What’s the trick to pairing wine with dessert? The wine has to be sweeter than the dessert. Why is it important to have port in the house this season? Port, the rich fortified wine from Portugal, pairs perfectly with holiday desserts like Christmas cookies and chocolate! So unless you are doing a cheese course for dessert, you’re going to have a hard time finding a wine that goes with dinner and dessert. That Napa Cab that was so good with that steak or that Chardonnay that was so tasty with the cesar salad or the lobster bisque just is not going to taste so good with that sweet dessert– the wine gets bitter or tannic or just yucky while the wine doesn’t do the dessert any favors. That’s where dessert wines like port come in. What’s also great is that because of the sugars in the wine and the process they are made many dessert wines and ports will last for a month or more and still taste great making them a worthy investment — and an investment they can be which also makes for a special holiday host gift. 

If you’re new to port, and want to learn more, or if you’re looking for a unique gift for a friend or a host,