When we think about sweet Portuguese wines, the variety is vast and of very high quality, as we are the country of Port wine, Madeira wine and Moscatel de Setúbal. But as a rule, there is a wine that is always forgotten, but that deserves to be remembered more often: the late harvests. They are dessert wines, delicate, aromatic, and with a perfect balance between sweetness and lightness.
There are several ways to prepare sweet wines, and in this case, as the name implies, the process used is the late harvest process (usually in October or November), when the grapes reach a greater maturity and a consequently higher sugar level. Thus, during the fermentation process, the yeasts are not able to transform all the sugar into alcohol, and the final wine always ends up with a higher residual sugar than usual.
Sometimes, the grapes are affected by a fungus called Botrytis cinerea, which is responsible for some of the best sweet wines in the world, famous case of Tokaj, in Hungary. Botrytised wines always have excellent complexity and longevity. For this fungus to reach the grape, very specific conditions are needed, with morning fog (for the fungus to develop) and heat later in the afternoon (to favor the evaporation of water and concentrate the grape). Very particular conditions and difficult to reach, which lead to very limited productions and wines in great demand.
They are wines that should be drunk chilled, between 10º and 12ºC, and are perfect to drink on their own, but they are also excellent company for desserts (creme brûlée, apple pie) or appetizers (goat cheese, Roquefort).
Portuguese late harvests appear in the most varied styles, with international or native grape varieties, represent different areas of the country and are at a very good level of quality. These are wines that offer an excellent cost-benefit ratio, are easy to enjoy and certainly add another dimension to our gastronomic experience.
Take a look at our selection to learn more about these delicious wines.
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