The tradition of pairing food and wine probably began because some combinations are just better when they’re together. Ordinarily, people rely on their individual tastes to determine which wine goes with which foods, but there are some who prefer to follow the traditional rules of pairing. Dessert wines, however, tend to be an exception, and are nearly always served with desserts. Of course, being able to appreciate them, whether alone or paired, requires being able to recognize them.

Although many vintners will disagree, the creation of a fine vintage does not necessarily begin in the vineyard. Granted, there are a few varieties that are known for being especially sweet, but many of them require additional flavorings to stave off blandness. The sweetness of grapes can even be enhanced by harvesting them later or by exposing them to more sunlight, both of which can be difficult to control.

As a result, many dessert wines are not a result of the grape growing process, but of the amount of sugar added before or after fermentation. In Germany, for example, sugar is increased by adding grape juice after fermentation, which has the side effect of lowering the alcohol content. Other techniques for increasing sweetness include using grapes that have a specific type of mold on them, freezing out some of the water, or drying the grapes before fermentation.

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