Though sweet wines can have upwards of 100 grams of sugar per liter, many have enough acidity to keep them well-balanced, instead of cloying, notes Feiler. 'The sweetness has the ability to tamp down heat from spices and peppers while imparting an exotic honey and fruit note, while the acidity of Riesling simultaneously cleanses and refreshes the palate.' All sweet wines are thick and syrupy. 'The residual sugar combined with piercing acidity is a magical combination and can compliment a wide variety of dishes,' he says. Specifically, he says the SpГ¤tlese category-meaning the wine is made with late harvest, fully-ripe grapes-includes wines that are among the most expressive and versatile. Sean Rouch, F&B manager at Marigold by Jean-Georges in Keswick, Virginia, loves both dry and sweet Riesling. 'But the sweet ones can be very well balanced and age incredibly well,' he says of the latter. In fact, says Jonathan Feiler, there are very few sweet RosГ©s, and most Rieslings are dry. 'They can offer a vibrant acidity and firm tannins, in addition to the sweetness, thus opening up the pairing spectrum to something more uniquely savory.' All Rieslings and rosГ© wines are sweet. 'This particular varietal tends to offer Lambruscos with more girth on the palate, even when off-dry,' she says, adding that she also loves more obscure finds, like the Vernaccia di Serrapetrona off-dry sparkling reds from the Marche region in Italy. Cowan, who gravitates toward Italian wines, points to Lambrusco made with the Grasparossa di Castelvetro grape to challenge that notion. 'The biggest misconception about sweet wine is that it is lacking much depth,' says Cheron Cowan, beverage director at Maialino Mare, in Washington, DC. 'All can be highly sought after.' Sweet wines are one-dimensional 'Some of the world's most expensive and rare wines are sweet, such as ChГўteau D' Yquem from the Bordeaux region in France and the great Hungarian wines of Tokaji, and even more so the wines of Madeira,' says Simon Roberts, owner at Graileys Wine Cellar and co-owner of Tango Room in Dallas. While the sweet wine category is awash in $4.99 bottles of Arbor Mist, not all are low-priced. 'Also, many people are drinking sugary coffee drinks, or treat themselves to a pastry,' she adds, 'and I think wine should be the same way.' Sweet wines are cheap

'In fact, many dessert wines have what we call residual sugar, meaning that there is no added sugar, it is the natural sugar from the grapes that are not fermented out, and left in the wine,' says Feiler.ДЄnd while sweet wine can have a reputation for being unhealthy, most wines start with the same amount of sugar and that is converted to alcohol, says Racine. Story continues All dessert wines have added sugar 'There's such a wide spectrum of different styles and levels of sweetness available, so I find there is more versatility to them than most people expect.' She suggests looking for high-acid sweet whites like Rieslings to pair with spiced foods, serving them as an aperitif, or to match with a variety of cheeses or foie gras. 'The biggest misconception is that they're only intended for dessert, but the semi-sweet styles work brilliantly matched to spicy notes like chilies and ginger,' adds Mya Brown, wine director at Botanist, Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver.

Embry also likes to pair a glass with courses beyond dessert-a cheese course, or between courses with foie gras, for example-noting, 'It does not have to be with something necessarily sweet, or even at the end of a meal.' 'I always skip the dessert and make the sweet wine my dessert,' says Paola Embry, wine director and CEO at Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix, Arizona. Related: Maximum Coziness Is an Evening Glass of Sweet WineД«elow, wine pros weigh in on the many misconceptions about sweet wine, and why now is the time to try a bottle and judge for yourself.

'There is one out there for everyone,' he says. And while dessert wines come in a diverse range, from red and white to sparkling, Jonathan Feiler, group director of wine for Ocean House Collection in Rhode Island, suggests trying one from a winery you already love for its dry wine.