Recommended Table Wines for Reunion Dinners During Chinese New Year – Late Harvest White Sweet Wine from Chile

Text & Photos / Yu Tian

Chinese New Year is approaching — are you preparing for a big family reunion dinner? When it comes to celebrations, how could a festive table be complete without some fine wine? Most people know the basics of food and wine pairing: steak with red wine, seafood with white wine — but what about Taiwanese stir-fries? Personally, I find that late harvest white wines with a sweeter profile pair wonderfully. This is my recent experience pairing sea bass seafood with white sweet wine. I’d like to recommend an affordable and great-value white sweet wine that you can easily find at supermarkets. It’s perfect as a table wine, a dining wine, and also a popular dessert wine in Europe used to conclude meals.

The wine I’m enjoying today is the “2008 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc from Chile” (2008 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 375ml).
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Region: The Maule Valley is the largest and oldest wine-producing region in Santiago, Chile, with vast vineyard acreage.

Grape Varieties Used:

Grape Varieties	Sauvignon Blanc	Riesling
Appearance
Characteristics	Sauvignon Blanc, also known as Fumé Blanc, offers flavors reminiscent of gooseberries, dried flowers, licorice, asparagus, and peppers. With higher acidity, its fruity notes are particularly pronounced, giving off strong scents of grass and lemon. On the palate, it’s a crisp, refreshing white wine with a tangy profile.	Riesling has very noticeable floral aromas, along with fruit notes such as peach, citrus, apple, lemon, pomelo, pear, almond, and honey. It’s suitable for noble rot development and is often used to produce late harvest and botrytized sweet white wines.

Appearance Color: Bright golden amber.

Aroma: Subtle honey scent blended with mature rose fragrance; fruit notes include peach, lychee, and papaya.

Taste: Well-balanced on the palate, with a hint of fruity sweetness and delightful notes of honey and caramel candy. The finish is long-lasting.

Food Pairing: Can be enjoyed on its own or paired with seafood and Taiwanese cuisine. It can also be served alone as a dessert or paired with various sweet treats.

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Serving Temperature: 10–12°C. Chilled, it’s refreshing; due to its high sugar content, leftover wine can be stored in the fridge and enjoyed over about a week without turning sour.

Award Record: Decanter Magazine – 2012 Best Buy Sweet White Wine Gold Award

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This sweet white wine comes from the renowned Concha y Toro winery. Established in 1883, Concha y Toro is Chile’s top wine brand, with 17 vineyards spanning a total of 4,101 hectares, primarily located in the Central Valley. It went public on the Santiago Stock Exchange in 1923 and became the first Chilean winery listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1994. In 1996, it founded Vina Trivento in Argentina, which, thanks to Concha y Toro’s technical expertise, became one of Argentina’s leading export wineries. In 1997, it began a collaboration with the famous French Bordeaux estate Baron Philippe de Rothschild to produce “Almaviva,” the first Chilean wine comparable to top Bordeaux vintages.

Concha y Toro offers a wide range of products at multiple price points. Over the years, many of its wines have received international acclaim, covering everything from affordable table wines to premium vintages. The brand has garnered tremendous global attention among wine enthusiasts.

Drinking this late harvest sweet white wine is like savoring a romantic sweetness that warms the heart. I’ve fallen for its serene golden amber hue. For those who enjoy ending a big meal with a little dessert, try a small glass of chilled white sweet wine. Beyond the satisfying taste, the slight buzz is lovely — and because it’s naturally sweet from grapes and not added sugar, it feels a bit less guilty than indulging in a rich dessert.

Where to Buy: Jasons Supermarket / City Super / Tops Supermarket. (Price: NT$500–700, subject to store discounts)
Online Store: http://www.ilovewine.com.tw/goods.php?id=534

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