Who doesn't need a sweet frozen treat on the Fourth of July? Particularly when it's paired up with a sparkling wine. Get the pairings here. Oh yeah, and the recipe.

Mother’s Day doesn’t have to be about expensive gifts. Sometimes it’s the simple things made with love that can make a day super special. Save the spa date or walk around the lake for later in the day. This year, start her day (or ask your man to start your day) with these charming cupcakes and everyone’s favorite fruit-laden beverage, sangria. (Cake for breakfast is divine, you really must try it.)

Put your knickers on and let out a yodel from the heart for this Swiss Pear Almond Tart. Recommended for breakfast this morning. The wine, too.

Try a thicker, sweeter version of mulled wine and drizzle it into your sparkling wine or pour it over a rich and creamy mousse au chocolat. Or be charitable and give it away as gifts to your friends.

A beautiful and rich dessert that pairs excellently with port. If you can find good berries or cherries, try it for a very festive holiday treat. From WineTable Executive Chef Harry Haff.

If our focus on dessert and fortified wines seems like it's a bit off the beaten track and has left you asking, "Why should I try those ancient beverages?" consider the relationship Angelique Vinther has developed with the often-forgotten vintages. From disdain to desire, she's become a fan. How do dessert wines fit into the American palate? Think sweet but balanced and still relevant to today's menus. It's all about the tension--once you learn to appreciate that, you'll be on your way to enjoying new tastes.

Fortified wines don't typically take up much shelf space in today's liquor stores, but the unassuming little section represents wars, politics, history of great nations and cultural movements of the past. WineTable writer Jeff S. Cameron sketches a short history of Madeira, Marsala, Port, Sherry and Vermouth.

A dessert to follow a dinner that's sure to make your guests rethink their "I'm too full" statement. From WineTable Executive Chef Harry Haff.

If you seek pleasure in life and in wine then my suggestion to you is, do not miss out on dessert wines. This lost and forgotten soul of the wine world rarely gets the attention it deserves anymore. Once the wine of kings, it is now rarely indulged by us, maybe because we just don’t know what to expect. The holidays are the perfect time to take your indulgence to the next level (you can worry about your diet on January 1). Accompany one of these pleasure-bringing wines with your dessert this year and you will see eyes light up like the Christmas tree!

As harvest moves into late fall, it’s the opportune moment to talk a bit about late-harvest dessert and fortified wines. These wines are often overlooked as drinking wines, but they make an excellent pairing to those delicious sweets we love to enjoy, probably in decadent abundance, during the holiday season. Not sure how to go about finding the right one for your dessert? Consider our WineTable Food Pairings guide and upcoming articles your crash course in dessert and fortified wines.