Grapes & Grains

Beer, Wine, Spirits and Food from Happy Harry's

Roses, chocolate and dessert wine…what could be sweeter?  In the wine world, dessert wines are the sweetest style of wine made around the world and are a real treat!

So, what exactly are dessert wines?  Dessert wines, as the name suggests, are very rich and sweet wines that most often have gone through a special step in the winemaking process.  There are three main styles of specialty dessert wines that are available: Late Harvest, Beerenauslese (Botrytis), and Ice Wine.

Late Harvest wines are a lighter style of dessert wine.  The grapes that are used for Late Harvest wines are left on the vines longer than a typical wine.  This additional time on the vine allow the grapes to ripen more and develop richer flavors and aromas.  As the grapes ripen, the sugar content (referred to as residual sugar) of the grape increase. 

Beerenauslese or Botrytis wines take Late Harvest wines a step further.  Grapes selected for Botrytis wines are left on the vine even longer for maximum sweetness and complexity.  The grapes are left on the vine until they become so overripe that they essentially begin to rot and develop a “noble mold.”  Grapes are then hand selected and hand picked to produce a very rich and sweet style of wine.

Ice Wine is one of the most sought after dessert wines in the world.  Grapes for Ice wines are left on the wines even later in the season than Botrytis wines…until the grapes actually become frozen on the vines.  Ice wines are one of the most difficult wines to produce because the winemaker has to rely on nature to freeze the grapes before they rot on the vines.  For Ice wines, the winemaker does not want the grapes to enter a state of Botrytis.  Ice wines have a level of sweetness similar to Botrytis wines.

Botrytis and Ice Wines tend to be fairly expensive because it takes twice as many grapes to produce these wines and because of the special circumstances required to produce these wines.

Here are a few selections that would be great served with dessert or even served as a dessert course:

RENWOOD ORANGE MOSCATO:  Renwood Orange Moscato is a lighter style dessert wine with flavors of melon, papaya and honey.  This sweet Moscato would be delicious paired with cheesecake.

LA JOYA LATE HARVEST GEWURZTRAMINER:  La Joya has the sweet flavor expected of a late harvest wine, but the Gewurztraminer grape adds a lighter, crisp finish.  The floral aromas lead you to sweet flavors of peach and hazelnut.  Try with a variety of fresh fruits.

DEINHARD BEERENAUSLESE RIESLING:  Deinhard Beerenauslese is loaded with velvety, smooth sweetness and flavors of apricot, pear and red apples.  Pairs best with and dark chocolate or any rich chocolate desserts.

COVEY RUN SEMILLON ICE WINE:  Covey Run in Washington is home to one of the tastiest Ice Wines produced in the United States.  Rich flavors of honey, peach and sweet pineapple.  Best served with cream-based pastries or Crème Brulee.  This wine is perfect served all by itself for dessert!

Cheers,

Greg

A  brewery south of Brussels, Belgium named Lindemans is known worldwide for their Lambic beers.  The brewing process for Lambic is as fascinating as the beer itself.  Lambic are actually more like fine Champagne compared to what we know as beer.

In order to truly understand the uniqueness of Lambic, you have to know how it is made.  A typical beer relies on fresh hops and fresh yeast in the brewing process for flavor, aroma and quality.  Lambic beers are brewed with neither! 

Lambics are brewed with aged hops.  Hops are used for three reasons: aroma, bitterness and as a preservative.  Lambics are light and fruity in nature, and Lambics do not possess the aroma and bitterness of a typical beer.  Lambics use aged hops because they are lower in aroma and bitterness, but they still have the preservative qualities needed.

When brewing a typical beer, adding yeast is required to begin the fermentation process.  When brewing Lambics the brewmaster never adds yeast, Lambics are one of the only beers in the world to undergo “spontaneous fermentation.” 

Once the all the grains are cooked (the wort), it is ready for fermentation to begin. The Lambic wort is taken and put in large, shallow open top vessels in “barn-like” building with louvers in the walls.  Here, wild yeasts that are present in the outside air blow into the building and fall into the vessels (along with the occasional insect or two) and fermentation begins.

Once fermentation is finished, Lambics undergo a second, slower fermentation in oak casks or over oak chips for more than 15 months. This base Lambic is then used to make a variety of styles of Lambics, the most recognizable are fruit Lambics.

Fruit Lambics are made by mixing in whole, fresh fruit or fruit juices after the fermentation process ends.  The most common fruits used are Framboise (raspberry), Pomme (apple), Peche (peach) and Kriek (cherry).  Fruit Lambics taste like a crisp, sparkling fruit juice with a crisp, clean finish.  These qualities make Lambics a great choice for sipping or pairing with food! 

Here is a look at Lindemans Fruit Lambics and well as some great food pairings:

   

PECHE (Peach)

Golden in color with an aroma that fills the room with fresh peaches. Sparkling and refreshing balance of fruit and acid.

FOOD PAIRING:  Try with fresh fruit, mild cheese, peach pie or peach cobbler

   

 

POMME (Apple)

Smooth, light body with the fresh flavor of real apples and a light green-apple tartness.

FOOD PAIRINGS:  Try with ham, baked turkey, roasted chicken or cheesecake

  

  

KREIK (Cherry)

Aroma of freshly harvested, tart cherries.  Smooth, fruity and a crisp, snappy finish.

FOOD PAIRINGS:  Try with Brie cheese, light salads, or all by itself for an after dinner treat.

     

 

FRAMBOISE (Raspberry)

By far the most popular!  Smells and tastes just like fresh picked raspberries. Just the perfect amount of sweetness.

FOOD PAIRINGS:  Try with anything and everything chocolate!

Cheers,

Greg