Dessert wine, passito and liqueur wine: differences and tasting pairings
In Sicily, the tradition of wine is so strong and deep-rooted that a day would not be enough to talk about the different types of wine, the grape varieties, the characteristics and pairings, and the many stories and legends that have made Sicilian wine so appreciated and loved all over the world.
In this article, in fact, I will tell you about two particular types of wine that are now known everywhere and spread even beyond the island’s borders: dessert wines and fortified wines. Yes, because for us Sicilians and for all wine lovers it is important to know the differences between one wine and another and to know how to recognize each of these wines, in order to pair them with the right dish or to enjoy them fully.
Let’s start at the beginning. When do we talk about liqueur wines?
Liqueur wines: the background
From Marsala to Zibibbo, from Moscato to fortified Malvasia, the list is virtually endless. Liqueur wines, as the name implies, come from the very vines used to make wine and, to this, alcohol is added in the form of must, mistelle or acquavite, which increases the alcohol content.
Marsala, therefore, is part of this particular category of wines, also called “fortified.” This is the same category of wines to which other well-known wines such as Port, Madeira and Sherry belong.
All of these wines have in common a production system that involves increasing the alcohol content of a base wine by the addition of pure ethyl alcohol, brandy or mistelle.
Fortified or fortified wines: how to recognize them
Let’s start by saying that the alcohol content of fortified wines is much higher than that of traditional wines, but as a rule it should not exceed twice that of the base wine from which it is derived, and the alcohol level should be between 15-22% vol.
Most fortified wines are made from grapes subjected to drying in a process called “fortification“, which confers a high alcohol content and gives rise to a series of very significant sensory transformations. These transformations also depend on the maturation or aging processes for each type and under certain conditions.
In fact, for fortified wines, 50 years may be a normal life span, but there are also great examples of bottles that have passed the century mark without a problem.
The organoleptic characteristics of fortified or liqueur wines
Despite the different types of fortified or liqueur wines and the ways in which they are prepared and processed that make each fortified wine different from the other, there are some common characteristics. What are they?
- color. For white fortified wines it varies from straw to topaz, while for red fortified wines, from dark brown to amber. This obviously depends on the grapes of origin and the production technique used.
- scent. Often in fortified wines we find, in addition to the alcohol component in the foreground, notes of dried fruits such as almonds, but also candied citrus, honey, spices and caramel. The oxidative note is characteristic of fortified wines aged in drained barrels, such as by the Soleras method, or stabilized by heating, such as Madeira.
- persistence. On the palate, fortified wines are both firm and velvety and always have excellent taste-olfactory persistence. Alcohol or fortifying agent also have their own aromas, which alter, enriching them, the olfactory bouquet of the base wine.
The fortification process
Liqueur wines are also called fortified wines because they are made from a partially fermented base wine or must (the so-called mistelle). This fermentation process is interrupted by the addition of alcohol or wine spirits, resulting in a product of varying sweetness depending on the stage of fermentation and an alcohol content between 15° and 22°.
The process is called, precisely, fortification. Fortified or fortified wines are very different from each other both organoleptically and in terms of production. Certainly, among fortified wines stands out Marsala, perhaps the most famous in the world representing Sicily and of which we have told the history, characteristics and many qualities in the article on Sicilian Marsala Wine and the Florio dynasty.
But let’s get to the point and answer some basic questions!
Are fortified or liqueur wines dessert wines?
No, let’s dispel the myth. Marsala, for example, is a Sicilian fortified wine that can accompany both aperitifs and some fish and shellfish dishes, but also blue cheeses and, finally, desserts. It is not a simple “sweet” wine There is sweet Marsala, but there are also dry and semi-dry, so fortified wines are not dessert wines.
Is passito (raisin) wine a liqueur or fortified wine?
Absolutely not. Raisin or Passito wine is simply a wine made from grapes that have undergone over-ripening processes. Passito wines can be made from a late harvest or by drying the grapes.
Late harvesting involves leaving the grapes on the vine beyond the “classic” ripening period. In this way the berries continue to accumulate sugars until harvest time, resulting in berries with very high sugar concentrations, real aromatic lumps!
Doing this, however, results in an increase in sugar concentration but a loss of acidity, which decreases as the season progresses.
Are passito wines dessert wines?
When we order a “Passito” at a restaurant to end our meal or to accompany a dessert, a sweet wine arrives at the table on the palate that immediately makes us think that passito is also a dessert wine.
Actually, as we said, the term passito indicates a characteristic of grapes at the time of pressing, following the process of over-ripening.
Passito wine is not always sweet. In fact, there are dry wines made from grapes subjected to drying before vinification that are not sweet at all.
Withering is therefore not necessary to make a wine sweet, a result guaranteed instead by the interruption of fermentation; withering only ensures that, despite this interruption, an acceptable alcohol content is still achieved, since the alcohol potential given by the sugar after withering is greatly increased.
What are the best Sicilian dessert wines?
Although liqueur wines and passito wines cannot be defined as “sweet wines” or “dessert wines“, there are some wines that fall into these categories and due to their sweetness are perfect to accompany desserts!
The podium is occupied by one of the most famous and appreciated fortified wines in the world, the first Italian wine to obtain the DOC designation: Marsala. The egg version of Marsala is suitable for desserts such as cassata, cannoli and other typical Sicilian sweets.
Zibibbo is both a liqueur wine and a dessert wine. Very popular is the Sicilian fortified wine Zibibbo Terre Siciliane IGT, also known as Moscato di Alessandria made from late-harvest Zibibbo grapes. Unique for its intense, sweet taste, it is an excellent dessert wine, perfect for pairing with typical desserts.
So are Malvasia and Moscato, produced in Marsala. Also from this area of Sicily comes the production of Vino alla Mandorla white, vinified from Inzolia grapes, and Rosso, vinified from Nero d’Avola grapes, perfect for sweet pairings.
Sicilian Moscato is distinguished by its golden amber color and sweet flavor with aromas of fruit, honey and citrus. This wine is ideal for accompanying desserts and dry cookies, such as St. Martin’s cookies, which should be softened in wine before consumption given the hard texture.
Another exceptional Malvasia Sicilia liqueur wine is Punico IGP Terre Siciliane, a wine also ideal to pair at the end of a meal with almond pastries and dried fruit, with Sicilian pastries and dry cookies, but also excellent to enjoy alongside blue cheeses and prosciutto crudo. Its caramelized taste is very reminiscent of candied fruit and is made from the Malvasia vines of the same name.
As for Sicilian passito wine, the one par excellence is Passito di Pantelleria, which is produced on the island of the same name. Passito di Pantelleria DOC is produced only from Zibibbo vines, has a sweet and mellow flavor, very intense, and the color varies from straw yellow to a stronger yellow.
Donnafugata’s Ben Rye, golden in color with bright amber highlights, adds additional fruity, honey and herbal sensations to the typical taste of dried Zibibbo.
Another famous passito from Pantelleria is Bukkuram Sole d’Agosto, made from a traditional recipe. Created in Pantelleria in 1984, it is made from grapes dried naturally in the sun in the Bukkuram vineyard. The result is a fine and fragrant wine, extremely aromatic and fruity, which expresses the flavors of the land of the island of Pantelleria in a clear and decisive way.
All you have to do is try the best pairings with Sicilian dishes and find your favorite wine, whether it be a fortified wine, a passito or a dessert wine to go with the finest traditional Sicilian desserts! Don’t know where to find them? Don’t worry, we are here for that – many of the wines we have mentioned are available for example on Wine.com!
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