The influx of new and interesting wines to accompany gastronomical innovations has produced a hunger for learning and experimenting with pairings of wine and food. Dessert wines provide an open window to delightfully sweet and powerful experiences. They are also so varied that you can present them in any number of ways.

Dessert wines are produced in limited quantities throughout the world and tend to be more expensive than the average bottle of everyday drinking wine. Yet, a single glass of these wines, at any moment of the day, is capable of giving great satisfaction. Some months ago I had the opportunity to taste an Ice wine made with Vidal grapes in a Canadian restaurant. It was served by itself at the end of the meal and cost $27 Canadian. It was absolutely worth it. This was one of the most famous elegant, fresh and clean wines from Canada's magnificent Niagara on the Lake area. The following day I bought a bottle of the same wine and another made with Riesling to share as a beautiful experience with friends and family back home. Even though they did not know a great deal about wine, the flavors were marvelously pleasing to every ...