5 Indulgent Wine & Dessert Pairing Ideas
It’s the season of love, and indulgence, which makes me instantly think of – dessert, and wine! If sinful indulgence is on your mind too – these wine and dessert pairing ideas are perfect for not only Valentine’s Day but also for any other special post-dinner extravagance!
Sinfully, Indulgent.
The wines I’ve selected here are easy to find, incredibly delicious, and not too heavy on the pocket either, making these my top pairings. Pairing them with equally decadent desserts adds the ‘extra’ to the ‘ordinary’. Read on and check out my favourite 5 wine and dessert pairings here, just in time for Valentine’s Day!
Before we begin, I’m thinking let’s throw some light on the world of sweet wines. Exploring the wine world is difficult if you have a sweet tooth, as most wines that are made are in the non-sweet category. We call them dry wines. But do you know, historically speaking, sweet wines were one of the oldest and most coveted styles in the world – so your love for sweet wines is completely validated.
And here’s an even more fun fact for you: the world’s first demarcated wine region wasn’t a Bordeaux or a Burgundy from France, it was a region in Hungary that specialised in making very sweet wines called Tokaji. They are truly some of the finest and most treasured styles in the world!
Pro tip: If you don’t have a tendency to burn the kitchen down, bake the dessert yourself to really up the ante on your romantic evening!
1 Riesling and Coconut Panna Cotta
Lightly sweet wines are perfect for a warm, relaxed afternoon, especially when paired with a light-textured dessert.
Wine: Bex Riesling, Nahe, Germany
INR 2250
Imported by: Sonarys Fine Wines
Riesling finds its home in Germany, and this bright, young and aromatic expression from Nahe is a beautiful example for a slightly off-dry (or slightly sweet) Riesling. The naturally high acidity of Riesling is nicely balanced with a touch of sweetness, delicate floral aromas, and zesty citrus notes on the palate.
The Pairing
The crisp, refreshing sip of the wine cuts through the richness from the creamy, slightly sweet Panna Cotta that coats your palate, and the delicate aromas from the wine complement the fresh fruits used as the garnish.
Tip: Remember to pair a wine that is as sweet as the dessert or more, to avoid a bitter aftertaste.
2 Moscato d’Asti and Apple Pie
Classic meets classic!
Wine: Vietti, Moscato d’Asti, Italy
INR 3300
Imported by: Wine Park Wines
An aromatic, sweet, gently sparkling wine style from Italy that is quite the classic – it’s hard to not love a Moscato d’Asti. It is made using Moscato grapes (also known as Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains) and has the highest wine classification in Italy, DOCG, coming from the Asti region of Piedmont. Cantina Vietti is a well-known producer of this style. Expect enticingly sweet aromas of peaches, apricots, light ginger and honey, and a refreshing, fruit-driven, sweet sip that leaves one wanting more…
The Pairing
I absolutely love how the peachy, apricot-y notes from the wine blend in with the tart apples baked in the pie, and how the sweet, ginger-spice aromas complement the sweetness and cinnamon spice in the dessert. The semi-effervescent (lightly sparkling) wine washes away the buttery pie crust and voila – it feels like a match made in heaven. Delicious!
Tip: Nothing like an apple pie with ice cream – the wine would pair beautifully with some classic old-fashioned vanilla bean ice cream!
3 Late Harvest Chenin Blanc and Salted Caramel Mudcake
If you’ve indulged in this pairing, there’s no looking back now – it is decadence spelt in capital letters!
Wine: Grover Art Collection, Late Harvest Chenin Blanc, India
INR 575 (half-bottle size)
Produced by: Grover Zampa Vineyards
Late-harvest wines are intensely sweet, rich nectar-like dessert wines that are meant to be savoured by the drop. They taste like sweet tropical fruit, lychees, mango, dates, caramel, honey, and all things exotic. A balance of well-rounded acidity is what makes this style of wine shine. While it often serves up as a dessert on its own, we tasted it with a Salted Caramel Mudcake. The result? Magic.
The Pairing
The nutty, toffee flavours from the dessert wine blend effortlessly with the caramel and chocolate notes in the dessert. The sweetness levels and flavor intensity match to perfection, and even unexpectedly contrast, with a hint of that salted caramel. Trust me, the dessert gods will be smiling upon you as you take a bite, and a sip, followed by a bite, and then a sip…
4 Pinot Noir and 75% Bittersweet Chocolate
If chocolates are your love language, I’ve got the perfect wine recommendation for you!
Wine: Avalon, Pinot Noir, California
INR 2450
Imported by: Monika Alcobev
Wine and chocolate are similar in more ways than one – they’re both very indulgent, (Yum!) but they also contain antioxidants. Despite that, it gets quite difficult to pair them together. A lot of us might think that red wine and chocolates are the perfect gift, whereas, both red wines and chocolates are high in tannins that leave a bitter aftertaste in your mouth, so both put together, there is a bitter war on your palate!
There are several pairings that work beautifully though – like this one – a rich, flavorful, fruit-driven Pinot Noir from California.
The Pairing
The higher the cacao percentage in chocolate, the more bitter it gets. I’ve picked a 75% bittersweet one by Mason and Co and honestly, this pairing felt like a risk until I actually tasted these two faves together. The California Pinot Noir is full-bodied and big on flavour, but with silky smooth, low tannins. This makes the chocolate taste equally smooth with the wine, without the bitterness of either overpowering the other. This is a winning combination!
5 Port and Dark Chocolate Brownies
Chocolate + Dessert + Wine: Is there anything, possibly, better than this? I’ve managed to save the best for the last!
Wine: Dow’s Fine Tawny Port, Portugal
INR 2500
Imported by: Monika Alcobev
The universe of sweet wines would be incomplete without the mention of Port – a sweet, fortified wine style from Portugal. Port is made with a bunch of Portuguese traditional grapes and is commonly enjoyed as a dessert wine because of its rich, intense and exquisite flavours.
This is a three-year-old Fine Tawny Port – aged in small wooden barrels in the winery. The more time the port spends in these barrels, the more nutty, caramelly, and aged notes it develops. Tawny ports that are 20–30–40 years old are rare and exquisite. Dows have been making quality Ports for over two centuries – and you can now find them at a store near you!
The Pairing
Think of exotic notes of nuts, dried fruits, caramel, toffee, prunes, sweet spices, coffee, and chocolate – this is exactly how I’d describe a sip of the Port. It is incredibly decadent and tastes and feels like Christmas!
When it comes to pairing with the dark chocolate brownie, we are matching intensity – so we need a wine with equal flavour intensity to match the chocolate. The wine is sweet enough to balance the bitterness, and the nutty, toffee notes from the port work beautifully with the intense chocolate notes, all of this coming together to create something magical on your palate!
