Med Bag of Chips

Ham, cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes, and arugula.

Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Sliced turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mustard in a whole wheat wrap.

Fit Turkey Wrap

These wines offer beautifully balanced sweetness with vibrant Mediterranean character. Each glass enhances the final course, turning dessert into a full sensory experience.

Wash and sanitize all equipment (fermentation bucket, carboy, spoons, hydrometer, funnel, bottles). If using whole grapes, rinse them lightly and remove any leaves, stems or spoiled fruit. If using concentrate, prepare in a sanitized container.

Sanitation & preparation

Place the Muscat and optional late-harvest grapes in a sanitized crusher or clean bucket and crush gently to rupture skins without adding stems. Transfer crushed grapes (must) to a primary fermentation bucket. If you have a fruit press, press gently to extract juice, leaving some free-run juice in the bucket to capture aromatic intensity.

Crush and press (if using fresh grapes)

Measure specific gravity with a hydrometer. If gravity is below the target for a sweet dessert wine (target starting SG ~1.090–1.110), dissolve the granulated sugar in 250 ml warm water and add gradually to reach ~1.095–1.105. If using concentrate, dilute with the listed water to achieve similar gravity and volume. Add the tartaric acid or acid blend and mix thoroughly; this balances the wine’s bright Mediterranean acidity.

Adjust must and measure

If desired, add the crushed Campden tablet (potassium metabisulfite) to the must and let sit for 12–24 hours to sanitize wild yeasts and bacteria. Do not add yeast until after this rest period.

Sanitize and add sulfite (optional)

Rehydrate the wine yeast per manufacturer instructions and add to the cooled must. Add the yeast nutrient to support a healthy fermentation. Stir gently to aerate the must for the first 12–24 hours to help yeast establish.

Pitch yeast and nutrient

Allow fermentation to begin at 15–18°C (59–64°F) for aromatic retention. Monitor specific gravity daily. For a sweet dessert wine, stop fermentation early when desired residual sugar remains — typically when SG reaches ~1.018–1.020 (resulting wine will finish sweeter). To stop fermentation, chill the fermenting must, rack off the yeast sediment into a sanitized carboy, and add potassium sorbate and a Campden dose (if stabilizing) to prevent re-fermentation. Alternatively, allow fermentation to proceed further and back-sweeten later (see next step).

Controlled fermentation

If you fermented dry, prepare a sterile sugar syrup by dissolving measured granulated sugar in a small amount of boiled then cooled filtered water. Pasteurize or add sulfite/sorbate to stabilize the wine, then add syrup slowly to taste until the desired sweetness and balance with acidity are achieved. Use a hydrometer or taste tests; target final sweetness typically equivalent to 70–120 g/L residual sugar depending on style.

Back-sweetening (optional)

If using oak chips for Mediterranean warmth, sanitize the chips and add them to the carboy for 1–4 weeks, tasting regularly. Remove when desired oak character is obtained. Age the wine in a cool, dark place for at least 3 months; dessert wines often benefit from 6–12 months of aging to integrate sweetness and aromatics.

Oak and aging

Rack the wine off lees into a clean carboy every 2–3 months until clear. Use fining agents (e.g., bentonite, isinglass) if needed to speed clarification, following product directions. Keep topped up with filtered water to minimize air space and oxidation.

Racking and clarification

When wine is clear and stable, ensure it is sweetened and stabilized as desired (potassium sorbate + Campden recommended if back-sweetened). Bottle in sanitized 750 ml wine bottles, leaving appropriate headspace, and cork or cap. Label with date and sweetness level.

Stabilize and bottle

Chill gently to 10–12°C (50–54°F). Serve in small dessert wine glasses. These Golden & Lush wines pair beautifully with citrus tarts, almond-based desserts, or blue cheeses, enhancing the final course with vibrant Mediterranean aromatics.

Serving

Ripe Muscat grapes (or Muscat grape juice concentrate if unavailable)

Ripe late-harvest Riesling or Gewürztraminer grapes (optional blend)

Granulated sugar (for chaptalization / to adjust sweetness)

Water (if using concentrate or to dilute must)

Wine yeast (sweet wine strain, e.g., Lalvin EC-1118 or dessert wine yeast)

Yeast nutrient

Potassium metabisulfite (Campden tablet crushed) — optional for sanitation

Tartaric acid or acid blend (to adjust acidity)

Oak chips or a small piece of American/French oak (optional, for Mediterranean warmth)

Filtered water (for topping up and dilution measurements)

Campden solution or potassium sorbate (for stabilizing before bottling, optional)

Golden & Lush Dessert Wine

Make Golden & Lush Dessert Wine Recipe in just 72h . These wines offer beautifully balanced sweetness with vibrant Mediterranean character. Each glass enhances the final course, turning dessert into a full sensory experience.

Golden & Lush Dessert Wine

Descriptors

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings

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