Back in the 17th century when France was at war with Britain and Netherlands they started to import wine from Portugal's Douro River Valley. Problem was that the journey across the seas was too long and the wine would spoil throu the journey so to stabilize and preserve the wine for the journey the Portuguese began adding brandy to it.

Stopping the process of fermentation made the wine sweeter with nice residual sugars leaving in the wine. So port wine is a wine made in the Duoro region of Portugal that has brandy added to it, which stops the fermentation sooner so the wine is sweet. It is a sweet red wine that comes in a dry, semi-dry and white variety. Most Port is served after dinner as a dessert wine.

The city where Port Wine is put on ships calls Porto, it is situated at the head of the Duoro River. Thus the name Port Wine.

Port Wine styles:

Ruby Port Wines - The youngest of the port wines. Usually spends a minimum of two years in a large vat which minimizes the oxidation before bottled. Ready to drink immediately.

Tawny Porto - Less sweet and lighter than ruby or vintage ports. This wine is blended from wines of different years, usually no more than three years old. The lighter tawnies have been blended with white port.

Tawny with Indication of Age - Wine of amber color. Its aroma and flavors are the craft of a master blender, the person who creates the uniqueness of each of these wines. Aged Tawny may be labeled as 10, 20, or 30 years old, referring to the average age of its blend of old and young wines.

Port Wine Vintage - This kind of Port is characterized by intense red color, full body, and intense and complex flavor. In years of outstanding harvest quality, the producer must declare their best wine as "vintage", and submit a sample bottle to be approved by the Porto Wine Institute. The rule is to leave the wine in the cask for 2 to 3 years, and then age it in bottles for very long time, where the best years continue to improve indefinitely.

Late Bottled Vintage - This is less rich and concentrated than Vintage Porto with a little sediment in the bottle. Its quality must be approved by the institute too. Then it is left in the cask for 5 - 6 years, filtered, and bottled as a ready to drink wine.

White Port Wine -  these wines are lighter tasting than the other ports. They are made from a blend of white grapes and have a small amount of juice from the red grapes added to them. The wine spends 2 - 3 years in casks and then it's ready to drink when it is bottled. Two varietes of White Port Wine exist - sweet and dry.


There are five main grapes used for port wine: Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cao, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesa and Touriga Nacional.

Here are some of the best Port Wine producers:

Fonseca - http://www.fonseca.pt/
Found at 1822. Strong tradition of winemaking skill and knowledge. Fonseca is one of the leading Port winehouses and one of the leading wine producers in the world.

Churchill - http://www.churchills-port.com/
Churchill's is an independent, family owned Company specializing in premium Port Wines and premium New Douro Table Wines.

Dow - http://www.dows-port.com/
Family Owned Producer Of The Finest Quality Port For Over Two Centuries.

Croft - http://www.croftport.com/
The earliest evidence of the firm’s activity as a Port shipper dates from 1588. John Croft was one of the leading figures of the Port business in the eighteenth century.

Cockburns - http://www.cockburns.com/
In 1815, the year that Wellington defeated Bonaparte at Waterloo, the business was established by Robert Cockburn, who had visited Portugal when serving in Wellington's army.

Quinta do Noval - http://www.quintadonoval.com/

Quinta do Noval is widely regarded as one of the greatest names in the Port Wine business. It is our aim to continue to produce outstanding Port wine and to maintain and enhance the quality of Port bottled under the Noval name. Hand crafted wines of the very best quality. 
 

Sandeman - http://www.sandeman.eu/
For more than 200 years Sandeman has handed down expertise from generation to generation to maintain the excellence of their wines, appreciated around the world for their quality and taste, mystery and seduction.

Sweet rieslings from Germany

The Riesling grape is probably indigenous to Germany (Europe), and has been planted there since the 14th century. Riesling does the best in Germany and in the Alsace region of France, in California, Austria, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Riesling produces elegant wines of rich character with an incomparable fragrance and taste, often reminiscent of peaches, or when young, apples.

