Alsace

Alsace:-

Almost all wines are white, except those made from the Pinot noir grape which are pale red, often rosé, rarely red (e.g. Rouge d'Ottrott . Sparkling wines known as Crémant d'Alsace are also made. Much of the white wines of Alsace are made from aromatic grape varieties, so many characteristic Alsace wines are aromatic, floral and spicy. Since they very seldom have any oak barrel aromas they tend to be very varietally pure in their character. Traditionally all Alsace wines were dry (which once set them apart from German wines with which they share many grape varieties), but an ambition to produce wines with more intense and fruity character has led some producers to produce wines which contain some residual sugar. Since there is no official labeling that differentiates completely dry from off-dry (or even semi-sweet) wines, this has occasionally led to some confusion among consumers. It is more common to find residual sugar in Gewürztraminer and Pinot gris, which reach a higher natural sugar content on ripeness, than in Riesling, Muscat or Sylvaner. Usually there is a "house style" as to residual sugar, i.e., some producers only produce totally dry wines, except for their dessert style wines.

Almost all production in Alsace is of AOC wine, since there is no Vin de pays region, which covers Alsace. Thus, the only alternative to producing AOC wine is to declassify it all the way down to Vin de table, which generally means that neither grape varieties, region of origin or vintage may be identified. However, this solution is mostly avoided since edelzwicker and gentil may be blended from several varieties, i.e. varieties that exceed the AOC rules in the concerned season.

Bottles

There is a legal requirement for bottling Alsace wine in tall bottles commonly called flûtes d'Alsace In the AOC rules; the bottle type is actually called vin du Rhin, i.e., "Rhine wine bottle". Without being mandated by law, this bottle format is also common and traditional in many German regions, particularly for Riesling and other traditional white wine varieties.

Late harvest wines

There are two late harvest classifications, Vendange Tardive (VT) and Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN). Vendange Tardive means "late harvest" (which in German would be Spätlese), but in terms of must weight requirements, VT is similar to Auslese in Germany. Sélection de Grains Nobles means "selection of noble berries", i.e. grapes affected by noble rot, and is similar to a German Beerenauslese. For both VT and SGN, Alsace wines tend to be higher in alcohol and therefore slightly lower in sugar than the corresponding German wines. Therefore, Riesling VT and Muscat VT tend to be semi-sweet rather than sweet, while Gewürztraminer and Pinot gris tend to be rather sweet already at VT level. But as is the case with sweetness in other Alsace wines, this depends to a large extent on the house style of the producer.

The required level of ripeness of the grapes, which was increased in 2001, are as follows, expressed as sugar content of the must and potential alcohol

The producer Aimé Stentz produces a late harvest Pinot blanc known as Pi-Noblesse, which is ineligible for either VT or SGN labelling

Varieties	VT since 2001	SGN since 2001	VT before 2001	SGN before 2001
Gewürztraminer Pinot gris	243 grams per liter or 15.3% potential alcohol or 110 °Oe [14]	279 grams per liter or 18.2% potential alcohol or 128 °Oe	14.3% potential alcohol or 104 °Oe	16.4% potential alcohol or 117 °Oe
Riesling Muscat	220 grams per liter or 14% potential alcohol or 102 °Oe	256 grams per liter or 16.4% potential alcohol or 117 °Oe	12.9% potential alcohol or 94 °Oe	15.1% potential alcohol or 108 °Oe

The minimum required must weights have again been increased to the following:

VT: Riesling, Muscat, Muscat Ottonel: 235 g/l (formerly 220 g/l); Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer: 257 g/l (formerly 243 g/l)

SGN: Riesling, Muscat, Muscat Ottonel: 276 g/l (formerly 256 g/l); Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer: 306 g/l (formerly 279 g/l)

Grape varieties

Variety	Area 2008 (proportion)[
Riesling	21.7%
Gewürztraminer	18.6%
Pinot gris	15.2%
Auxerrois blanc	14.2%
Pinot noir	9.6%
Sylvaner	8.9%
Pinot blanc[16]	7.0%
Muscat varieties	2.3%
Chasselas	0.6%
Other, including Chardonnay and Savagnin	1.3%
Mixed vineyards	0.6%
Sum	15 535 ha

Over the last decades, plantings of Riesling, Pinot noir and in particular Pinot gris have increased, while Sylvaner (once the most grown variety) and Chasselas have been on the decrease.

