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If your usual honey wine is semi-sweet, start on this shelf. Our sweetness guide already compares semi-sweet mead with off-dry Riesling and Vouvray demi-sec, and the grapes here (Muscat, Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Torrontés) are the aromatic ones, floral and fruity in the way a good semi-sweet mead is.
Sweetness is the tricky part. Riesling runs from bone dry to very sweet, and the German quality words Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese describe how ripe the grapes were at harvest. Wines of Germany says Spätlese is "not necessarily sweet". The taste words are clearer: trocken is dry (up to 4 g/L of sugar), halbtrocken semi-dry (up to 12 g/L, or 18 in higher-acid wines), lieblich semi-sweet (up to 45 g/L) and süß sweet (45 g/L and up).
Some of these grapes smell sweeter than they taste. Torrontés is usually made dry despite its perfume, so check the sweetness line on each card. We have not tasted these bottles; the notes on each card are the retailer's.
Moscato and Muscat
Moscato is made from Muscat Blanc grapes, and Wine Folly lists orange blossom and honeysuckle among its typical aromas. It comes still, sparkling, pink, red and as a dessert wine. The lightly fizzy Moscato d'Asti is listed under sparkling wine.
Quady Electra Moscato 2023
- Moscato
- Sweet
- United States
A light, low-alcohol sweet Moscato the winemaker suggests serving chilled or on the rocks.
Wine On Sale says: Soft bubbles over sweet citrus, peach and melon with a wildflower bouquet, in the style of a Moscato d'Asti.
Bartenura Moscato 2025
- Moscato
- Sweet
- Italy
A widely stocked, low-alcohol semi-sweet Moscato.
Wine On Sale says: Crisp, refreshing and semi-sweet, with pear, tangerine, nectar and melon flavors lingering on the finish.
Cupcake Vineyards Moscato 2025
- Moscato
- Sweet
- Italy
Honeysuckle and orange blossom flavors in an inexpensive sweet white.
Buy Wines Online says: A sweet, fruit-forward Moscato with jasmine, hibiscus and wildflower aromas and melon, honeysuckle and orange blossom flavors.
Saracco Moscato d'Asti 2025
- Moscato d Asti
- Sweet
- Italy
Honeysuckle and apricot in a lightly sparkling, low-alcohol Moscato with a 95-point score.
Wine On Sale says: Delicately sweet, lightly sparkling Moscato with peach, apricot, honeysuckle, orange blossom and lemon zest aromas.
WE 95 (as listed by Wine On Sale)
Moscato Wine Variety Pack
- Tasting set
- Sweet
Four sweet Moscatos in one box, an easy gift for someone who likes honeyed whites.
Buy Wines Online says: Four different Moscato wines to compare, including Vietti Moscato d'Asti with peach, rose petal and ginger aromas.
ONEHOPE Sparkling Moscato
- Sparkling Moscato
- Sweet
A $20 sparkling Moscato with citrus blossom and white peach.
ONEHOPE Wine says: Citrus blossom and juicy white peach aromas with a delicate sweetness and playful bubbles; lemon drop and mandarin on a balanced finish.
Riesling
From bone dry to very sweet. On German bottles, Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese are ripeness levels at harvest; lieblich or süß on the label is the surer sign of sweetness. Wine Folly suggests serving it at 38 to 45°F.
SJ Montigny Riesling Kauzenberg Auslese 2020
- Riesling Auslese
- Sweet
- Germany
Honey and apricot in a German Auslese, a sweet Riesling with a score on the merchant page.
Buy Wines Online says: A late-harvest Nahe Riesling with apricot, honey, candied citrus peel and a delicate floral lift, rich yet balanced.
WE 90 (as listed by Buy Wines Online)
Chateau Ste. Michelle Harvest Select Sweet Riesling 2024
- Sweet Riesling
- Sweet
- Washington
A Washington sweet Riesling with honey in the tasting notes.
Buy Wines Online says: Aromatic sweet Riesling with lush peach, apricot and honey notes, its sweetness balanced by crisp acidity.
St. Christopher Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Auslese 2025
- Riesling Auslese
- Sweet
- Germany
An affordable Auslese with honey and apricot notes.
Wine On Sale says: Golden, richly textured Mosel Auslese with dried apricot, honey and candied citrus, a silky mouthfeel and bright acidity.
Schmitt Sohne Spatlese Riesling 2024
- Riesling Spatlese
- Germany
A late-harvest Mosel Riesling at a modest price.
Wine On Sale says: Spatlese Riesling from vineyards around Piesport with concentrated apricot and peach flavors lifted by acidity, juicy and refreshing.
Washington Hills Late Harvest Riesling 2024
- Late harvest Riesling
- Sweet
- Washington
A $15 Washington late harvest Riesling.
Buy Wines Online says: A sweet white with ripe peach and apricot flavors, suggested as a dessert wine or with spicy food.
Grand Traverse Chateau Late Harvest Riesling 2024
- Late harvest Riesling
- Sweet
- United States
A US late harvest Riesling with honeyed notes for under $20.
