Best Sweet Wines You Can Buy Online
Sweet wine is often misunderstood and brushed aside as “lesser quality.” But this is simply because getting it right takes skills not all producers have yet mastered. When sweet wine is done correctly and when consumers know what to pair it with, it can bring delightfully unique flavors to your table.
To help you avoid wasting time and money trying sweet wines that are simply not worth it, we’ve come up with a list of delicious sweet wines you can buy online, ordered by price. They all represent different sweet wine types for various occasions, so you can find what best suits your taste buds, your wallet and your lifestyle.
15. Vietti Moscato d’Asti
Where it's produced: Piedmont, Italy
Pair it with: Strong cheeses, fruity desserts, cake
Why It’s Worth Splurging on Moscato d’Asti
Affordable, organic and, above all, delicious, you can’t go wrong with Moscato d’Asti. This type of sweet white wine is produced in Italy’s Piedmont region, with this particular bottle coming from one of the region’s most trustworthy names.
The wine is sweet without being overbearing, made with hints of peach, honeysuckle and sweetened ginger. It is light and goes well with basically anything fruity.
Buy now: Vietti Moscato d’Asti, $16.99
14. Campbells Rutherglen Muscat
Where it's produced: Rutherglen, Australia
Pair it with: Tart fruits, custard desserts
Why It’s Worth Splurging on Muscat
Australia’s native red Moscato variant is more concentrated than its white counterpart. Rutherglen Muscat is strong, made with ingredients like rum and hazelnuts. The taste lingers enough for you to want to drink this slowly, savoring it with intent.
Campbells Rutherglen Muscat tends to be five years old. Raisins, figs and barley sugar make the wine’s signature flavor.
Buy now: Campbells Rutherglen Muscat, $20.99
13. Croft Pink Rosé Port
Where it's produced: Douro Valley, Portugal
Pair it with: Fruits, soft cheeses, light desserts
Why It’s Worth Splurging on Croft Rosé Port
Wine purists will faint at the sight of Croft Pink Rosé Port on this list. Port wine is only made in Portugal’s Douro Valley and is traditionally a red dessert wine, with some white variations being produced. In 2008, however, Croft delighted and shocked oenophiles with the first rosé port ever made.
It may not be traditional, but it is delicious, and we love a wine that’s not afraid to rock the world — especially when it comes from a producer that’s been around since the 16th century. You can expect hints of raspberry, cherry, grapefruit and honey.
Buy now: Croft Pink Rose Port, $19.99
12. Château d'Esclans Whispering Angel Rosé
Where it's produced: Côtes de Provence, France
Pair it with: Light, fresh salads
Why It’s Worth Splurging on Whispering Angel Rosé
A simple, classic rosé, Whispering Angel is the perfect summer wine. It is made from Grenache grapes and has a smooth texture that makes it incredibly refreshing.
You can drink it on its own to ward off the suffocating heat of a summer afternoon, or pair it at brunch with a light salad, simple pastries or sweet breakfast foods.
Buy now: Château d'Esclans Whispering Angel Rosé, $19.99
11. Mumm Napa Brut Rosé
Where it's produced: Napa Valley, California
Pair it with: Spicy appetizers, soft cheese
Why It’s Worth Splurging on Mumm Napa Rosé
Yet another sweet pink wine, Mumm Napa Rosé is perfect for when you want a sparkling sweet wine. Produced in the U.S.’s most famous wine region, this brut rosé has a citrusy flavor, which is complemented by a delicate taste of actual rose petals. Other flavors you’ll catch include different types of cherries and berries.
The wine is great for celebrations, pairing well with savory and spicy foods as well as with soft cheeses and desserts. This will save you some headache when trying to figure out what appetizers and foods to serve along with it.
Buy now: Mumm Napa Brut Rosé, $21.99
10. Rudera Chenin Blanc
Where it's produced: Stellenbosch, South Africa
Pair it with: Lean fish, mild cheese, spicy food
Why It’s Worth Splurging on Chenin Blanc
South Africa is known for its Chenin Blanc variety, which is notoriously sweet. These wines are intense, using thick flavors like apricots, honey and peach. They are also fermented for a long time to enhance their sweetness. But what makes sweet Chenin Blancs so delicious is that they have high acidity, which balances their thickness.
This late harvest Chenin Blanc comes from Stellenbosch, South Africa's most famous wine region. It has notes of baked apple and a long-lasting aftertaste.
Buy now: Rudera 2008 Noble Late Harvest Chenin Blanc, $23.99
9. Dr. Loosen Riesling Auslese
Where it's produced: Rheinhessen, Germany
Pair it with: Shellfish, tart fruits, spicy food
Why It’s Worth Splurging on Riesling Auslese
Many people don’t know this, but Germany is actually one of the best countries for wine in the world. It is particularly well known for its Riesling white wine.
Auslese is the sweetest type of Riesling, but on the scale of sweetness, they are decidedly moderate. Their acidity helps balance out their sweetness for a lightness that has earned them praise from The New York Times. This bottle has hints of pear and honey but manages to still be refreshing.
Buy now: Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Auslese, $29.99
8. Château de Suduiraut Sauterne
Where it's produced: Bordeaux, France
Pair it with: Blue cheese, fruity desserts
Why It’s Worth Splurging on Sauterne
Rotten fruit does not seem like a positive, but some sweet wines are made with what's called "beneficial" or "noble" rot. This rot needs specific conditions to happen, and it gives the sweet wines it makes possible distinct and delicious undertones.