Varietal labels and similar designations[

Alsace is known for being the only French wine-growing region with a long practice in varietal labeling, which was a German tradition long before varietally labelled New world wines scored considerable export success. However, under appellation rules, not all varietal-sounding names on labels need to correspond to a single grape variety. Only one varietal label may be used on a wine, and a blend may not have more than one varietal name on the label.

Label

Varieties allowed (if different)

AOC Alsace

AOC Alsace Grand Cru

VT & SGN

Comment

Noble varieties

Gewurztraminer

Gewürztraminer

X

X

X

Written without umlaut in French

Muscat

Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains Muscat Rose à Petits Grains Muscat Ottonell

X

X

X

Blends within these varieties are allowed for AOC Alsace, But only for specific AOC Grands Crus in certain cases. Not allowed for Grands Crus on Zotzenberg (fr) or Kaefferkopf

Pinot gris

X

X

X

called Tokay d'Alsace before 1994 and later Tokay Pinot gris. The use of Tokay has been phased out to avoid confusion with wines from Tokaji in Hungary. From the 2007 vintage, Pinot gris is the only allowed designation.

Riesling

X

X

X

Other single variety labels

Chasselas Gutedel

Chasselas

X

Klevener de Heiligenstein

Savagnin Rose

X

Allowed for existing vineyards in Bourgheim, Gertwiller, Goxwiller, Heiligenstein and Obernai, with no replanting allowed outside the designation area after 2021.

Pinot noir

X

For red and rosé wines

Sylvaner

X

The variety Sylvaner - pure or mixed with Gewürztraminer, Pinot gris and Riesling - is allowed in wines from the Grand Cru vineyard Zotzenberg (fr) in Mittelbergheim since 2006, but not the varietal label.

Labels allowing blends of several varieties

Pinot[19] Klevner

Auxerrois blanc Pinot blanc Pinot gris Pinot noir, vinified as blanc de noirs

X

Pinot-labelled wines can be varietally pure or blends in any proportions of any of these varieties. Klevner-labelled wines are not supposed to be different. It has been claimed that the regulatory bodies, quietly tolerate the blending of Chardonnay into Pinot blanc-labeled wine, while against the AOC regulations.

Edelzwicker

Any variety allowed in AOC Alsace

X

Commonly blended from several varieties in any proportions.

Labels outside the appellation regulations

Gentil

Any variety allowed in AOC Alsace

Unregulated older designation for blends that has been reintroduced.Consensus seems to be that a Gentil should have a minimum of 50% of the four noble grapes, and can therefore be thought of as a high-end Edelzwicker.

Other varieties grown in Alsace

Chardonnay

Allowed in Crémant d'Alsace, but not in AOC Alsace wines. Still Alsace wine from Chardonnay can only be sold as Vin de table according to regulations, but its blending into "Pinot blanc" is said to be quietly tolerated.

Non-AOC wines

Almost all Alsace wine is produced under one of the region's three AOC designations—Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru and Crémant d'Alsace. Unlike most other French wine regions, there exists no Vin de pays designation for Alsace. This means that wines that do not qualify for AOC status have to be sold as simple Vin de table de France. This happens in some instances when producers wish to use other grape varieties in their wine, like Domaine Zind-Humbrecht which sells its cuvée Zind, a blend of 65% Chardonnay and 35% Auxerrois.

Industry structure

Up to 2,000 growers bottle their own wine, but more than 80% of the wine is produced by 175 producers, including many winemaking cooperatives. Even the largest winemaking companies/négociants in Alsace tend to be family-owned.In 2001, approximately 45% of Alsace wine was made by cooperatives.

Producers

Some of the best-known producers include Maison Trimbach, Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, Hugel & Fils, Léon Beyer, Weinbach, Josmeyer and Marcel Deiss. Many of the larger houses, such as Hugel, sell both wines from their own vineyards and market wines they have produced from purchased grapes, i.e., operate as négociant. Producers calling themselves "Domaine", such as Zind-Humbrecht, are supposed to only use grapes from their own vineyards. There are also several winemaking cooperatives, some of which have a rather good reputation.

