Q: What's the best way to serve dessert wine?
Carol C.,
Smithfield, Virginia

A: To those folks who make a living fussing over wine, this is actually a pretty complicated subject. However, for those of us simply looking for a great food and wine experience, it's pretty easy. All you have to do is remember one simple rule: Make sure the wine is sweeter than the dessert.

Sugar, by nature, tends to deaden the palate. So if a dessert is loaded with sweetness, you'll lose the wonderful nuances of the wine.

That said, it's probably best to stick with fruit-based desserts (fruit tarts, for example). You also want to avoid desserts with rich cream sauces, even if the sauce isn't that sweet. The goal is to give the wine a chance to work in concert with the dessert.

Serve dessert wines cold. It's also important to remember that dessert wines are fairly high in alcohol, so keep an eye on how much you pour--you want to fill each glass with about 2 ounces.