Sweet red wines aren\’t just for dessert. Image Credit: Scott Cartwright/iStock/Getty Images

Not all red wines are dry, and not all sweet wines are white. Although they can be difficult to find, sweet red wines are worth exploring. They are often served as dessert wines but can pair with a wide variety of foods. The very best sweet reds are complex and intriguing and worth showcasing with a well-considered meal.

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Port

Port originates in Portugal and is perhaps the most famous of all sweet red varieties. Port is a fortified red wine, meaning that during aging brandy spirits are added to the fermenting grape blend base. The result is a complex spirit with both nutty and fruity notes. The best port is very expensive and aged for many years; it's also the least sweet. Beginners should start with ruby port, which is widely available, affordable and also pleasantly sweet. Port is often served as a dessert wine and pairs extremely well with dark chocolate, but you can also try it with savory dishes. Duck, game, aged cheeses and charcuterie all fare well with port.

Lambrusco

Lambrusco is a sparkling Italian sweet wine. The most imported wine to the United States in the 1970s and 1980s, it fell out of style in subsequent decades but, according to Culinate.com, it's made a recent comeback. Its effervescence makes it a satisfying wine for summer meals; lambrusco tastes particularly good chilled and is low in alcohol to boot. Some styles of lambrusco, labeled "secco," are dry; look for semisweet varieties labeled "amabile" instead. Pair it with all sorts of pasta dishes, of course, as well as an antipasti plate of salami and Parmesan cheese; it can even accompany pizza without a hitch.

Late-Harvest Red Zinfandel

The later the harvest, the longer wine grapes have had a chance to mature and develop their sugars, so late-harvest red wines such as Zinfandel end up with a sweeter finish than other vintages. These late-harvest wines also tend to be more expensive, in part because the winery risks losing its crop entirely to mold or other disaster the longer it delays the harvest. Late-harvest Zinfandels are big and fruity and pair well with rich desserts such as cheesecake, fruit pies and tarts and chocolate.

Brachetto d\’Acqui

This sweet and slightly fizzy red wine from the Piedmont region of Italy has earned a DOGC guarantee of origin label — Italy's strictest quality assurance ranking, enforced by government inspection — thanks to its unique characteristics, including a distinctive bouquet of roses and berries. Like many other sweet reds, Brachetto d'Acqui is also low in alcohol. Its limited production can make it hard to find in the United States but it is worth seeking out. Pair Brachetto d'Acqui with fruit desserts, amaretti cookies or chocolate.

Red Ice Wine

Ice wines, also known as Eiswein, are dessert wines made from grapes that have been frozen before being harvested. Freezing concentrates the sugars in the grape, resulting in a sweeter wine with a rich flavor. The grapes must be harvested immediately, making ice wines fairly rare and expensive. Canada and Germany are the primary producers of ice wines thanks to their suitable climate. Ice wines can be either red or white; reds are rarer. Pair red ice wine with aged cheese, pate, foie gras, nuts and chocolate.

When grapes ripen, they usually do so at the same time, leaving you with a large harvest and only a limited time during which the grapes are usable. Whether they're from your own garden, the farmers market or they were on sale at the store, make the most of grapes when they're at their peak. You can make great-tasting, all-natural grape juice from fresh grapes. Each 1 pound of grapes will make slightly less than 1 cup of juice. You might find more intricate and detailed processes, but a basic method still gets the job done.

Serve the grape juice chilled. Image Credit: HandmadePictures/iStock/Getty Images

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Things You\’ll Need

• Large Spoon

• Pitcher

• Colander

• Large Bowl

• Potato Masher

• Cheesecloth Or Jelly Strainer

• Large Pot

• Sugar (Optional)

Step 1

Remove the stems from the grapes, rinse the grapes in cold water in a colander and let them drain well.

Step 2

Put the grapes in a large bowl and mash them well with a potato masher.

Step 3

Put the mash into a large pot and add just enough water to cover the grapes. Heat on medium-high until it reaches a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Constantly stir so no grapes stick to the bottom of the pot. Add sugar to taste, if you wish. Add 1 tablespoon at a time, then stir and taste each time.