Route des Vins d'Alsace

The Route des Vins d'Alsace (Wine route of Alsace) is an approximately 170 km long road, crossing the main wine producing areas of the region. From north to south, the following 67 communes

Level One Sommelier

I am so excited and thrill to start the classes at Hyatt Huntington Beach for our level one sommelier, we are committed to have all our F&B team member to be at least level one sommelier. i am sure with upper management help, hard work and dedication form all of the F&B staff team we are going to achieve this for sure :) i can see the light and drive in eyes of every single of us when we sat for our first class last tuesday 

VIVA HYATT@ HB                       YES WE CAN 

Champagne

Contrary to legend and popular belief, Dom Pérignon did not invent sparkling wine, but he did make important contributions to the production and quality of Champagne wine.The oldest recorded sparkling wine is Blanquette de Limoux, which was apparently invented by Benedictine Monks in the Abbey of Saint-Hilaire, near Carcassonne in 1531. They achieved this by bottling the wine before the initial fermentation had ended, The Champagne winemaking community, under the auspices of the Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne (CIVC), has developed a comprehensive set of rules and regulations for all wine produced in the region to protect its economic interests. They include codification of the most suitable growing places; the most suitable grape types (most Champagne is a blend of up to three grape varieties, though other varieties are allowed); and a lengthy set of requirements specifying most aspects of viticulture. This includes pruning, vineyard yield, the degree of pressing, and the time that wine must remain on its lees before bottling. It can also limit the release of Champagne to market to maintain prices. Only when a wine meets these requirements may it be labeled Champagne. The rules agreed upon by the CIVC are submitted for the final approval of the Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (formerly the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine, INAO).

In the United States name protection of wine-growing place names is becoming more important. Several key U.S. wine regions, such as those in California (Napa, Sonoma Valley, Paso Robles), Oregon, and Walla Walla, Washington, came to consider the remaining semi-generic labels as harmful to their reputations (Napa Declaration on Place).

Even the terms méthode champenoise and Champagne method were forbidden by an EU court decision in 1994.As of 2005 the description most often used for sparkling wines using the second fermentation in the bottle process, but not from the Champagne region, is méthode traditionnelle. Sparkling wines are produced worldwide, and many producers use special terms to define them: Spain uses Cava, Italy designates it spumante, and South Africa uses cap classique. An Italian sparkling wine made from the Muscat grape uses the DOCG Asti and from the Glerá grape the DOCG Prosecco. In Germany, Sekt is a common sparkling wine. Other French wine regions cannot use the name Champagne: e.g., Burgundy and Alsace produce Crémant. In 2008, more than 3,000 bottles of sparkling wine produced in California labelled with the term "Champagne" were destroyed by Belgian government authorities.

Champagne production

There are four main methods of sparkling wine production.

•   The first is simple injection of carbon dioxide (CO₂), the process used in soft drinks.

•   The second is the Metodo Martinotti created and patented by Italian Federico Martinotti (1860-1924) in 1895[1] and adapted by Eugène Charmat in 1907,

•   a French vine grower in Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule, in which the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in bulk tanks, and is bottled under pressure. This method is used for Prosecco and Asti in particular.

•   The third method is the traditional method or méthode champenoise.With this method the effervescence is produced by secondary fermentation in the bottle. As the name suggests, this is used for the production of Champagne, but is slightly more expensive than the Charmat process.

•   The fourth method is the "transfer method". This method will take the cuvée to bottle for secondary fermentation, which allows for the additional complexity, but then will transfer the wine out of the individual bottles into a larger tank after it has spent the desired amount of time on yeast.

Harvest and primary fermentation

Grapes used for Champagne are generally picked earlier, when sugar levels are lower and acid levels higher. Except for pink or rosé Champagnes, the juice of harvested grapes is pressed off quickly, to keep the wine white. The first fermentation begins in the same way as any wine, converting the natural sugar in the grapes into alcohol while the resultant carbon dioxide is allowed to escape. This produces the base wine. This wine is not very pleasant by itself, being too acidic. At this point the blend, known as the cuvée, is assembled, using wines from various vineyards, and, in the case of non-vintage Champagne, various years.

Traditional method.

The traditional method is the process used in the Champagne region of France to produce the sparkling wine known as Champagne. It is also the method used in various French regions to produce Crémant or other traditional method sparkling wines, in Spain to produce Cava and in Italy to produce Franciacorta. The method is known as the méthode champenoise, but the Champagne producers have successfully lobbied the European Union to restrict the use of that term within the EU to wines produced from their region. Thus, wines from elsewhere cannot use the term "méthode champenoise" on products sold in the EU, and instead the term "traditional method" (méthode traditionnelle) or the local language equivalent may be seen; for instance, in Germany the term used is "klassische flaschengärung". South African wines from the Western Cape are labelled with the term "Methode Cap Classique". However, consumers outside the EU may see méthode champenoise used on labels for products made outside of France.

