Dessert Wines

[winemanden]

A Senior moment, not long after reading someone asking for a definition of Dessert wine, I went looking for info. This is what I was looking for but I completely forgot which thread it was on. Anyway, this is what I found in the competition rules for the next National show.

These are excerpts from the UK 2023 National Competition. It may or may not be relevant to info on Dessert wine.


AFTER-DINNER WINE RED SWEET: The colour should be deep. Mature wines may have tawny characteristics but should display some red colour. The flavour should be rich fruity and vinous, the whole being mellow and mature. Acidity should be between 0.45% and 0.7%. The alcohol should be as high as may be achieved by fermentation. The wine should be as sweet as the other characteristics will permit without it becoming cloying. Although this wine is often called ‘Dessert’ it is meant for drinking after dinner. Examples would be Mavrodaphne of Patras 15% to Port 22%.
AFTER-DINNER WINE WHITE TO BROWN SWEET: Here a wide range of colours is acceptable with the deeper colours usually providing the best wines but there must be no Red colouring. Acidity should be between 0.5% and 0.9%. All other characteristics are as After Dinner Wine Red Sweet. Examples Madeira, Muscat & sweet Oloroso Sherries.

 

[BigDaveK]

Yes, the original post was asking the difference between port and dessert wine. (And we know there is none.)
And I was dismayed because everything I found was so incredibly vague.
I could make the argument that this is the UK definition and blah blah blah. I won't. This is what I had in mind when I was looking around. Great! Thank you, @winemanden !

 

[winemanden]

Additional Info:

 

[hounddawg]

OK THEN ,,,,,,WHAT ,,,, ABOUT THIS, i am fond of eating my dessert before my meal, sooo does this mean i can drink my sweet wine to began with, i am under the impression that you drink your good wine first, then serve you less than Steller wine to those you ain't crazy about, so is this hayseed correct,
Dawg