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Most wine aficionados, geeks, and the pinky lifters look at sweet wines as “syrupy sweet little nonentities” that should not be taken seriously and dismiss them as undrinkable trash. Unfortunately, in some cases, they happen to be right. This country, whose citizens are known to have a monstrous sweet tooth, has been subjected to some incredibly poor sweet wines that have nothing at all to offer them except being an inexpensive, slightly alcoholic, grape flavored, soda pop without the bubbles.

Enter Bordeaux France, the ancestral home of many of the world’s fi nest wines, some of these being sweet wines. These wines are so popular in Europe (more specifically in Russia) that we rarely see them here. Sweet wines, often called Dessert Wines, display all of the charm and character that made the classical Bordeaux wines famous and are once again appearing on our shores. Might I suggest that we drop our sweet win prejudice and give these wines a fair trial?

Just FYI, Château d’Yquem, a Bordeaux sweet wine, was awarded the highest rating a Bordeaux wine can achieve, Premier Cru Supérieur, and sells for $250+ a bottle.

Let’s start by stating one very important point: it is ILLEGAL in every wine producing country of the world to add sugar to wine to sweeten it or increase its alcohol content; in ancient Germany, the penalty was death. Wines are made sweet in Bordeaux when growers take the gamble of losing their entire crop to frost or disease and leave the grapes on the vine long enough to create natural sugars enhanced by a good fungus called botrytis cinerea. The botrytis not only enhances the grape sugars but also adds its desirable and distinctive flavor and aroma to the finished wine.

2015 Château Dauphiné Rondillon 750 ml ($42).
This wine, as do all of the Bordeaux sweet wines, displays a golden color that is almost hypnotizing and eagerly invites the first sip. The aroma is outstanding, displaying wildflowers, citrus, and summer stone fruits. On the palate, the wine presents peaches, honey, crème brûlée, tangerine, and the unmistakably pleasant flavor from the botrytis. These all continue to the finish where they seem to last indefinitely. This is a prime example of a Bordeaux sweetie and may change your mind about sweet wines forever.

2019 Château La Hargue 375 ml ($15).

This wine presents a brilliant golden color and an attractive aroma of exotic fruit, citrus, and vanilla. The aroma proceeds nonstop to the flavor, where it is enhanced by the sweetness. The finish will impress you with its extraordinary length. If you believe that all sweet wines taste the same, the 2019 Château La Hargue will change your mind.

2018 Château Tanesse Palissades 375 ml ($15).

Another melody of a similar tune, however, this one has incorporated the Muscadelle grape into the blend for added interest, depth, and color. This is truly a summer wine as it very prominently displays the aromas of summer flowers and the light-colored summer fruits. There are hints of citrus, such as tangerine and grapefruit, which carry on to the flavor and then transition to a fresh and fruity, almost overpowering, finish. This wine could be considered the perfect ambassador for sweet Bordeaux wines.

Château la Rame 750 ml ($35).

This wine is the most kaleidoscopic of the quartet, presenting an ever changing experience. Here too, the wine shares similar flavors and aromas to all Bordeaux sweet wines but presents its flavors in a different order, making for even greater interest. It is the summer fruits that take preference over the floral aromas. These fruits carry through to the flavor and are amplified in the finish. This wine, like all of the others presented here, can prove to be the perfect end to a perfect meal.

Among the first wines I ever wrote about were those of Wente Vineyards (https://wentevineyards.com). Like a first kiss or first date, I never forgot the occasion and it always lies safe and secure among my cherished memories. Over the years, it has slipped into the background along with some other things that I have learned over my lifetime, but it has never left me.

Years later, it was with great joy that I was privileged to reacquaint myself with my old friend. The big question was, “Would they still be as I remembered them, or had they succumbed to the current ‘bottom line’ business philosophy?” The answer was a resounding NO.

The years have been kind to Wente. The wines I sampled seemed bigger, better, and with greater depth than I remembered. Also impressive, the wines had not taken the popular route and priced themselves into the stratosphere, but instead have remained in the affordable range.

Wente 2018 Livermore Valley Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon ($20). Let’s begin by saying that this is not one of those cabs that will make you swoon in ecstasy with the first sip. It is a wine that has been made to accompany red meat dishes without overpowering them but will also fit well with many vegan foods. All of the interesting and enticing flavors found in more costly cabernet sauvignon are present in this gem. The lush flavor of berries, ripe cherries, and cassis are underscored by a gentle oak sensation.

The Wente 2018 Livermore Valley Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon is a prime example of a well-made, California cabernet sauvignon. It can proudly hold its head high when compared with other California cabs in the same price range. it will revive your faith in the possibilities of chardonnay.

Wente 2018 Riva Ranch Chardonnay ($22).
This wine is typical of all the wines from Wente — luxurious, well made, and elegant. Throughout the entire process of making this wine, extra care has been taken, from the selection of the grapes to the winemaking procedures. All of this tender care results in an impeccable wine of great character and distinction. This wine features green apple and tropical fruit in both the aroma and flavor. Coupled with this is a positive oak and vanilla flavor. Unlike many of
the lesser chardonnays, this wine has a long, fruity, and captivating finish. Try this wine with seafood as well as almost any poultry-based dishes and I am sure it will revive your faith in the possibilities of chardonnay.

Wente 2018 Morning Fog Chardonnay ($18).
Wente Morning Fog; the name alone says it all. The cool morning fog that blows over the vineyard helps produce the delicate flavors and aromas in a full-flavored chardonnay. All too often, the very sensitive chardonnay grapes get baked by the sun, resulting in higher grape sugar which, in a dry wine, increases the alcohol when fermented to dryness. Too much alcohol then requires some additional processing to reduce it. As a bit of FYI, the fabled chardonnays of France are grown in a district that is about as far north as fine grapes can be grown. This is why there can be massive differences between chardonnays from producer to producer.

The Wente 2018 Morning Fog Chardonnay offers a fine wine at a reasonable price. This wine is heavy with aromas of summer fruits, vanilla, and oak. All of these scents are incorporated into the flavor with an added sensation of big, ripe raisins. Like all of the Wente wines, there is a long and fruity finish that lasts in the mouth for a bit after it has been swallowed. This may not be the wine for wine snobs (it’s not expensive enough for them) but it certainly can fi t the bill anywhere a Chardonnay or a really fine sipping wine is called for.

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Yes, there are decent sweet wines

You never forget your first