After primary fermentation, blending (assemblage in Champagne) and bottling, a second alcoholic fermentation occurs in the bottle.

Although known as the Champagne method and associated with the name of Dom Perignon in the late seventeenth century, this method of bottle fermentation was already used in Limoux, southwestern France, since 1531 for the production of Blanquette de Limoux.

Second fermentation

The blended wine is put in bottles along with yeast and a small amount of sugar, called the liqueur de tirage, stopped with a crown cap or another temporary plug, and stored in a wine cellar horizontally for a second fermentation. Under the Appellation d'origine contrôlée, NV (non-vintage) Champagne is required to age for 15 months to develop completely. In years where the harvest is exceptional, a vintage (millesime) is declared and the wine must mature for at least three years.

During the secondary fermentation, the carbon dioxide is trapped in the wine in solution. The amount of added sugar determines the pressure of the bottle. To reach the standard value of 6 bars (600 kPa) inside the bottle, it is necessary to have 18 grams of sugar; the amount of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is regulated by the European Commission (Regulation 1622/2000, 24 July 2000) to be 0.3 gram per bottle. The liqueur de tirage is then a mixture of sugar, yeast and still Champagne wine.

Aging on lees

Non-vintage wine from Champagne cannot legally be sold until it has aged on the lees in the bottle for at least 15 months. Champagne's AOC regulations further require that vintage Champagnes be aged in cellars for three years or more before disgorgement, but most top producers exceed the requirement, holding bottles on the lees for 6 to 8 years.

Riddling

After aging, the lees must be consolidated for removal. The bottles undergo process known as riddling (remuage in French). In this stage, the bottles are placed on special racks called pupitres that hold them at a 45° angle, with the crown cap pointed down. Once a day (every two days for Champagne), the bottles are given a slight shake and turn, alternatively on right then left, and dropped back into the pupitres, with the angle gradually increased. The drop back into the rack causes a slight tap, pushing sediments toward the neck of the bottle. In 10 to 14 days (8 to 10 weeks for Champagne), the position of the bottle is straight down, with the lees settled in the neck. (This time can be shortened by moving the bottle more than once a day,[ and by using modern, less sticky strains of yeast.) Manual riddling is still done for Prestige Cuvées in Champagne, but has otherwise been largely abandoned because of the high labour costs. Mechanised riddling equipment (a gyropalette) is used instead.

Many stores now sell riddling racks for decorative storage of finished wine.

Disgorging

The lees removal process is called disgorging (dégorgement in French), traditionally a skilled manual process where the crown cap and lees are removed without losing much of the liquid, and a varying amount of sugar added. Before the invention of this process by Madame Clicquot in 1816, Champagne was cloudy. Freezing a small amount of the liquid in the neck and removing this plug of ice containing the lees do modern automated disgorgement.

Dosage

Immediately after disgorging but before final corking, the liquid level is topped up with liqueur d'expédition, commonly a little sugar, a practice known as dosage. The liqueur d'expédition is a mixture of the base wine and sucrose, plus 0.02 to 0.03 grams of sulfur dioxide as a preservative. Some maisons de Champagne (Champagne brands) claim to have secret recipes for this, adding ingredients such as old Champagne wine and candi sugar. In the Traité théorique et pratique du travail des vins (1873), Maumené lists the additional ingredients "usually present in the liqueur d'expédition": port wine, cognac, elderberry wine, kirsch, framboise wine, alum solutions, tartaric acid, and tannins.

The amount of sugar in the liqueur d'expédition determines the sweetness of the Champagne, the sugar previously in the wine having been consumed in the second fermentation. Generally, sugar is added to balance the high acidity of the Champagne, rather than to produce a sweet taste. Brut Champagne will only have a little sugar added, and Champagne called nature or zéro dosage will have no sugar added at all. A cork is then inserted, with a capsule and wire cage (muselet) securing it in place.

Champagne's sugar content varies. The sweetest level is 'doux' (meaning sweet) and then, in increasing dryness, 'demi-sec' (half-dry), 'sec' (dry), 'extra sec' (extra dry), 'brut' (very dry-dry), 'extra brut' (very dry), 'brut nature/brut zero/ultra brut' (no additional sugar, bone dry).

