With its luscious, exotic fruit profile, pleasingly viscous texture, and refreshing acidity, Sauternes is sweet wine royalty. It also boasts a festive air, making it ideal for holiday wine pairings over the holidays – whether it’s a get-together of friends exchanging gifts or to accompany dessert or the cheese platter at Christmas dinner.

A perfect pick is the 100-point Yquem 2001, a Sauternes that displays a blend of appealing botrytis hints, spice, blanched almond, honey, maple, dried apricot, and pineapple. Full-bodied, sweet, and powerful, it’s layered, balanced, and refined, with a bright, lively finish.

Perfect holiday pairings:

Sweet

• Crème brûlée’s creamy, caramelized textures and flavours mirror Sauternes’ honeyed richness.

• Tarte Tatin’s caramelized fruit complements the wine’s stone fruit and spice.

• Rugelach sweet fillings and flaky pastry match the wine flavours and freshness

• Almond or hazelnut cake harmonizes with the wine’s nuttiness.

Cheeseboard

• Comté, Brillat-Savarin, or creamy Brie offer buttery contrast.

• Dried apricots, figs, and walnuts enhance Sauterne’s complexity.

The crown jewel in Hungary’s range of sweet wines, Tokaji Essencia is admired for its concentrated exotic fruit, nutty notes, appealing botrytis tones, and ability to age and evolve for decades. Its luxurious, celebratory character makes it ideal for particularly special, festive occasions, with its balanced richness and freshness excellent partners for indulgent desserts, foie gras, or a holiday cheese board.

We’ve selected another 100-point wine – Royal Tokaji, Essencia 2007. This luxurious wine bursts with fig jam, quince, caramel, baking spice, subtle earthiness, lemon curd, passion fruit, and dried mushroom in a luscious palate lifted by vibrant acidity.

Perfect holiday pairings:

Sweet

• Christmas pudding or fruitcake mirror the dried fruit, spice, and caramel tones of the wine.

• Nut-based desserts, like almond tart or walnut cake, complement Tokaj’s nuttiness.

• Chestnut cream tart works like a dream with the wine’s honeyed depth.

Cheeseboard

• Aged Parmesan offers a harmonious sweet–savory contrast.

• Blue cheeses like Roquefort, Gorgonzola dolce, or Stilton, balance the sweetness of the Tokaj with salty tanginess.

Moving to Germany, where some of the world’s finest Riesling dessert wines are made, Auslese is an intensely sweet German wine produced from late harvest super-ripe berries which may have a touch of noble rot influence. Naturally concentrated sugars and flavors make a lushly sweet yet elegant wine featuring honey, apricot, and citrus, balanced by Riesling’s telltale vibrant acidity.

Our choice is 2017, Markus Molitor, Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 3* Goldkapsel which explodes with stone fruit like ripe peach and apricot and tropical fruit notes of mango, pineapple and guava, complemented by spicy, honey notes and a touch of slatey salinity, and all lifted by fresh acidity. Goldkapsel signifies exceptional ripeness while 3* says rich complexity - perfect for sweet festive pairings.

Perfect holiday pairings:

Sweet

• Peach cobbler mirrors Auslese’s stone and tropical fruit.
• Honeyed custards match its luscious texture and caramel hints beautifully.

Cheeseboard

• Blue cheeses balance the wine’s sweetness with pleasingly savory tang.
• Aged hard cheese like Comté offers a balance of sweet–salty.

Among the most prestigious of the world’s sweet wines, Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) is the more concentrated sibling of Auslese with higher must content resulting in flavors of dried stone fruit, florals, candied peel, and honey. Delightfully searing acidity balances the sweet, fruity core of this dessert wine. One of the finest holiday wines, its food pairing versatility makes it ideal for a range of festive get-togethers across the holiday season.

We’ve chosen the 2007, Dr. Loosen, Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling, a sweet wine from a classic house showcasing stewed peach, honey, caramel, concentrated juicy papaya, apricot, lemon, and citrus zest, all balanced by pristine acidity, closing in a long finish.

Perfect holiday pairings:

Sweet

• Fruit tarts like apricot, peach, pear, or citrus-based desserts pair effortlessly with TBA.

• Sweet potato pie matches the luxuriant, spicy honeyed notes of the Riesling.

• Honey or almond cakes feature a nutty sweetness that complements TBA’s depth.

Cheeseboard

• Triple-cream cheeses like Brillat-Savarin or Saint-André offer a delectable, buttery contrast.

• Serve with dried figs, apricots, or candied citrus peel to complement the wine’s tertiary flavors.

Standing tall as one of the world’s sweet greats, Barsac is distinguished by its gracefully concentrated layers of citrus confit, apricot, white florals, and honeyed spice. Crafted from botrytised grapes cultivated on the appellation’s unique limestone soils, its signature vibrant acidity and mineral notes result in a poised, energetic dessert wine ideal for celebrations, Barsac’s versatility makes it a go-to pairing wine for holiday fare — from blue cheese to spicy, creamy, buttery desserts and fruity cakes and tarts.

Our pick is from one of Barsac’s most acclaimed and historic estates: Climens. The 2001 bursts with waves of orange peel and dried apricot in a full-bodied wine with racy acidity that balances its luscious sweetness.

Perfect holiday pairings:

Sweet

• Fruit-based tarts or compotes, especially with apple, pear, apricot, or citrus, complement the wine’s flavors.

• Creamy, sweet flans mirror the wine’s luscious mouthfeel.

• Nutty, honeyed baklava or marzipan goodies balance the wine’s freshness and sweetness.

 Cheeseboard

• Soft creamy cheeses like Brie, Camembert, and Brillat-Savarin match Eiswein’s satiny texture and highlight its ripe fruit notes.

• Accompanying dried fruit or candied citrus enhances the wine’s flavors.