Dolce Late Harvest 2014

Dolce Late Harvest 2014 is a fruit dessert wine from Massachusetts, made by Esplanda. The category tells you what to expect. A fruit dessert wine is built on fruit other than, or alongside, wine grapes, and then finished with enough residual sugar to read as properly sweet. Styles like this usually show ripe orchard or berry fruit on the nose, a syrupy and round mid-palate, and a finish that holds on the fruit instead of drying out. This bottle's exact fruit source, sugar level and alcohol aren't stated in the product details, so treat those as things to check on the label. The late harvest designation points to fruit picked at full ripeness, which concentrates sugar and flavor. In wines of this type, that usually means a fuller body and a softer texture than a table wine. Expect little to no tannin, since sweet fruit wines rely on sugar and fruit weight rather than grip. Acidity matters more than it first appears: in the better examples it keeps the sweetness from turning heavy, and you notice it as a clean, slightly tart lift at the end. Oak is not typical for fruit-forward dessert wines, so look for fresh fruit character rather than vanilla or toast. Serve it well chilled, around 45 to 50°F (7 to 10°C). That is cold enough to keep the sweetness crisp and warm enough to leave the aromas open. Decanting isn't needed for a wine in this style. Just open it, pour, and give the glass a minute to release its aroma. A small white wine glass or a dedicated dessert wine glass works best. The narrow bowl concentrates the aromatics, and the small pour size suits a sweet wine, where two or three ounces is a normal serving. For food, sweet fruit wines do well against salt and fat. Try it with a sharp blue cheese, aged cheddar or a washed-rind cheese, or with foie gras or pâté on toast. It also works beside fruit tarts, almond cake, shortbread or vanilla ice cream. For a dessert course, match the sweetness of the dish to the wine, because a dessert sweeter than the wine will make it taste thin. The 2014 vintage is now several years old. Sweet wines with good acidity can hold up over time, but a fruit wine of this type is generally made to be enjoyed within a few years of release. Think of this as a drink-now bottle rather than one to cellar further. Once opened, recork it and refrigerate. Sweet wines usually keep their character for about a week.