Other method

While the traditional, or "Champagne method", is the most widely known style of production, there are several ways to produce sparkling wine that are less costly in labor.[3]

Metodo Italiano (Charmat process)

The Charmat process is known as Metodo Charmat-Martinotti (or Metodo Martinotti) in Italy, where it was invented and is most used. In France, the process is referred to as Méthode Charmat. The wine undergoes secondary fermentation in stainless steel tanks or steel vessels covered with vitreous enamel rather than in individual bottles, and are bottled under pressure in a continuous process. Many grape varieties, including Prosecco, are best suited for fermentation in tanks. Charmat method sparkling wines can be produced at a slightly lower cost than méthode champenoise wines.

Sovetskoye Shampanskoye or 'Soviet champagne' was produced using a similar method. In 1975 Moët & Chandon bought licence of production of sparkling wine by Soviet method.

Transfer method

This follows the first steps of "méthode champenoise" in that after primary fermentation the cuvée is transferred to bottles to complete secondary fermentation. When the secondary fermentation is complete and the wine has spent the desired amount of time in bottle on yeast lees (six months is the requirement to label a wine 'bottle fermented') then the individual bottles are transferred (hence the name) into a larger tank. The wine is then filtered, the liqueur de dosage added, and then filled back into new bottles for sale. This method allows for complexity to be built into the wine, but also gives scope for blending options after the wine has gone into bottle and reduces the bottle-to-bottle variations that can be hard to control in the "méthode champenoise".

Gas injection

Comparatively inexpensive sparkling wine is made by simple injection of CO₂ from a carbonator. This way of manufacturing is allowed in the European Union. Sparkling wines made via this method must use terms ‘aerated sparkling wine’ and ‘aerated semi-sparkling wine’ must be supplemented, where necessary, by the words ‘obtained by adding carbon dioxide’ or ‘obtained by adding carbon anhydride.'

Bottle aging

Even experts disagree about the effects of aging on Champagne after disgorgement. Some prefer the freshness and vitality of young, recently disgorged Champagne, and others prefer the baked apple and caramel flavors that develop from a year or more of bottle aging. In 2009, a 184-year-old bottle of Perrier-Jouët was opened and tasted, still drinkable, with notes of "truffles and caramel", according to the experts.[9]

Vintage vs. non-vintage

The majority of the Champagne produced is non-vintage (also known as mixed vintage or multivintage), a blend of wines from several years. This means that no declared year will be displayed on the bottle label. Typically, however, the majority of the wine is from the current year but a percentage is made of reserve wine from previous years. This serves to smooth out some of the vintage variations caused by the marginal growing climate of Champagne, which is the most northerly winegrowing region in France. Most Champagne houses strive for a consistent house style from year to year (largely for reasons related to price-setting and successful marketing), and this is arguably one of the hardest tasks of the house winemaker.

The grapes to produce vintage Champagne must be 100% from the year indicated (some other wines in the EU need only be 85% to be called vintage, depending on their type and appellation). To maintain the quality of non-vintage Champagne a maximum of half the grapes harvested in one year can be used in the production of vintage Champagne ensuring at least 50%, though usually more, is reserved for non-vintage wines. Vintage Champagnes are the product of a single high-quality year, and bottles from prestigious makers can be rare and expensive.

Wine fault

Several wine faults can occur in sparkling wine production. Some that were present in early production methods include yeux de crapauds (toad's eyes) which was a condition of big, viscous bubbles that resulted from the wine spending too much time in wooden casks. Another fault could occur when the wine is exposed to bacteria or direct sunlight, leaving the wine with murky coloring and an oily

 Khan 

CS,CSW,CSC

Your Wine Dr.

Mer Soleil Santa Lucia Reserve with bold fruit sourced from Santa Lucia Highlands,Mer Soleil Chardonnay presents an ambitious, classic California Chardonnay - a rich, creamy style with big, ripe fruit that ranges from zesty citrus to succulent pineapple and toasted coconut (thanks to the heady, focused influence of French oak). The acidity is bright and engaging rounding out the creamy textures and spotlighting the fruit while making for exceptional food pairing partnerships. Well-balanced, well-priced, and perfect for pairing with lobster tail, crab cakes, or poultry picks served with cream or butter-based sauces, the 2010 Mer Soleil rocks out with remarkable symmetry and fine-tuned balance - another wine delight from the Wagner Family.

I personally love this Chard.

your Wine Dr.

