Sweet white wine

Sweet white wine is a type of wine that has a significant amount of the grapes’ natural sugar, giving it a sweet taste. This sweetness is typically achieved by halting the fermentation process before all the sugar converts into alcohol.

Sweet white wines have been prized for centuries and have played a significant role in the history of winemaking. Sweet wines are made around the world from various white grape varieties and range in style from fresh and lively to luscious and rich.

Sweet white wines are known for their aromatic qualities and flavours, including stone fruits, tropical fruits, citrus, honey, caramel and floral notes. They’re often enjoyed on their own, paired with desserts or served with spicy and savoury dishes to balance the heat or richness. Some famous sweet white wines include Moscato d’Asti, Sauternes, Tokaji Aszú, ice wine, and late harvest wines.

Discover more about the most popular sweet white wines.

Sweet white wine is made in a few different ways, depending on the style of wine. Common methods include:

• Interrupted fermentation: One of the simplest ways to produce sweet wine is to stop fermentation before all the sugar in the grape juice is converted into alcohol. This leaves residual sugar in the wine and gives it a sweet taste. The fermentation can be stopped by methods such as dropping the temperature to a level that halts the activity of the yeast or by adding alcohol to kill the yeast – used to make fortified wines such as Port.
• Late harvest grapes: Grapes are left on the vine for an extended period, often until they start to shrivel, which concentrates the sugars. These overripe grapes produce a juice high in sugar, and while the yeast will convert some of this sugar into alcohol, it cannot ferment all of it, resulting in a sweet wine.
• Noble rot: Also known as Botrytis cinerea, this is a fungus that can affect grapevines, causing the grapes to partially dehydrate, concentrating the sugar and flavours. This method is used to produce some of the world’s more famous sweet wines, such as Sauternes from France and Tokaji Aszú from Hungary.
• Drying grapes: In a process called “appassimento”, grapes are harvested and then dried to concentrate the sugars before fermentation. This method is used in the production of Italian Vin Santo.
• Ice wine: For ice wine, grapes are left on the vine until they freeze naturally. They are then picked and pressed while still frozen. The water in the grapes stays in the form of ice crystals, while a concentrated juice high in sugar is extracted. This juice is then fermented into wine.
• Fortification: In the case of some sweet wines, such as some sweet Sherries, the wine is fortified with a neutral spirit (such as brandy) to stop fermentation and leave residual sugar, then often aged oxidatively to develop deep and complex flavours.

Learn more about sweetness in wine

Sweet white wines can be made from various white grape varieties, creating unique flavours, aromas and characteristics. Popular varieties include:

• Riesling: Known for its high acidity and often used to produce sweet wines, especially late-harvest and noble rot versions. It’s commonly grown in Germany, Alsace in France and parts of Australia and the US.
• Chenin Blanc: This versatile grape can produce everything from dry to sweet wines. It produces lusciously sweet, noble rot wines in regions such as the Loire Valley in France.
• Moscato (Muscat Blanc): The grape behind Italy’s famous Moscato d’Asti, this variety is aromatic and can produce lightly sparkling sweet wines.
• Gewürztraminer: This highly aromatic grape is often used to make off-dry to sweet wines, particularly in Alsace.
• Sémillon: In Bordeaux, this grape is used alongside Sauvignon Blanc to produce Sauternes, a highly sought-after sweet wine affected by noble rot.
• Vidal Blanc: This grape has a high sugar content and is cold-hardy, making it ideal for ice wine production, particularly in Canada.
• Furmint: The key grape in the renowned Hungarian sweet wine Tokaji Aszú.

Sweet white wines come in various styles and are produced in many different wine regions worldwide. Some of the more famous sweet white wines include:

