For the lion’s share of wine history, the most prized and expensive wines were those that retained a noble kiss of natural, unfermented grape sugar. Times and tastes have changed, but what makes these wines great thankfully has not: the combination of ripe acidity, velvety textures, explosive aromatics, and balancing sweetness. We will explore the major categories of wines with residual sugar, explaining methods of production and, for some wines, the vital contribution of Botrytis Cinerea (aka “Noble Rot”) to the process. We will also delve into the versatility at the table that makes sweeter wines such welcome accompaniments to foods well beyond “dessert.” Sauternes, Porto, Madeira, Riesling and others will be tasted!
A native New Yorker, Oliver Longwell caught the wine bug in 2012 after a number of years working in government and politics. He has worked for leading wine retailers in New York and Los Angeles, with a particular focus on organically-farmed and natural wines. Oliver is a Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers and works as a freelance wine consultant. He enjoys experimenting with fermentations, especially ciders. He and his wife moved to Northeast Portland in 2021 and welcomed a daughter in 2022.