Wine as a whole is often described as ‘nectar of the gods’, but no category quite encapsulates the word nectar as well as dessert wine. Be they red, white, or sparkling, these sweet wines are famed for their ability to accompany a meal’s final course.

Many wines, such as shiraz, chardonnay and aged riesling, are so dry that it can be easy to forget that they are produced from a naturally sweet fruit. But on the other end of the spectrum, beyond the comparatively low key sweetness of pinot noir, sauvignon blanc and even moscato, sit a group of wines that don’t just display a grape’s natural saccharinity, but greatly intensify it. These are the dessert wines. The term ‘dessert wine’ is a difficult one to define, as different cultures will place different wines within the category. Most commonly dessert wines are characterised by their higher alcohol and sugar content, much like fortified wines such as port. But unlike port they are served mainly as an accompaniment to sweet dishes.

To name dessert wines is to list an endless register of different brands, grapes, techniques and styles. But for the most part these wines can be compacted down into four major categories. 

Sparkling: Traditional sparkling wines are known for their dry and highly acidic taste, which dulls their natural sweetness greatly. In contrast dessert sparklings are made with grapes that are naturally sweeter, which is reflected in the resultant wine. Sparkling bottles labelled with Demi-Sec, Dulce, Boux or Semi-Secco fit in this category.

Light sweet: There is some crossover between traditional whites and dessert whites in the light sweet category. Grapes such as riesling and viognier can be produced in both dry and sweet styles, which makes their sweet versions less intense than other dessert wines. Chenin blanc and gewürztraminer varieties also find themselves in this category.

Rich sweet: Rich sweet wines are those made from grapes renowned for their sweetness. These grapes are often harvested later than normal, allowing them to grow sweeter and more raisinated, while others are intentionally allowed to rot from contact with a spore called Botrytis cinerea which, while seemingly off-putting, engenders the resulting wine with notes of ginger and honey. The wines of Sauternes, Barsac, Tokaji and Passito are rich sweet examples.

Sweet red: While sweet reds are experiencing a decline in popularity, Lambrusco, Freisa and Schiava still produce sweet reds of note.

The inherent sweetness of dessert wines can be produced through four different methods. 

Growing a sweet grape: Some grapes are naturally sweeter than others. But already sweet grapes can be grown even sweeter by cross-breeding different varieties, using special cultivation methods or harvesting late.

Adding sugar: Sweetness can be added to the wine in the form of sugar or honey before fermentation, or in the form of unfermented must after fermentation.<

Adding alcohol: As is done with fortified wines, dessert wines can have brandy or neutral spirit added to them, which leaves residual sugar in the wine as it breaks down any yeast that is present.

Removing water: By removing water from the grape a more concentrated wine is created. Grapes can be air dried (raisin wine) and can be infected with a fungus (noble rot wine). Water can even be frozen out in cooler climates (ice wine).

Unlike other styles, the modus operandi of dessert wines is clear – to offer the perfect pairing to sweet dishes. So how do you find this match made in heaven? Every palate is different, so the only foolproof way to find the perfect pairing is to take a nibble of the dessert and wash it down with the wine. But failing that, here are a few quick examples of gorgeous food/fluid combinations. Ice wine and apple crumble: Fruit-filled baked goods pair perfectly with sweet and silky ice wine, which gets its name from the process of freezing out excess moisture. Lambrusco and berry chocolate cake: The deep, sweet tastes of Lambrusco are matched beautifully with rich chocolate cakes, particularly those which feature red fruits. Orange muscat and glazed apricots: A delectable take on muscat, the orange variety goes perfectly with any bitey fruit-based dessert.

Important information:

*$100 Qantas Hotels and Holidays Voucher: Offer ends 12 October 2023 11:59pm (AEDT) unless sold out prior. and excludes beer and spirits. Qantas may withdraw or extend these offers at any time. A$100 Qantas Hotels and Holidays voucher will be eligible to members who spend $300 or more at Qantas Wine between 5 - 12 October 2023. The voucher is subject to a $200 minimum spend and is redeemable on bookings made at qantas.com/hotels or qantas.com/holidays. Voucher expires on 13 February 2024. Limit of one voucher per member. Voucher is single use only and cannot be combined or used in conjunction with any other offer. Any unused balance of the voucher will be forfeited and is not redeemable for cash. Eligible participants will be sent their A$100 Qantas Hotels and Holidays voucher on 15 November 2023.

^Earn 5,000 bonus Qantas Points: Promo code is valid for one order per member, cannot be used with any other offer or promo code and is valid for first time customers only. Spend $99 or more on your first purchase with Qantas Wine, enter FIRSTORDER promo code at checkout in order to receive 5,000 bonus Qantas Points. Offer is only available for customers who have never shopped with Qantas Wine before. Qantas may withdraw or extend these offers at any time. Allow up to 8 weeks for points to appear in your Qantas Frequent Flyer account.

~Qantas Recommends: Offer ends 5 October 2023 11:59pm (AEDT) or until stocks last.

1. Qantas Frequent Flyer members who are not Qantas Wine Premium members will earn 1 Qantas Point per dollar spent and Qantas Wine Premium members will earn 3 Qantas Points per dollar spent on Eligible Products and Services purchased through qantas.com/wine. Qantas Points can be earned on cash only purchases and the cash component of Points Plus Pay purchases on eligible products. The earning and redemption of Qantas Points are subject to the Qantas Frequent Flyer Terms and Conditions. Allow up to 6 weeks for Qantas Points to appear in your Qantas Frequent Flyer account.

2. Available for delivery within Australia only, subject to availability.

3. Bonus points available on selected cases only. The selected cases can change at any time.

4. Qantas Business Rewards members that have provided an individual Qantas Frequent Flyer number in their Qantas Business Rewards account before making a purchase will earn 2 Qantas Points per dollar spent for the business. The business’ name and individual Qantas Frequent Flyer number linked with the Qantas Business Rewards account must be added at checkout in order to earn points for the business. Qantas Points for the business are earned in addition to the points earned by the individual Qantas Frequent Flyer. Retrospective claims cannot be made. The additional points will be credited to the Qantas Business Rewards account within 30 days of purchase. For more information visit Qantas Business Rewards.

5. Points Club members will receive complimentary Qantas Wine Premium membership for the duration of their Points Club membership. Points Club Plus members will receive complimentary Qantas Wine Premium membership, plus an additional 10% discount on marked prices at Qantas Wine on all products, excluding Penfolds, for the duration of their Points Club Plus membership. 10% discount will be applied at checkout and cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotional offer or voucher code, except for the Points Club Plus birthday vouchers. To activate the complimentary Qantas Wine Premium membership, Points Club and Points Club Plus members will need to log into qantas.com/wine and the Qantas Wine Premium membership will automatically be added to their cart and benefits will be applied. For more information on Points Club visit qantas.com/pointsclub

All wine brands in the Sustainable Sips program hold Sustainable Winegrowing Australia Certification. Certified wineries have been independently audited against the Australian wine industry sustainability standard. While this means that practices within the winery meet the industry sustainability standard, there is no guarantee that all grapes used to make the wine have been sourced from a certified sustainable vineyard.

Liquor Act 2007 (NSW): No alcohol can be sold or supplied to anyone under 18. It’s against the law. Licence Number: NSW LIQP770016736, NT IRL0201, SA 57900154

For more Terms and Conditions, please click here.