Fall for Late Harvest Wines

Image is courtesy of www.vineyard2door.com
 
  Have you ever had a Late Harvest dessert wine?  They are wines made from grapes that are left on the vine long enough to raisin. When they are pulled and put into fermentation, the yeast eats only so much sugar and then when put into barrel the alcohol kills the rest of the yeast, leaving the sugar levels somewhere between 8-12% residual sugar (what sugar is left after fermentation) and alcohol can range from 7-14%.  In my opinion, they can either be ultimate fails or true wins and I am always on a mission to find the latter.  Today I am trying a Late Harvest Pinot Gris.

 2008--Parejas Cellars Late Harvest Pinot Gris is a true win!  The residual sugar is 10.8% and the alcohol is 11.5%.  Notes of toffee, floral vanilla and bright orange zest fill the nose and continue to open up with time.  Creamy caramel notes pair nicely with more of that orange zest and vanilla bean and are balanced by both bright and crisp acidity and great mouthfeel.  The finish is creamy and long with more buttery toffee and velvety caramel notes that linger on and on.  Delicioso!

  This dessert wine would pair perfectly with salted caramels, classic vanilla bread pudding or vanilla and raspberry loaf cake.  If this wine or any others that I blog about inspires you, please feel free to stop in Seattle Wine Outlet (Sodo) and Greenlake Wines and visit myself and the rest of our lovely staff!


Ciao!
Erin

(I try to list all the images I use and if possible, the photographers who take these lovely photos.  If I have a photo of yours, please let me know and I will be happy to remove it from the blog.  Thank you).

You say you don't like sweet--we'll see

Image is courtesy of snooth.com
  In my experience working at wine bars, wineries and tasting rooms, people almost always say they don't like dessert wines.  They use, "It's too sweet" as an excuse to not try a wine.  What I've discovered, however, is that if you, as the employee say, "Just try it", they will!  Now if you truly don't like dessert wines, I am not going to convert you, but know this--you're missing out.

  Italy's famous Moscato D'Asti happens to be my favorite white dessert wine.  The reason I love this varietal so much is because there are so many flavor compounds packed into this grape and the good ones have an orange zest flavor that I cannot resist.  The one I am reviewing today is 2007 Moncalvina--Moscato D'Asti.  Right off the bat, there is that orange zest and lemon rind on the nose.  Along with all this citrus is sweet honeysuckle and fresh pear notes that you will definitely want to spend much time smelling.  Starfruit is the first flavor I get on the palate as well as more orange zest and honeysuckle.  The finish is bright lemon with great acidity and leaves you with the sweet taste of raw honey comb.

  When thinking about what to pair this with, my mouth is watering.  My favorite TV food personality, Giada De Laurentiis has some delicious recipes for nutella biscotti, salted caramel chocoates and raspberry loaf cakes that would all be perfect pairings for this sweet wine.  Come visit myself and the rest of our lovely staff here at Greenlake Wines to try this on the glass menu or take a bottle home for only ten dollars!

 
Ciao!
Erin

(I try to list all the images I use and if possible, the photographers who take these lovely photos.  If I have a photo of yours, please let me know and I will be happy to remove it from the blog.  Thank you).