Different styles of sweet or dessert wines are made in many wine regions in France. Both late harvest and fortified sweet white, rosé, and red wines are made from different grapes.
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In the Alsace region, late harvest sweet berries are used to make white sweet Vendanges Tardives and ultra-sweet Sélection de Grains Nobles dessert wines using grapes infected by precious mold – noble rot. The grape varieties used are mainly Gewurtztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and, to a lesser extent, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains. Our manufacturers are Domaine Louis Sipp and Domaine Ostertag.
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In the Jura region, after the late harvest, a straw wine, or Vin de Paille, is made from grapes dried into raisins on the straws. It is a sweet pink wine chock full of fruity aromas and flavors. In addition, the liqueur wine (mistelle) - Macvin du Jura - is made there. We offer Domaine Rolet dessert wines.
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The Loire Valley is famous for its white dessert wines made from Chenin Blanc. In the Vouvray region, semi-sweet (demi-sec) and sweet (moelleux) wines are made from grapes infected with noble rot. We offer Domaine Huet products. In addition, sweet wines are made in the small villages of the Anjou area, of which our selection includes Bonnezeaux and Côteaux du Layon.
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The excellent wines from the Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng grape varieties of late harvest, which have been infected with noble rot, come from Sud Ouest, specifically Jurançon. Domaine Cauhapé is one of the region's flagships and landmarks. In addition, the famous Château d'Aydie makes excellent white late harvest wine - Pacherenc-du-Vic Bilh - and also fortified red wine - Maydie.
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The French king of dessert wines, Sauternes, nicknamed "d'Or Liquide" or "Liquid Gold," was born in Bordeaux. It is a white wine made from late-harvest grapes infected with noble rot. The grape varieties are Sémillon, Muscadelle and Sauvignon Blanc. We offer wonderful golden nectars from Château Gilette and Château les Justices.
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Dessert wines are also available in the Champagne region. Semi-sweet Champagne - Pol Roger Demi-Sec - can be found in our product range. We also have a sweet pink mistelle - Ratafia de Champagne - made by the Pinot Noir icon Egly-Ouriet.
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Roussillon is the birthplace of fortified sweet wines, and red, white, and to a lesser extent, pink Vin Doux Naturel (VDN) can still be found there today. There are wines with a fresh and berry character, as well as oxidized wines with an extremely long shelf life. White VDNs are made from Muscat d'Alexandrie and Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains called Muscat de Rivesaltes. Grenache Gris and Maccabeu varieties are used to produce white fresh or oxidized Rivesaltes, Maury, and Banyuls wines. Grenache Noir is the main variety for the most famous - red - berry flavored or oxidized Maury and Banyuls nectars. The producers are the top estates Mas Amiel, Coume del Mas, Mas Cristine, and Domaine du Mas Blanc.
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Vin Doux Naturel is also produced in small quantities in the Rhône Valley. White dessert wines are made from Muscat varieties, and red wines are made from Grenache Noir. Our selection includes the wines of Tardieu-Laurent and Domaine de L'Ermitage.
