The cellar index

WineCollection 61

Late-harvest Dessert Wines

Ripe grapes, generous fruit and a wide range of sweetness: an accessible route into dessert wine.

Origin & traditionWine regions worldwide

Character & context

Understanding Late-harvest Dessert Wines

Leaving grapes on the vine longer can increase ripeness and concentration. Sweet late-harvest wines may use ripe, overripe or botrytised fruit, with the exact approach varying by producer and place. Royal Tokaji Late Harvest is one example. A late-harvest description alone does not settle the finished sweetness, so look for a stated sweet style or the producer's technical notes before choosing a bottle for dessert.

Further reading: Wilson Daniels — Royal Tokaji Late Harvest

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