Top 20 sweet & fortified wines for Christmas

One of the world’s great wine mysteries is why so few people drink sweet and fortified wines on a regular basis. If I am visiting a producer, I’m always keen to see whether they produce wines of this style, though it may take a bit of cajoling for an amazing, delicious bottle to be proffered.

It’s a pity, as they often represent the ‘jewels in the crown’ of a particular producer, providing a clear insight into their philosophy, and the estate’s terroir.

Scroll down for Andy Howard MW’s top 20 sweet and fortified wines

Christmas is traditionally the time when sweet and fortified wines get the opportunity to shine. Paul Symington of Symington Family Estates confirms that 34% of annual Port sales in the UK take place in December. Sweet wines follow a similar sales pattern, and quality is higher now than it has ever been. So now is the time to experiment and enjoy.The best sweet wines balance a tightrope of residual sugar and refreshing acidity, interwoven with highly complex flavours. The key requirement is concentration of the grape, and winemakers achieve this in many ways. One technique is to harvest late in order to generate higher potential alcohol levels, before arresting fermentation to leave some residual sugar in the finished wine.

Or ripe grapes can be concentrated, either through the effects of botrytis (noble rot) or desiccation as a result of ‘cordon cutting’ while on the vine, or through freezing (German eiswein and the ice wines of Niagara, Canada). And there are different methods of drying grapes, as in Italian passito wines, the ethereal vin santo or recioto di Soave. These different techniques are often used in combination.

Sweet wines are nearly always costly to produce – a reflection of both the time taken, and the drive for quality and low yields. The amount of residual sugar can make eye-watering reading for those concerned about calories – the ultimate being the essencia of Hungary’s Tokaji, which can have up to 800g/l – but this should not deter wine lovers as the amounts consumed will almost certainly be modest, and alcohol levels are (as with beerenauslese wines) often lower than in dry wines.

Amazing, complex flavours will often be created through extended maturation in wood and blending of different grape varieties. The best examples will always show a balance between freshness and sweetness, leaving the drinker wanting another sip.

Fortified wines are produced differently, with a fundamental part of the process being the addition of spirit to stop fermentation. Fortified wines range in style from bone-dry (manzanilla and fino Sherry); lusciously sweet and approachable when young (Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise); structured and tannic (vintage Port); mellow, evolved and complex (tawny Port); or decadently sweet and raisined (Pedro Ximénez Sherry, Rutherglen Muscat).

As with sweet wines, acidity is the backbone of most fortifieds, with Madeira (throughout the range from dry Sercial up to Malmsey) being perhaps the most focused example.

In putting together this short guide to some wonderful wines for the festive season, what becomes even more apparent is the huge range of styles. This is a very abbreviated selection and it is hoped that trying some different wines will encourage more consumers to visit the sweet and fortified sections more often. These are wines to enjoy all year round – not just for Christmas!

Andy Howard MW is a regular Decanter contributor and DWWA judge. He runs wine consultancy Vinetrades, having formerly worked for more than 30 years as a wine buyer for Marks & Spencer

Andy Howard MW’s top 20 sweet and fortified wines:

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