Top 5 Wine and Dessert Pairings

It never ceases to amaze me how a wine can be completely transformed when it is paired with different foods, but most of us save matching up wines with food only during the main course. By having some fun with pairing different wines with desserts, you'll have everyone at your table with something to really dig into and explore.

Creme Brulee and Pinot Gris

Though it takes a little extra planning and time in kitchen, creme brulee is a dessert that is rewarding to make and something that your dinner guests will really appreciate. By pairing this custard together with a crisp wine like a cold Pinot Gris, your meal can come to a close that is not overwhelming to the senses and but interesting enough to let you explore the combination a bit. Both the dessert and the wine are pretty evenly matched, and the creme brulee will bring out more character in a Pinot Gris than you had any reason to suspect was even there.

Chocolate Cake and Vintage Port

A quality vintage port can stand up on its own legs as a satisfying finale to any serious meal, but pairing it with the right the dessert can be the ultimate in extravagant gastronomic indulgence. Vintage port and a rich chocolate cake is a pairing that you and your guests will not soon forget. So long as it is really a vintage port and you have a decent cake to serve, this combination is not as cloying as it sounds, but it is definitely a heavy final course that is perhaps best served during the colder months and in modest portions.

Champagne and Fruit

For lighter fare, a dessert of champagne and berry fruit or a simple tart can really bring a great meal to a satisfying close. This is also a very easy pairing to put together if you are looking for an end to the meal that does not require a great deal of prep time. Of course, the classic fruit to go with Champagne is strawberries, but you will find that all berries make for a good match with Champagne, as do all melons. For presentation, you might fix a basic fruit salad on hand and top with a modest dollop of whipped cream before serving. Be sure that the Champagne is properly chilled and enjoy how each different fruit brings out a little something different in the sparkling wine.

Cheesecake and Sauternes

Even though it is a dessert wine in its own right, one of my most enlightening experiences on tasting wine was found by sharing a half bottle of Sauternes with a neighbor many years ago. The best Sauternes can be pure magic with the concentrated flavors of the a handful of white grape varieties that were allowed to partially raisin and develop what vintners refer to as noble rot, the infection of a particular strain of fungus. However, if you really want to see some sparks fly, try pairing a Sauternes with a dessert that is high in buttery fats such a rich cheesecake. As the acidity of the wine hits the fats of the cheesecake on the tongue, a whole flavor profile comes out in the wine.

Caramel and Madeira

Serving a nice Madeira will have everyone leaving the dinner table with a complex aftertaste and the warm glow that comes with a great meal and great friends.Madeira is also an excellent wine to serve if you are dining with people who are curious about trying new wines but haven't strayed to far from standard mass market wines. Because this style of wine is so unusual and intriguing, it is best not to pair it with a dessert that will overpower it, I recommend serving up some vanilla ice cream drizzled with plenty of caramel sauce. Consider serving the Madeira near room temperature so that you will be able to enjoy the full range of flavors.

Sources
personal experience
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/11/17/WIGRSFMVQ21.DTL
http://www.taste-wine-and-enjoy.com/pairing-desserts.html