With lots of candy leftover from the Halloween season, I find myself temped to nibble a piece at the end of the day. Trouble is…I also find myself wanting a glass of vino. For me,there is no better time to uncork a simple ruby port than the start of the holiday season. From Nov 1st to Jan 1st, I find myself sipping fortifieds and nibbling on more sweets than anyother time of the year. Did I tell ya there is snow on the ground already! Yikes. Here are two of my favorite fireside sippers:

Fonseca Bin 27 Ruby Port: This non-vintage port (meaning multiple vintages blended together) is crafted using Touriga Nacional, the star grape of Portugal. The wine is a good quality, everyday port that will please the palate without breaking the bank. The wine is fortified (dosed with grape spirits) during fermentation, so the yeast does not have enough time to consume all of the sugar in the vat. The result is a fruity, spicy red that is bold, high in alcohol and sweet. Sip with your favorite chocolate dessert.

Osborne PX Sherry: One of my favorite dessert wines, this Sherry is made in the Jerez region of Spain using a sweet little grape called Pedro Ximenez (PX). The wine is fortified with grape spirit resulting in full body, high alcohol wine with a lush, rich flavor of toffee, raisins and nuts. Try with pecan pie or milk chocolate desserts. Yummy.