Guide to Fortified & Dessert Wine

Fortified and dessert wines can come in many colours, aromas, and styles and are often examples of some of the most difficult and interesting types of wine to produce and taste.

In our guide to fortified and dessert wines, we aim to explore all of the prominent styles that exist and equip you with the knowledge that you need to make the right choice when purchasing these types of wine, including the flavour profiles of each and the best food pairing options.

Fortified & Dessert Wine Varietals

With often only small differences that exist between some of the various types of fortified and dessert wines, and with so many different names, understanding all of them can appear, and is, a mammoth undertaking.

It is possible, however, to narrow down to a few select styles that are found in most popular bars, restaurants, and bottle shops, all explored below.

Sherry

Sherry

Sherry is an ancient style of fortified wine hailing from southern Spain that is mostly light to medium bodied and dry in its style but can be incredibly sweet and syrupy in taste and texture. Learn how they taste and how to pair them with food in this complete guide.

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Port

Port

Port is a type of fortified dessert wine that is produced exclusively in the North West Douro Valley region in Portugal, around the city of Porto, where it has been made for centuries. Discover how they taste and how they can be matched with food in this comprehensive guide.

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Australian Tawny

Australian Tawny

Australian tawny exists as the most popular and famous style of fortified dessert wine produced in the country and easily the most famous example of Tawny Port outside of Portugal itself. Find out how they taste and they are best served with food in this thorough guide to the style.

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Other Fortified & Dessert Wine Varietals

Other Fortified & Dessert Wine Varietals

With so many types of fortified and dessert that exist, exploring each one in a complete guide would take a lifetimes worth of work. Thankfully, you can discover more about some of the more unique types of these wines in this guide, where we explore their flavour profiles and food pairing guides.

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