KHAN

CS,CSW,CSC

WATERTABLE @ HYATT HB

Watch out Orange County some one going to knock on the doors of OC restaurant and on the door of foodie in orange county A new place called WATERTABLE is poised to take over soon the old Californian restaurant . The new restaurant will feature a Spanish-inspired menu, this means it will have small plates served in bar and called "Bar Jars," which are mason jars filled with "Oven-Cured Tomatoes with Sherry, Artichoke and Manchego Cheese Spread and Iberico and Spicy Tomato Jam." and many more.
Watertable will also have additional Spanish-influenced hot bar appetizers including "Charred Prawns in Romesco, Potato and Corn Empanadas and Lamb Meatballs with Mojo Verde."
On Sunday nights, WATERTABLE will feature a so-called "Meat + three" supper, "done California-style with Roasted Salmon as one of the protein options, served alongside roasted vegetables, cheddar sage biscuits and apple butter."
But depending on your point of view, it's the "signature water drinks" that are going to be either interesting "water drinks" this way: "water, hand-dipped from a free-flowing contemporary 'well' and infused with ever-changing herbs, spices and syrups."
Highly decorated Executive Master chef Mr.Manfred and his right hand Executive sous chef Mr. Perez working 24/7 tirelessly to bring a totally new menu concept to live
Hyatt higher management hand picked some of the top orange county restaurant pro. to kick start this new concept like GM Mr. Mario Selar and AGM Mr. Kevin Morales the restaurant will be having a Certified Sommelier/ certified wine specialist on the floor to assist the guest for their wine selection. the menu is incredibly innovative hand crafted cocktail , world wide selection of wine ( you buy two glass of wine and they will open any bottle from the menu ) live tapas style small kitchen in bar area to assist your needs right away and local brewery beer on tap.
Food menu is more Spanish inspired where you will feel like home.
i would definitely suggest you give a try once they open their door to welcome the guest in second or third week of april of the this mind blowing concept

Your Wine Dr. KHAN
CS,CSW,CSC  

Dessert Wines

We get so much involve in other type of wine or get too much full eating all the delicious food and yummy wine but when it come to dessert wine we normally make a comments OH GOD i am too full :) but let me tell you one think start sipping some and then you will never use that comments again in your life. Dessert and wine—best of both worlds. The sweetness of dessert wine helps to "close" the palate after a meal, naturally leaving mouths open for more conversation and frivolity. In selecting a dessert wine to accompany your dessert, it is helpful to match the weight, colors and flavors of the wine to your dessert.

Late Harvest Wines:
Wines made from grapes picked toward the end of the harvest when they are very ripe. Such grapes have higher sugar content, particularly those with botrytis cinerea, a beloved, beneficial mold that shrivels the grape thereby concentrating its sugar. This translates to a sweet wine, a wine that is high in alcohol or a wine with both of these characteristics.
Flavor Intensity: Rich, Deep, Honeyed Serving Temperature: 51-61º F
Wines Late Harvest Semillon Late Harvest Muscat Late Harvest Riesling Late Harvest Muscat Canelli Sauternes	Classic Food Pairings Raspberry/Blueberry Tarte Baked Apples Fresh Pear Slices with Honey Veined Cheeses

PORT:
Port originates in the Douro Valley, Portugal (though it's named for Oporto, the city from which they're shipped). Originally crafted to ensure the draught lasted over long sea voyages, these sweet red wines have been fortified with a portion of brandy, giving them a higher alcohol content (20% average).
Port Suggested Serving Temperature: 62-65º F
Styles	Characteristics	Dessert Pairings
Ruby Port: a blend of wines aged in bulk for around 2-3 years and then bottled young, while still ruby red in color.	Sweet, fresh, fruity, unfussy. Meant to be imbibed immediately after bottling.	Gouda Cheese Blueberry Tarte Ultimate Berry Pie Chocolate Lava Cake
Tawny Port: A blend of wines aged in wood for 5-50 years, allowing the color to dissipate to an orange-amber (aka tawny) hue.	Slightly drier than Ruby, Tawny Port boast flavors reminiscent of caramel and brown sugar.	Blue Cheeses (Roquefort) Apple Blossoms Pecan Pie Fresh Peaches
Vintage Port: Made from the very best grapes of a single year, the wines are aged in wood for just two years, then in the bottle for at least 10. It's bottled unfiltered and should always be decanted prior to enjoyment.	Deep color, exquisite bouquet and fruity taste with hints of plum and blackberries. Full bodied with a long finish.	Raspberry Tarte Chocolate Lava Cake Dark Chocolate Blue Stilton Aged Cheddar Camembert

Dessert Wine Glass In general, Dessert wine glasses are smaller than a traditional wine glass, but with a curved/rounded bowl designed to emphasize the acidity of sweet wines and create balance.

Your Wine Dr. 

KHAN -CS,CSW,CSC