As we dive into the month of May, I thought we’d discuss sweeter style wines. Warm weather brings barbecues, social gatherings with family and friends, fun in the sun,and a great excuse to drink chilled wines! Whether you are wine novice or just a beginner, I believe sweet wines can be enjoyed equally by men and women of all ages (legally that is)!
At Dame’s we carry many different sweet grape varietals ranging from reds to whites. Whatever your preference might be, we’ve got you covered! Five of my favorites are: Moscato D’Asti, Moscato, Riesling, Rosso Dolce (literally, “Sweet Red”) and a fruit infused Pinot Noir. To give you a more in-depth idea, I’ll break down the brands and how each wine can be served either by the glass or in a carafe, as well as creative, fun, and quirky twists on how you can incorporate wines into different cocktails and food pairings.
Let’s begin with Risata Moscato D’Asti, a dessert wine made northwestern part of Italy in the province of Asti. Made from Moscato Bianco grapes, it has a touch of effervescence that tickles your tongue as you sip it! It’s best served chilled, but a delightful way to spruce up your pour is to add a bit of framboise (French for "raspberry") liqueur! If you like this idea and want to take it a step further, add an entire bottle of Risata to a carafe, pour in a cup of raspberry liqueur, and finish it off with real raspberries for a more fruiter finesse! If sweet wines are your go-to with you and your friends, then this will be sure to please at your next party!
Another beautiful wine that always seems to remain popular year after year is Bartenura Moscato. One thing customers often ask is, “Can you tell mewhere I can find the sweet wine in the blue bottle?” And of course, all our employees know exactly what the customer is talking about! Even on Bartenura’s website, they refer to it as the wine in the “iconic blue bottle.” It’s a DOCG labeled Italian white, and it’s even Kosher for Passover! This Moscato boasts crisp and refreshing flavors of pear, tangerine, nectar, and melon notes. It should be served chilled (by the pool is recommended ;-), just don’t forget a plate of fresh fruit to pair it with!
Pacific Rim Sweet Riesling is the perfect match for those who enjoy a sweet white that doesn't overpower you with sugar! Washington State Rieslings tend to be on the medium sweet scale with less residual sugar, this one being around 7%. I like this wine because it can please most palates and it’s a great beginner for people who want to discover what wines are all about. Serve Pacific Rim with dishes like Thai, Szechwan, and Caribbean cuisine. Also, a cool way to spice up your glass is by making a wine spritzer! Using a white wine glass, pour the wine to your desired amount, and top it off with some ginger ale. Ta-dah, you just got fancy!
Often times people think that white wines are sweeter than reds, but quite the contrary, reds can be sweet as well. Take Roscato Rosso Dolce for example. An Italian red from Lombardy, it is a blend of the red grape varieties Croatina, Teroldego,and Lagrein. It’s a bright ruby red color with intense notes of blackberriesand ripe wild berries. For a twist on serving, freeze the wine into ice cubes, once frozen, pour yourself a glass of Prosecco and add the cubes for a fruiter glass of bubbly! This red is so versatile, it pairs well with all foods or can be drank by itself. We suggest buying at least two bottles, one for you, and one for a friend! You won’t want to share!
Local wines are a must-have at any wine store, and we carry many of them including a selection from the Adirondack Winery based out of Queensbury, New York, which is about an hour and a half south of Plattsburgh. One of my favorites is their Wild Red. It is a Pinot Noir base with black cherries infused into the blend. Giving this soft wine a semi-sweet, light-bodied, and succulent taste. Sidenote: One of the really neat things about the labels on the wines is that they depict nature scenes from all around the Adirondacks. This one has a handmade Adirondack chair on a boat dock that really captures the essence of the wine. For a unique cocktail, try adding sparkling lemonade to make a ‘Cherry Limeade’ wine spritzer.
As you can see there are so many different sweet wines out there that can be appreciated by all, and I’ve only included my top 5! Can you imagine all the other options out there! Whoa! I wouldn’t be able to create a wine blog long enough to mention all of them, let alone discuss them! Hope you enjoyed my read for themonth of May. Stay tuned for June….
