From elegant Semillon to opulent aged Muscat, Australia’s dessert and fortified wines have a long and distinguished history. Today they’re some of the most unique wines in the world.
Until the mid-1960s, dessert and fortified styles were the most popular wines in Australia. These days table wines lead the charge, but those sweetly decadent wines are still highly sought after. Made in regions across the country, Australia’s dessert and fortified wines vary in style but always impress.
In the Glass
Style and Character
Australian dessert and fortified wines range from elegant Riesling and Semillon dessert wines, to silky Topaque, spiced Tawny and luscious, toffee-tasting Muscat. They’re generally high in sugar and alcohol, making them sweet and sticky. Some of Australia’s most impressive fortified wines are aged in barrels for up to 100 years or more, giving them an intense richness that’s hard to forget.
Pairs with
Paté and terrine, dried fruit, chocolate, desserts, strong-flavoured cheeses.
Typical Flavours
In the Winery
Ageing
Australian fortified wine like Tawny and Muscat has been aged in barrels for many years, so once it’s in the bottle it’s ready to enjoy straight away, and usually won’t benefit from bottle ageing. Top-quality dessert wines, especially Botrytis ‘noble rot’ Semillon and Riesling, can be aged for five to 10 years and beyond. Store it in a cool, dark and dry place where the temperature doesn’t fluctuate. Wines sealed under cork should be stored lying down.
Drinkability
Australian dessert and fortified wines are a perfect after-dinner treat, either on their own or with a dessert or cheese. But fortified wines are also quite versatile and, depending on their age and intensity, can work with everything from fresh fruit to spicy curries. And nothing beats a glass of something sweet and sticky beside the fire on a cold night.