Wine On Sale says: Michigan late harvest Riesling with vibrant citrus and honeyed notes and a luscious sweetness.
Chenin Blanc and Vouvray
Chenin Blanc is the grape of Vouvray, and Wine Folly credits compounds called volatile thiols for its honeyed, beeswax aromas. On Vouvray labels, sec is dry, tendre off-dry, demi-sec sweet and moelleux very sweet.
Gautier Vouvray Demi-Sec 2024
- Vouvray Chenin Blanc
- Off-dry
- France
Demi-sec Vouvray is a classic off-dry, honeyed Chenin Blanc.
Wine On Sale says: Off-dry Loire Chenin Blanc with ripe fruit, honey and floral notes, pear and apple on the palate and crisp acidity.
Gewürztraminer, Torrontés and other aromatic whites
Gewürztraminer is known for lychee, rose and ginger; in Alsace, Vendanges Tardives bottlings run off-dry to sweet. Torrontés, from Argentina, smells of Meyer lemon, peach and rose petal but is usually made dry. Anything else we list in this category appears here too.
Stella Rosa Golden Honey Peach Semi-Sweet White
- Semi-sweet white
- Sweet
- Italy
Honey is in the name and the merchant notes, an easy-drinking sweet white.
Wine On Sale says: A semi-sweet Piedmont white with juicy peach, apricot and honeycomb aromas and a balance of sweetness and acidity.
Hugel Classic Gewurztraminer 2018
- Gewurztraminer
- France
A fragrant Alsace Gewurztraminer whose merchant notes mention honey.
Wine On Sale says: Aromatic Alsatian white with rose petal, lychee and spice aromas and peach, honey and ginger flavors on a round, luscious palate.
ONEHOPE Sweet 6-Bundle
- Gift set
- Sweet
A bundle built entirely around sweet wines.
ONEHOPE Wine says: Six sweet wines, from sparkling Moscato to California dessert wine and sparkling almond wine, with citrus blossom, white peach, toffee and sweet cherry notes.
Stella Rosa Wine Variety Pack
- Tasting set
- Sweet
Three sweet and semi-sweet Italian wines for under $35.
Buy Wines Online says: Three Stella Rosa wines: the sweet Moscato d'Asti, the original Rosso and the semi-sweet Black.
How to choose
- Find the sweetness word. German labels may say trocken, halbtrocken, feinherb, lieblich or süß. Feinherb has no legal definition and usually sits between semi-dry and sweet. Vouvray uses sec, tendre, demi-sec and moelleux. If the label is silent, use the sweetness line on the card.
- Do not read the Prädikat as a sweetness level. Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese rise with ripeness at harvest. Wines of Germany calls Spätlese "not necessarily sweet" and Auslese "not always sweet". Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese are the reliably sweet ones; it describes the second as "honey-like".
- Smell is not sweetness. Aromatic grapes can smell sweet and taste dry. Wine Folly describes Viognier as typically dry despite its sweet aroma, and Torrontés as usually dry. If you love the perfume but want less sugar, they are worth a try; if you want sweetness, look for the words above.
- Serve it cold. Wine Folly suggests 38 to 45°F for Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Torrontés, and 45 to 55°F for Chenin Blanc. That is a little colder than the 45 to 55°F we suggest for still honey wine.
- Try it with cheese and spice. Wine Folly pairs Gewürztraminer with soft, pungent cheeses such as Munster and with Moroccan tagines, and its sweet styles with baklava. Semi-sweet honey wine works with many of the same dishes.
Prices and notes come from each retailer's product page and change often. We have not tasted every bottle here; the descriptions are the retailer's, condensed. More on how we pick in our methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which sweet white wine is most like honey wine?
For a semi-sweet mead drinker, off-dry Riesling and Vouvray demi-sec are the usual comparisons, and Moscato if you want something more floral. These are style comparisons, not tasting notes.
Is Riesling sweet?
It can be anything from bone dry to very sweet. On German labels, trocken means dry (up to 4 g/L of sugar), halbtrocken semi-dry, lieblich semi-sweet (up to 45 g/L) and süß sweet (45 g/L and up).
What do Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese mean?
They are German ripeness levels. Kabinett wines are light and made from ripe grapes, Spätlese grapes are picked a little later, and Auslese is made from fully ripe grapes with unripe berries sorted out. None of them guarantees sweetness: Wines of Germany says Spätlese is not necessarily sweet and Auslese not always.
Is Moscato the same as Moscato d'Asti?
Not exactly. Moscato wines are made from Muscat Blanc grapes and come still, sparkling, pink, red or as dessert wine. Moscato d'Asti is one particular lightly sparkling style, at around 5.5% alcohol, and we list it with the sparkling wines.
What does demi-sec mean on Vouvray?
It is the sweet step on Vouvray's scale. Wine Folly lists sec (dry, under 8 g/L of sugar), tendre (off-dry), demi-sec (sweet) and moelleux (very sweet).
Should sweet white wine be chilled?
Yes. Wine Folly suggests 38 to 45°F for Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Torrontés and 45 to 55°F for Chenin Blanc. That is slightly colder than the 45 to 55°F we suggest for still honey wine.