Practical tips
Alcohol content
Naturally sweet wine, such as Maury, Banyuls, Rivesaltes, Rasteau, has an alcohol content of 16pct, so significantly less than Port. Its lower sugar content makes it easier to digest. Late harvest dessert wines usually have an alcohol content of around 13pct, like ordinary wine.
Conservation
Most dessert wines mature very well. With the years the taste will, of course, evolve from young fruit to more complex aromas. Once the bottle is opened, there are different rules: a natural sweet wine can be kept for weeks, an old one even for months. It is best to keep it cool. A late harvest wine can be kept a few days after opening the bottle if you use a vacuum system like vacuvin.
Temperature
White and rosé dessert wine is usually drunk chilled (8-10 °C). For red dessert wine the rule is: the younger the cooler: a young red at 10-12 °C, an old red at 16 ° c.
Serve
Serve the dessert wine in medium glasses. It is preferable to open an old bottle one hour before consumption.