Holiday Dessert Wines

In the mad rush to plan holiday feasts, it can be easy to forget to plan for after-dinner drinks. Luckily, sommelier Tara Herrick from Dirty Water in San Francisco aims to remedy this. “The holidays are the perfect time to bring over an interesting bottle of port or dessert wine to finish the meal,” she says. “It’s the perfect opportunity to share something special and unique.” Here, Herrick’s shares some of her favorite dessert wines, perfect for ending your festivities on a sweet note.

Charles Hours Clos Uroulat Jurancon 2012
“The bottle has aromatics of ripe apricot, baked apple, pineapple, honey and orange blossom,” Herrick says, warning that this wine lands on the sweet side. “That’s what makes it one of my favorite dessert white wines. It has great acidity to go along with that.” Pair it with soft, creamy cheese or apple pie. klwines.com, $16

Patrick Bottex Bugey Cerdon Rosé NV
A beautiful dark rosé blend of Gamay and Poulsard from the Savoie region in France, this wine “drinks as if you are biting into fresh juicy wild strawberries: tart with a little sweetness,” Herrick says. She suggests drinking it as an aperitif or for dessert paired with a berry or cranberry tart. “This is a fun unique wine and low in alcohol.” klwines.com, $20 

The Rare Wine Co. New York Malmsey
Blossoming with aromatics of dates, nuts, caramel, warm baking spices, dark fruit and orange peel, Herrick says this would pair well with the “rich buttery texture of a pecan pie because of the nuts and the spice with the caramelization of the sugar.” It’s one of The Rare Wine Co.’s special madeira releases named after U.S. cities and single varietals; a fact that makes it fun to purchase several different bottles and try them side by side. “It also makes it a great gift!” drinkupny.com, $56