AFTER-dinner treat sweet white wines hail from all over the world and can be paired with rich pates and blue cheeses, fruit and desserts.

But the first and most important rule is: be sure to chill these half bottles for several hours before serving.

Dessert wines can be so intriguing and rich, don’t be surprised if they start to replace your favourite pudding.

Surprisingly light on its feet at 15 per cent abv, Winemakers’ Selection Muscat St Jean de Minervois, France, (£4.99, Sainsbury’s) is a delicious entry level style made from muscat grapes. A pale beauty from the South of France that’s non-syrupy and fragrant, honeycomb flavours mingle with lychee on the blossomy finish.

Serving a sweet Italian wine with biscotti at the end of a meal is one of life’s irresistible pleasures and di Lenardo Pass The Cookies 2011, Northern Italy, (£13.99, www.31dover. com) is silky and luscious without being over-the-top. The colour of copper and a blend of verduzzo and riesling, the concentrated fruit has gorgeous notes of honey and caramel with overtones of candied peel.

Heady and perfumed, Domaine Lyrarakis, Malvasia of Crete, Greece, (£17.75.bbr.com) is a blend of indigenous grapes and it’s not surprising this sun-drenched country produces such aromatic and gratifying dessert wines.

Along with the heat Down Under, Australia’s abundant sunshine offers rich pickings from the semillon grapevine. With lovely orange blossom and honeyed fruit, Tesco’s Finest Dessert Semillon 2008, Australia, (£6.79, Tesco) even lends itself to ice cream. Drizzle over a scoop of vanilla and top with nuts for a naughty treat.

A couple of notches up the scale, Margan Botrytis Semillon 2009, Hunter Valley, Australia, (£13.95, tanners-wines.co.uk) has a voluptuous mouthfeel punctuated by notes of golden sultanas, fig and lemon curd.