Another challenge for "pairing" pros

The 27th ,we are going to dinner at my cousin's home. She is from Denmark by way of Norway. Her mother and step father will be there as well as my son and his wife. With the exception of the hostess and her husband, everyone has a pretty good knowledge of wine. Johan, my cousin's step father, has what I would consider to be an extensive knowledge of Eurppean wines. His red wine tasting group has been ongoing for more than 30 years.

I am bringing the wine for the evening. When possible, I like to expose Johan to some of the US's finest. The meal will be a traditional Danish Christmas meal. I am uncertain as to what the fish course will be. The meat entrees will be meatballs & a pork roast. The dessert will be the traditional Danish almond rice pudding (usually served with cherries).

Johan was given a Kistler single vineyard Pinot to take home the last time he was here. He loved it.

I am going to start out with a Champagne. Then move on to a '96 and a '97 of Kalin Semillion. The red to accompany the meat will be Kistler at Johan's request, and perhaps another similiar Pinot.

My question is: what to do for a dessert wine? Can you give me some ideas of what I might dig out of my cellar? The almond rice pudding is not especially sweet. I don't have any red dessert wines other than ports and brachetto d' acqui.

George:

I don't serve dessert wines with dessert. Either as dessert or separate from dessert, but seldom with dessert. Hardest part of a match for me, as it's difficult, if not impossible to get the sugar right. Add to that all sorts of difficulty with matching body and texture of wine and dessert, and you're blessed lucky to get any sort of compatibility at all with dessert and dessert wines.

Two options: as I said before, serve a dessert wine separately; other option would be to serve one or two wines with a cheese course. The second option is very European, and gives much more chance of being a successful pairing for all concerned.

My first choice would be Recioto della Valpolicella because it picks up a bit of bitter almond from the dried grape must. But since you do not have this red dessert wine, I would look in a different direction.

Muscat de Beaumes de Venise is light and very versatile. Malvasia Madeira, if you have it, will also play nicely with the almond flavors. Similarly, and this is a stretch because not many people own it - Moscatel de Setubal from Portugal.

I am loathe to suggest anything heavier, like PX or Aussie Tokay/Muscat, because they will overwhelm the delicacy of the rice.

I server Sauterns with almond cream desserts (Pithivier) and really like how they work together. I can't quite put it together in my head with cherries but don't see much of an issue. And by the time you get to dessert, well, who cares?

rwj

[Jenise]

My suggestion's too late, and I generally agree with Hoke and do likewise myself, but for the sake of discussion, a 3 Puttonyos Tokaji Aszu would probably have been a pretty good match for that dessert.

I ended up going with a 20 year Royal Oporto tawny. It worked well, not great. I was tempted to go with a 1999 Tokaji 6 puttonyos but I couldn't find it in my cellar! I just have to drink more.