Step 4

Empty the mixture into a piece of cheesecloth and strain it directly into your serving pitcher. Put the grape juice in the refrigerator to cool.

Tip

Use this juice within 24 hours. Concord is the classic grape variety for juice, but you can also use muscadines and scuppernongs.

Things You\’ll Need

• 3 1/2 cups peeled and sliced mango

• Large pitcher

• Plastic wrap

• 750 mL tequila

• Clean 750 mL bottle

• Re-usable coffee filter

• Paper or plastic label

Fresh halved mango

Mango infused tequila is sweet and fruity, and it can be used to spice up a variety of traditional cocktails, as well as helping you to discover new, creative drinks on your own. Used in a classic summer cocktail like the Mai Tai or Madras, mango infused tequila can add new, intriguing flavor to the ubiquitous cocktails, and used to make a vodka martini, the liquor can add a totally fresh perspective on a classic drink. This recipe makes one full 750 mL bottle of infused tequila.

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Step 1

Place the peeled and sliced mangoes in a large pitcher and tightly cover the top with plastic wrap.

Step 2

Put the infused tequila in a dark, cool place for 30 days, shaking the pitcher gently once every day.

Step 3

Strain the mango pieces out of the tequila using a re-usable coffee filter, catching the infused tequila in a clean 750 mL bottle.

Step 4

Put a label on the outside of the bottle to identify that it is mango infused tequila. Place a date on the label and store away from direct sunlight for up to one year.

Tip

If you want to give the tequila more mango flavor, increase the amount of mango used to 5 cups.

If you want to make the infused tequila sweeter, add 1/4 cup simple syrup to the pitcher with the mango slices.

Milk from goats is a staple in places like Africa and India. Image Credit: Digital Vision./Photodisc/Getty Images

Leaving goat milk unrefrigerated for more than two hours is not recommended. Even pasteurized milk is susceptible to the growth of harmful bacteria and food-borne pathogens, all of which thrive on milk's many nutrients and natural sugar. When serving goat milk with breakfast or during any occasion at the table, it is best to use it promptly and return it to your refrigerator at once.

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Unrefrigerated Shelf Life

Goat milk contains several macro- and micronutrients essential for human health, including calcium, protein and fat. Like cow's milk, goat milk also provides sugar in the form of lactose. This nutrient-dense environment allows bacteria and pathogens to flourish rapidly, especially if the milk's temperature rises beyond the ideal temperature for storing, which is usually as cold as your refrigerator. This is why milk tends to spoil quickly, almost as soon as it approaches room temperature.

Best Storage Temperature and Conditions

The optimal temperature window at which goat milk remains freshest up to and for some time after its best-by date is 35 F to 40 F. For every 5 F rise in temperature over 39 F, its shelf life is shortened by 50 percent. The lower end of 35 F is recommended for food-service providers. This lower temperature allows some leeway in case the milk must sit out and away from any source of cold for a time before service, such as in a cafeteria or during buffet-style catering.

Buying and Keeping Goat Milk Fresh

When purchasing goat milk, opt for products sold in enclosed cabinets. If your supermarket's dairy section features open shelves, select cartons closest to the back of the shelf. These cartons have been maintained at cooler temperatures more consistently and have not been exposed to as much light, another form of heat. Transport any goat milk-based products immediately and refrigerate them as soon as possible. Milk picks up other smells easily, so store your goat milk away from foods with strong odors. Because home refrigerators are typically set at 40 F, keep your milk in the main compartment and not in the door to protect it from temperature fluctuations.

Good Versus Bad Bacteria

It is particularly important to store raw, unpasteurized goat milk at 35 to 40 F or as close to this temperature as possible. Raw, unpasteurized goat milk retains all of its strains of good bacteria like Lactobacillus acidophilus, but the belief that these bacteria are capable of fighting off bad bacteria and protecting the freshness of any unrefrigerated dairy is unsubstantiated by science. Raw, unpasteurized goat milk is more likely to also contain harmful bacteria, such as salmonella and Escherichia coli, and these are quite capable of multiplying to critical masses sufficient to cause illness when their host environment is allowed to warm.