What Type Of Wine Is The Sweetest?

The reality is that many people don't care for dry wines. To be honest, these sometimes astringent beverages can be an acquired taste, as the tannins in the wine can leave your mouth with a decidedly dry feeling. While there many varieties of sweet wines, they often get a bad rap for being low in quality. Yet, that's not always true, as there are quite a few high-quality wines that offer a sweet experience.

The sweetest white wines include moscato, considered to be a dessert wine. Moscato is typically a bit dry and has subtle flavors of papaya, citrus fruits, and pineapple. Another variety that may be more difficult to find, muscatel (sometimes classified as a part of a wider moscatel variety) is made from muscat grapes and is sometimes considered a fortified wine due to the inclusion of brandy – which, yes, is distinct from cognac. Moscato should be served well chilled (this water hack can be handy if you need to chill your wine in a hurry). Other notably sweet varieties include sauterne and ice wine.

Ultimately, a wine's sweetness is determined during the fermentation process. If a lot of the natural sugars remain after the wine has been fermented, meaning fewer of those have broken down during fermentation, you will end up with a sweet wine. 

You may be able to determine the sweetness of a wine with a simple twirl of your glass. If you see what wine experts call "legs" running down the inside of the glass, this means that the wine is likely on the sweet side. Some sources indicate that long legs that slowly slide down the glass typically spell a sweeter (and more viscous) wine , though others maintain that this is more indicative of a higher alcohol content. Ultimately, a taste is your clearest indicator of sweetness.

If you're looking for the perfect food pairing for a sweet wine like moscato, try light foods that are low in acidity. For example, sweet wines may not stand up to a rich, saucy lasagna but are a great choice when light seafood is on the menu, such as our sommelier-recommended tip to pair a sweet wine with oysters. Moscato will be the hit of a wine and cheese party if it's served with pungent cheese such as bleu cheese or gorgonzola. 

And just because moscato is considered a dessert wine doesn't mean it can't be served during a meal. Sweet red wines like port are the perfect accompaniment to chocolate. They also complement bleu cheese, and just about any kind of caramel dessert can be enjoyed with sweet red wines. Red port's counterpart, white port, is also sweet and pairs nicely with smoked salmon. So, the next time you are searching for a hostess gift to bring to a dinner party, think about bringing one of these wines. You may just change some minds about this sweet beverage.