Sweet wine

Sweet wine is one of the most ancient types of wine in the world. Its sweetness is natural, derived from the grapes and due to an amount of sugar that hasn’t turned into alcohol during the fermentation process. Why does this happen? In some cases, it’s because the concentration of sugar in the overripe or dehydrated grapes means that the yeasts don’t manage to ferment it all; at other times, the winemaker deliberately puts an end to the fermentation, by cooling or adding wine alcohol. These are all sweet wines: Passitos, Reciotos, Vin Santo, sweet Lambruscos and Moscatos from Italy; the Pedro Ximénez sweet sherries from Andalucia, Muscatel wines, Rancios and Mistelas found all over Spain; Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Ice wines from Austria and Germany; Tokaji wines from Hungary; Vins Doux Naturels and Sauternes from France, to name but a few. There’s a lengthy list, and a host of fascinating traditions lie behind these historic wines, an absolute cultural heritage. Whether your favourite sweet wines herald from cooler climes or the Mediterranean sun, always look for them here at Vinissimus! If you have any queries, just ask our sommelier team for some advice.