• Sauternes: Produced in the Bordeaux region of France, Sauternes wines are made primarily from Sémillon grapes affected by noble rot, which concentrates the sugars. They typically have juicy tropical fruit and honeysuckle flavours coupled with aromas of butterscotch, citrus, coconut and ginger. Château d’Yquem is one of the most renowned producers.
• Tokaji Aszú: This historic sweet wine from Hungary is made primarily from Furmint and Hárslevelű grapes. The grapes are infected with “noble rot,” which helps create sweet wines with flavours of honey, saffron and juicy stone fruits. The sweetness level varies, with wines labelled with up to six “puttonyos” depending on the concentration of sugar.
• Moscato d’Asti: From the Piedmont region  of Italy this sweet, typically gently sparkling wine is made from Moscato (Muscat Blanc) grapes. Its bright flavours include Asian pear, Meyer lemon, fresh grapes and peach, with light floral aromas of orange blossom.
• German and Alsatian Riesling: Both Germany and the Alsace region of France are known for their sweet Riesling wines. These can range from “Spätlese” (late harvest) to intensely sweet “Trockenbeerenauslese” or “Sélection de Grains Nobles” (made from grapes affected by noble rot).
• Ice wine (Eiswein): Made in small batches from grapes frozen on the vine and harvested at night, ice wines are intensely sweet and rich. They are typically produced in cold climates, such as Canada and Germany, using Riesling, Vidal Blanc or Gewürztraminer grapes. Ice wine’s perfect balance of sweetness and acidity makes it a lively and refreshing wine.
• Vin Santo: This Italian dessert wine is often made using Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes. Vin Santo’s flavours are rich and concentrated because of its unique production, which sees the grapes sun-dried on straw mats before fermentation. This results in apricots, raisins, orange blossom, nuts and caramel flavours.
• Rutherglen Muscat: From Victoria, Australia, these are fortified dessert wines made from Muscat à Petits Grains Rouge (known locally as Brown Muscat).  
• Loire Valley Chenin Blanc: In regions such as Vouvray, Coteaux du Layon and Bonnezeaux, Chenin Blanc is used to make sweet noble rot wines. They are known for their apple, mandarin, greengage and dried persimmon flavours. You’ll also find quince, acacia, honey and toasted almond aromas.

Sweet white wines can have diverse flavours, largely depending on the grape variety used and how the wine is made. Broadly, sweet white wines have a high residual sugar content, which makes them taste sweet. Other common taste notes include:

• Fruit flavours: Sweet white wines often have pronounced fresh, ripe or dried fruit flavours. Typical fruit flavours include apple, pear, peach, apricot, lemon, orange, pineapple and tropical fruits such as mango or lychee.
• Sweet and spicy: These wines often have flavours of honey, caramel, vanilla and baking spices such as cinnamon or clove, particularly if they’ve been aged in oak or have experienced noble rot.
• Florality: Many sweet white wines, such as those made from Muscat or Gewürztraminer, have strong floral notes, including rose, elderflower, jasmine and honeysuckle.
• Botrytis influence: In wines affected by noble rot fungus (Botrytis cinerea), like Sauternes or Tokaji, you might detect more complex flavours such as saffron, ginger, marmalade and mushroom.
• Minerality: Some sweet white wines, especially late-harvest Rieslings, can exhibit a mineral character, adding to their complexity.

Acidity is crucial in balancing these wines’ sweetness, ensuring they’re not cloying. Sometimes this acidity makes for a refreshing and sometimes even crisp finish. It is this harmony between sugar, acid and the wine’s other flavours that makes sweet white wines so enjoyable and food-friendly.

When pairing sweet white wines with food, it’s best to pair them with dishes with equal sweetness – which often means dessert or rich, savoury dishes. But sweet white wines also make an unlikely friend to strong cheeses and spicy dishes, especially when served perfectly chilled.

• Chenin Blanc: these sweet white wines can tame the heat of spicy Asian dishes or pair beautifully with bold blue cheeses.
• Gewürztraminer: A late-harvest Gewürztraminer suits desserts ranging from classic vanilla ice cream to rich chocolate mousse and heavy fruitcakes.
• Moscato d’Asti: A perfect sweet white wine for special occasions. Serve a glass with a slice of vanilla birthday cake, glazed pear tarts or a large chunk of almond biscotti.
• Riesling: Serve chilled with spicy Chinese, Thai and Indian dishes, particularly those featuring duck or pork with sweet glazes or sauces.
• Sauternes: This French wine suits soft desserts with little texture, from vanilla cheesecake to almond tart. It can also be paired with cheese boards featuring Roquefort and Livarot.
• Tokaji Aszú: With its honeyed, warming ginger flavours, it pairs well with desserts featuring caramelised apples, roast pineapple or dark chocolate and orange.
• Vin Santo: This Italian wine’s hints of caramelised nuts means it pairs perfectly with traditional Italian panettone or pandoro cakes.

Learn more about food and wine pairing in our beginner's guide. 

Serve sweet white wine chilled between 7-12ºC. This cooler temperature lets you enjoy the perfect balance of sweetness, acidity and fruity aromas.

Dessert wines such as Tokaji Aszú should be served cooler – between 6-8ºC. This prevents their intense sweetness from becoming overwhelming.

Richer and more intense dessert wines might benefit from being served slightly warmer to fully appreciate their complexity.

Serve your sweet white wine in a classic dessert wine glass. The shape of this glass is designed to capture the wine’s distinct aromas and reduce the amount of oxygen it’s exposed to.