Matching wines to dessert party

[NBBakke]

We're serving minature fruit tarts, cheese cakes, and other "small" finger cakes from 7PM to 9PM to a group of 30. What wines should we serve and how many glasses to a bottle please so we buy enough. Many tks.

[Drew]

NBBakke, welcome.

Muscat, Sauternes, late-harvest Riesling, late-harvest Gewürztraminer and Vin Santo for the fruit tarts with the same plus tawny and ruby ports with the cheesecake. These are all rich wines and the ports are fortified so the consumption will be much less than table wine consumption. The "sampling factor" can waste wine more than actual consumption so small pours are in order. Depending on how many wines are offered, I would say 1-oz pours would be fine for a desert tasting party and your guests could ask for more if they liked a particular wine.

Drew

[cpurvis]

On the lower alcohol end of the spectrum, a Moscato d'Asti would work well (only 5% alcohol as opposed to 18-20% for port). It's a moderately sweet, semi-sparkling (read: some tiny bubbles) Italian apertif/dessert wine. Should be available in decent wine stores in your area.

cp