One of Germany specialty is sweet Riesling and Semi-sweet Riesling, very intensive aromas, low alcohol and delicious taste with high acids and sugar. Excellent desert wine.

There is a special area for Rieslings callled Mosel Valley. Rieslings from  Mosel Valley's are world-famous. This region is situated in three countries - north-eastern France, south-western Germany, and eastern Luxembourg, centred on the river valley formed by the Moselle. 

There are many great wineries in Germany producing this kind of rieslings and here are some of the best:

Dr. Loosen - http://www.drloosen.com/
Old winery with over 200 years history.   When Ernst Loosen assumed ownership in 1988, he dramatically reduced his crop size and stopped all chemical fertilization, preferring only moderate use of organic fertilizers. Ernst turned to gentler cellar practices that allow the wine to develop its full potential with a minimum of handling and technological meddling.

 


Weingut Dönnhoff - http://www.doennhoff.com/
The Dönnhoff family have been making wine in this region since 1750. The vineyard area totals 20 hectares and   75% of the area is planted with Riesling. Both the classical dry Riesling wines, which are matured in old oak vats, and the Eiswein wines of the estate have achieved cult status both in Germany and internationally.

Weingut Markus Molitor - http://www.markusmolitor.com/
Markus Molitor restored the wines of the Moselle valley to their former glory. The Markus Molitor winery currently holds 38 hectares of vineyard with 95% of the area planted with Riesling.

Weingut Egon Müller, Scharzhof - http://www.scharzhof.de/
The estate has been owned by Müller family since the late 18th century. Dominatig for The Scharzhofberg vineyard is Riesling. At the most luxurious end of the spectrum of their products are the wines with full-blown botrytis.

St.Urbans-Hof - http://www.urbans-hof.de/
Winery was founded in 1947 by Nicolaus Weis. In the 1960s his son, Hermann, assumed management of all operations. During Hermann's tenure the nursery expanded to become one of Germany's largest. Today the winery exports to international markets and enjoys worldwide a great reputation for exceptional Riesling wines    

Canadian Ice Wine

We tried to describe you the meaning of term Ice wine in another post. In this one, we want to focus on the best Ice Wine producers from Canada. Why? Because Canadian Ice Wine is probably the most famous over the world. Canada has ideal conditions for producing this kind of wines because of soon winter time. The most known winaries and wines are coming from Niagara region in Ontario and British Columbia. Most used grape varietes for Ice Wines are Vidal, a French cross, Riesling and Cabernet Franc.

Let's check what is Bruce Sanderson from Wine Spectator saying about Ice Wines: "Dessert wines, often rare and expensive, are unique wines and the most difficult to make; but when successful, they earn some of the highest ratings given by our editors. Enlisted to do a specific job in a specific situation, these luscious nectars are the special teams of the wine world. They accompany the dessert course, or even take its place and star on their own. Yet despite delivering high quality more often than not, dessert wines are generally misunderstood, underestimated or simply ignored."

Because it's a bit expensive to produce such wines, the price is a bit higher than usual. But what you got for your money is the most concentrated wine, with high residal sugar (about 200 grams/liter and more), very fruity and sweet like a honey. That's why this kind of wines always stay on the top of wineries production.

Some of the best Ice wine producers in Canada are:

Peller Estates - http://pellericewine.com/
Peller Estates Icewine was awarded the BEST ICEWINE TROPHY at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in London, UK for 2007.

Château de Charmes - http://www.chateaudescharmes.com/
Winery with long history which started in the Alsace region of France more than five generations ago.

Chateau Ste Michelle - http://www.ste-michelle.com/
Chateau Ste Michelle got the highest rating ever by Wine Spectator for a very limited ice wine.

Inniskillin - http://www.inniskillin.com/
This winery is settled in two regions - Niagara and the Okanagan and is producing the best Ice Wines in the World from both regions.