Bordeaux's famous sweet wine, Sauterne, offers complex flavors. The one produced by Château de Suduiraut often has sweet flavors of honey contrasted by spices and ginger. It also has a high acidity that brings even more contrast to its sweetness. This makes it pair well with both sweet and savory dishes.
Buy now: Château Suduiraut Sauternes, $74.99
7. Cesari Recioto della Valpolicella Classico
Where it's produced: Valpolicella, Italy
Pair it with: Cheesecake, chocolate tart
Why It’s Worth Splurging on Recioto della Valpolicella
Valpolicella, located in the province of Verona, is famous for its sweet wines, Amarone and Recioto della Valpolicella. Both of these use a technique in which harvested grapes are laid on mats to dry. The process helps sugars concentrate and ferment, bringing out the grapes' sweetness.
If you don't want too much sweetness, go for Amarone, but we'll recommend Recioto della Valpolicella here for its overpowering sweetness. The wine is an actual liquid dessert and pairs marvelously with chocolate — that is, if you are as obsessed with sweets as we are.
Buy now: Cesari Recioto della Valpolicella Classico, $53.99
6. Royal Tokaji Red Label
Where it's produced: Tojak, Hungary
Pair it with: Fois gras, blue cheese
Why It’s Worth Splurging on Tokaji Aszú
Like Bordeaux's Sauterne, Hungary's Tokaji Aszú is produced using beneficial rot. This specific variety of sweet white wine uses Furmint grapes, a kind that is fairly rare. One of the reasons that we love it is that it doesn't taste like other sweet wines, courtesy of its Furmint grapes and the citrusy blends that embellish it.
The Royal Tojaki Red uses only the best grapes. It is not afraid to enhance its acidity with lime spices like saffron but manages to keep a sweetness that tastes just right.
Buy now: Royal Tokaji Red Label, 5 Puttonyos, $55.67
5. Laurent-Perrier Harmony Demi-Sec Champagne
Where it's produced: Champagne, France
Pair it with: Light pastries, cheese salads
Why It’s Worth Splurging on Champagne
For people who want a soft sweetness, demi-sec Champagne should be a go-to wine. This bottle has added sugar and honeyed and dried fruits. But that's balanced with toasted nuts to make a full-bodied wine that works well with numerous dishes.
Don't hesitate to open this bottle at the beginning of a meal, when you're serving fresh salads or at the end to complement pastries and desserts.
Buy now: Laurent-Perrier Harmony Demi-Sec, $44.99
4. Felsina Vin Santo del Chianti Clasico
Where it's produced: Tuscany, Italy
Pair it with: Gelato, almond desserts
Why It’s Worth Splurging on Chianti
Chianti is a real dessert wine and is meant to be sweeter than even the gelatos often paired with it.
This classic Chianti is thick, with oak, maple syrup and nuts that add a robust kind of sweetness. Like any well-produced Chianti, however, it is still smooth despite its thickness, with a splash of citrus to make it refreshing.
Buy now: Felsina Vin Santo del Chianti Clasico, $54.99
3. Gonzalez-Byass Noe Pedro Ximenez Sherry
Where it's produced: Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
Pair it with: Strong cheeses, chocolate desserts
Why It’s Worth Splurging on PX Sherry
Pedro Ximenez, usually abbreviated as PX, is a thick Spanish sherry that has a consistency closer to molasses than to wine. To produce it, the wine is left to age in barrels for several years, until much of the fluid made up of water and alcohol evaporates. This not only gives it its unusual density but also makes its sweetness much more concentrated and potent.
PX is not for everyone. This is the sweetest wine in the entire world, so we'd recommend working your taste up to it. Once you've managed to learn to appreciate it, however, you'll be rewarded with dessert you can drink, and wine you don't need to pair with anything else.
Buy now: Gonzalez-Byass Noe Pedro Ximenez VORS, $49.99
2. Warre's Vintage Port
Where it's produced: Douro Valley, Portugal
Pair it with: Hard and mature cheeses, dry nuts, beef
Why It’s Worth Splurging on Vintage Port
Perhaps the most famous type of sweet wine in the world, Port is a must-try for anyone wanting to learn more about wine.
A respected and established Port producer, Warre's brings out the wine's strong candied flavor with chocolate, fig, caramel and toffee as well as plum. Don't expect sweet in a light way; this is a deep sweetness that is somewhat bitter and that will linger on after each sip.
Buy now: Warre's Vintage Port 2017, $69.99
1. Inniskillin Gold Vidal Icewine
Where it's produced: Ontario, Canada
Pair it with: Pecan pie, creamy cheeses
Why It’s Worth Splurging on Gold Vidal Icewine
Icewine might just use the most unusual production method. Whereas most grapes would die at very low temperatures, this technique purposefully freezes them at 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 Celsius). The grapes are then harvested at night. This technique essentially freezes the water within the grape but leaves its sugar intact.
The result is a beautifully acidic sweetness, kind of how wild berries taste. Tangerine, ripe peach as well as fragrant baking spices only enhance this delicious contradiction. Icewine's balanced flavor pairs well with creamy, savory and salty dishes as well as nutty desserts.
Buy now: Inniskillin Gold Vidal Icewine, $79.99