What Wine Should You Drink with Dessert? A Guide to Pairing

Some pairings make a meal even more special. And the right wine can make all the difference when it comes to the final course.

From chocolate to traditional Portuguese conventual sweets and fruit tarts, there are many ways to discover new pairings. The secret lies in finding the right balance between the sweetness, intensity and aromas of the wine and the dessert.

How to Choose a Wine to Pair with Dessert

One of the main rules of dessert pairing is to choose a wine that is as sweet as, or sweeter than, the dessert. Otherwise, the wine may taste overly acidic or lose some of its character.

Intensity also matters. Rich desserts with pronounced flavours call for wines with more depth, while more delicate recipes benefit from balanced pairings.

Chocolate: A Classic Pairing with Port Wine

Chocolate, particularly dark chocolate or desserts featuring nuts, calls for a wine that can match its intensity.

A Port Krohn Ruby can be an excellent choice for chocolate desserts with red fruit notes. A Tawny Port, meanwhile, pairs particularly well with recipes featuring caramel, walnuts or almonds, thanks to its notes of dried fruit and spice.

Traditional Portuguese Sweets: A Taste of Tradition

Portuguese conventual sweets, such as ovos-moles and toucinho do céu, are known for their richness, with egg yolks, sugar and often almonds taking centre stage.

A Krohn Tawny Port can complement these flavours, bringing together sweetness and aromatic complexity.

Fruit Desserts: Freshness and Balance

Apple tarts, pear desserts and other fruit-based recipes call for wines that respect the freshness of the ingredients.

Ravasqueira Late Harvest offers an interesting alternative for these pairings, particularly with fruit desserts whose sweetness is balanced by that of the wine. It can be especially appealing alongside apple or pear desserts with hints of spice.

Cheesecake and Creamy Desserts

Cheesecake, panna cotta and other creamy desserts call for a wine that balances the richness of the recipe.

The choice depends on the ingredients. With red berries, a Ruby Port can work particularly well, while desserts featuring caramel or nuts are worth exploring with a Tawny Port.

A Memorable End to the Meal

Pairing wine with dessert doesn't have to be complicated. Ruby Port with chocolate, Tawny Port with traditional Portuguese sweets or Ravasqueira Late Harvest with a fruit dessert are all excellent starting points for discovering new combinations.

Ultimately, it's all about finding the right balance between flavours and choosing a wine that turns dessert into a moment worth savouring and sharing.