Sweet Italian wines boast an array of distinct flavors. Some are created by drying grapes using an ancient technique called appassimento, yielding wines with higher sugar levels and rich, concentrated fruit aromas.

Barolo Chinato features bitter orange marmalade and spice notes, while Tuscany's nutty oxidized Vin Santo can be enjoyed with hard Tuscan cookies as a dip for dunking. Furthermore, try rare Rosenmuskateller from Alto Adige that tastes of red rose jam with notes of mulled wine spices for something truly exceptional!

How is it made?

Italian sweet wines come in an assortment of styles. Some are produced using the passito technique, where grapes are dried using various methods in order to concentrate their sugars and create body for the wine.

Moscato d'Asti wines are typically sun-dried for an intense, velvety wine that pairs beautifully with sweet Sicilian desserts like cannoli and cassata, while other varieties are air dried to produce lighter styles that pair better with more savory foods, such as pungent cheeses or foie gras.

Botrytising grapes is another way of producing sweet wines, either naturally or artificially. Either method results in an intense and complex wine that stands out, used to craft Vin Santo, Moscato d'Asti and Moscato di Pantelleria wines with flavors such as apricot, peach and raisin that pair wonderfully with sweet Sicilian dishes.

What grapes are used to make it?

Stella Rosa Wines takes great pleasure in offering Italy's rich wine culture through our wide range of sweet wines, such as sparkling Moscato d'Asti and Vin Santo to the more substantial Marsala fortifieds.

Many sweet wines in Italy are produced using grapes that have been allowed to wither slightly, increasing sugars and flavors while withering slightly themselves. This technique, known as appassimento, can either take place directly on the vines or after harvesting by spreading bunches out for drying after being laid on drying tables.

Wines produced here boast aromas of hazelnut and tropical fruit, ideal for pairing with hard Tuscan cookies such as cantuccini for dunking. Vin Santo, another revered passito from Tuscany made from Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes, often makes an appearance alongside hard cheeses or pate from this region; its sweet taste complementing these dishes perfectly.

What are the flavors?

From Sicilian vineyards to Tuscan hills, sweet Italian wines abound. Each boasting its own distinct characteristics--ranging from dry (secco) to medium sweet (amabile) to richly sweet (dolce).

An exceptional expression of finesse and olfactory elegance. The nose is dominated by an abundance of exotic fruits that slowly give way to dehydrated figs and almonds; on the palate there is full and soft body supported by subtle acidity for a long finish with sweet notes of sweetness, balanced by saltiness.

Sweet wines make an ideal companion to desserts. Pair it with pumpkin pie, fruit pie or biscotti for the best experience - or pair it with aged cheeses and pates from Stella Rosa for an exquisite selection of Italian wines made with real fruit without artificial flavors or added sugars - experience one today!

What foods go well with it?

Appassimento (or "withering") of grapes is often employed when creating sweet wines, giving these types of beverages their signature sweetness. This technique causes grapes to wither up and concentrate their sugars and flavors for greater sweetness in their final product.

Appassimento wines can be produced in numerous ways, from drying the grapes on their vine to spreading them out to dry in the sun. Noble rot is another method for creating appassimento wines; this fungus-caused grape shrinkage process produces Sauternes and other well-known French sweet wines.

Vin Santo is a popular Tuscan passito wine and pairs beautifully with hard Italian cookies like cantucci as well as rich cheeses such as foie gras or gorgonzola. Another fantastic sweet Italian wine, Zibibbo from sun-dried grapes in Sicily is an ideal companion for traditional Sicilian desserts or pungent cheeses such as cassata. Additionally, Zibibbo can also be served alongside desserts that contain large amounts of fruit for an exciting twist on this treat!