While Mother’s Day and Father’s Day often lend themselves to clichés when it comes to selecting wines, what about the dads who like a bit of a sweet choice for their celebratory dinner?
When you’re selecting your Father’s Day wine this weekend, maybe branch out and try something different. It can be tempting to stick to the tried and tested Cabernet Sauvignon, but a good quality sweet wine could be just the thing to make it a special occasion.
If your dad likes to enjoy a good Riesling or prefers a Fireball to a Scotch, then any of the following wines could be a good choice.
- Moscato d’Asti
There are generally lots of Moscato options to choose from, but Moscato d’Asti is a class above. This is because there are several kinds of grapes within the Moscato (or Muscat) family and the average bottle could incorporate any of them.
Moscato Biaco (also known as Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains) is the best and oldest grape and is the only grape used to make Mosctago d’Asti. It’s made solely in Piedmont, located in the Asti region of northern Italy. Very slightly fizzy, relatively low in alcohol and a fresh sweet flavour makes this a delicious and refreshing choice.
- Tawny port
Port is definitely a dessert wine, but Tawny Port combines a certain acidity and oxidised flavours that creates a wine where the sugar is present but masked. It’s a brown-tinted version of the red berry-flavoured Ruby Port and has notes of caramel, brown sugar and strawberry. Just remind dad that it’s about 20% ABV so should be enjoyed slowly!
- Riesling Spätlese
Riesling covers a wide range from dry to sweet, but if you look out for a Spätlese then you’ll find the best of the latter. It has the perfect amount of sweetness to go with dinner, although you could also try a slightly drier Riesling Kabinett or sweeter Auslese Riesling too.
- Vouvray Demi-Sec
Chenin Blanc also comes in a wide range of style, although it tends to be on the dry side rather than sweet. Some regions, including Bonnezeau and Quarts de Chaume that specialise in a good sweet version, but the best is from Vouvray in the Loire Valley. Look out for the ‘Demi-Sec’, which translates to ‘half-dry’, which is ideal for pairing with roast chicken. An even sweeter version is Vouvray Moelleux.
- Bugey-Cerdon
For lovers of sweet wine, the Bugey-Cerdon is one of the freshest choices. From Bugey in eastern France, it’s a sparkling rose produced in the ‘methode ancestrale’, which is a specific style of fizzy wine making. Expect a berry-flavoured, easily drinkable wine that everyone will enjoy.
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