Spend your New Year enjoying some of the most characterful sweet wines from around the world - find the top 10 sweet wines selected by Decanter magazine in 2016.
Decanter star buys of 2016 - 10 top sweet wines for your New Year
Wines
Weingut Max Ferd. Richter, Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling, Mosel, Auslese, Germany, 2015
The sweetness in this Riesling is deliciously evident, and it is balanced by thrilling acidity and engaging honeyed tones. It is a refined and refreshing example that is concentrated and long in the mouth. No doubt that this wine has some serious potential to age.
Framingham, Select Riesling, Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2015
Intense, precise and with lovely purity, this is a smashing Riesling. There is an oily character on the nose tinged with floral notes and white stone fruits. Fragrant, crystalline sweetness allied with glorious acidity. It would benefit from several more years in bottle, but it is equally enjoyable now.
Chäteau Doisy Védrines, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France, 2009
This is a really enjoyable sweet wine with plenty of attractive botrytis elements. Beeswax and marmalade permeate through the nose and palate, whilst apricots and quinces dance daintily on top. There is some real purity here and a great intensity, with a touch of spicy at the end.
Weingut Dönnhoff, Norheimer Dellchen Riesling, Nahe, Auslese, Germany, 2013
Pure apple charm, together with a touch of botrytis notes: candied apricot, honey and delicate elderflower. So pure and precise, it has a beautiful lime fruit acidity which sweeps through the sweetness on the palate and leaves it feeling fresh as a daisy.
Dr H Thanisch Erben, Müller-Burggaef, Berncasteler Doctor, Mosel, Spätlese, Germany, 2014
This lovely wine has a stone fruit character and a floral intensity. It unfolds in layers of lime zest, candied fruit and a hint of honey, with a touch of minerality running through. The acidity cuts through the honeyed richness and marks this out as great quality.
Donnafugata, Ben Ryé, Passito di Pantelleria, Italy, 2012
The liquid in the glass is a dazzling apricot and copper colour, promoting the aromas of intense, burnt marmalade on the nose with a luscious texture of raisined fruits on the palate. Limpid with prunes and smoky walnuts in a rich style; a showstopper with memorable appeal.
Mullineux, Straw Wine, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2015
Quite a savoury style for such a sweet dessert wine; all the elements are in equilibrium. In the mouth it delivers so much honey and finesse from its high lemon acidity, giving it great focus and power with sweet quince fruit flavours. Rich and luscious marmalade characters combined with a hint of mushroom on the finish. Will age beautifully for many years.
Golan Heights Winery, Yarden Heightswine Gewurztraminer, Gallile, Golan, Israel, 2012
This Gerwurztraminer is aromatic with a rose petal and lychee intensity. The sweetness is balanced wonderfully by fresh and lively acidity. On the palate there are crystallised lemon and orange characters with a touch of tropical fruit, quince jelly and elderflower. Harmonious and pretty, this is a glorious sweet wine this needs to be savoured.
Szepsy, Szamorodni, Tokaj, Tokaj, Hungary, 2012
A beautiful botrytis wine with hints of mushroom on the nose combined with pure orange zest, quince and marmalade. This translates through to the palate where golden peach and candied fruit is added. It is wonderfully balanced with lower alcohol and high acidity to match the high sugar levels. So fresh and alive, and most importantly, very drinkable.