I'm a huge fan of late-harvest wines made from grapes left on the vine longer than usual—sometimes to the point of freezing—in order to enhance the fruit's sugar content. Because these wines are naturally sweet, they are ideal to serve with dessert.

Several Colorado wineries have jumped onto the late-harvest bandwagon with impressive results. Four of the best are: 1) Garfield Estates' Vin De Glace, a 100 percent Muscat Ottonel ice wine with a clean, refreshing finish often tough to find in a dessert pour; 2) Whitewater Hill's Zero Below, a Chardonnay that tastes of mango and golden raisins; 3) Grande River Vineyards' 2005 Ice Wine, an elegant, intensely sweet sipper reminiscent of honey and cantaloupe; 4) Creekside Cellars' Late Harvest Riesling Port, which offers hints of peach and apricot.

Tip: Pair any of these wines with a round of goat chesse drizzled with honey; a chunk of Roquefort; pumpkin cheesecake; crème brûlée; or fresh mango slices.