Anybody know a good dessert wine and how much?

[odogg]

Can anyone suggest a nice dessert wine that is not too expensive? Thanks.

[Innkeeper]

Almost any late harvest Reisling and its cousins from Germany, Alsace, California, the Northwest, etc, will do; and they start at around $20.00 per bottle, and half bottles are available. The kings of dessert wines are the Sauternes from Bordeaux and start at $50.00 and go up and up. We know where you can get an Imperial of 1982 Chateau D'Yquem, Sauternes for $4950.00.

[Thomas]

Madeira Malmsey; depending upon the "year old" designation, anywhere from $20 to $100/ bottle.

Innkeeper is obviously unaware that NY Finger Lakes region produces better Rieslings than Washington and most of California, but depending upon where you live, you might have trouble finding them. Also, Ontario, Canada produces fine Ice Wines.

[Innkeeper]

Foodie missed the "etc."

[Scoop]

You could also go for a Muscat-based dessert wine (Beaumes de Venise is one to look for); Jaboulet markets one for around $16.99 per (750 ml) bottle. Nice refreshing sweetness with good apricot and orange peel notes. Meant to drink young. (It's technically a "Vin Doux Natural", meaning spirit was added to arrest the fermentation process and to trap residual sugar.)

Chenin Blanc-based dessert wines from the Loire Valley are also good source of value (Quart de Chaumes, Bonnezeaux, Coteaux de Saumur and Vouvray Molleaux) as is a similar (and more reasonably-priced) cousin appellation to Sauternes in the Bordeaux region: Monbazillac. All of these depend on (and benefit from) botrytis ("noble rot") for their intense sweetness and flavors.

There's a big world of dessert wines out there. In the end, it depends on what's for dessert!

[Thomas]

Hey Innkeeper, when it comes to quality in Riesling, the etc. goes to Washington and California (except for Jekyl, or however they spell it).

When it comes to national availability, well, I have to admit that Finger Lakes is the etc.
But we will get that shipping law passed someday...

[Bucko]

Hats off to Scoop for mentioning Loire sweets, IMO the best values in the world. Great stuff.

Bucko