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Lithuania's best wine and Dessert pairings

This year's Wine + Dessert Lithuania Dvaro Grand Prix once again saw fantastic, innovative creations expertly paired with exquisite wines. While Lithuania may not yet be known for its desserts, that may change soon.

All about the quince

For the past 14 years, Lithuania – a country with a population of under 3 million – has hosted one of Europe’s sweetest events: the annual Wine + Dessert pairing contest. This year’s Wine + Dessert Lithuania 2024 Dvaro Grand Prix took place at the end of October, challenging chefs to use local, seasonal ingredients creatively. The contest, where pastry chefs and sommeliers combine their skills, was marked by one standout ingredient that appeared in several different desserts across teams and was the main ingredient in the winning pairing: quince.

The Vilnius wine bar SOMM took home the golden fork for their pairing of Weingut Knipser Petit Doux 2023 with a dessert made of sea buckthorn and quince ice cream served with caramelized white chocolate cream. On stage, Somm's chef, Algimantas Kviklys, revealed that this was no ordinary quince. The variety used was developed by his father, a quince specialist, and is now grown worldwide. Coming from a family of scientists dedicated to researching quince, Kviklys shared that the dessert was a tribute to his family’s legacy.

Unusual ingredients, unexpected pairings

This year, 18 teams presented unique desserts paired with sweet wines to a panel of experts and journalists. Some focused on minimalism and local produce, while others embraced the element of surprise, incorporating unusual ingredients like truffles, eggplant, gorgonzola, Ossetra caviar, and even bull’s blood. The award for best wine of the contest went to the only Lithuanian Michelin Green Star restaurant: Red Brick, which served a 2017 Weingut Sattlerhof TBA, a Sauvignon Blanc from Austria's Südsteiermark that was paired with a coffee and mushroom caramel dessert with beetroots and carrots. This pairing also won 3rd place in the overall ranking.

Lithuania's Finest

The award for the Most Lithuanian Dessert went to the Pacai Hotel’s restaurant. Inspired by traditional Lithuanian flavors, their entry was a stunning interpretation of a hundred-layer cake (originating from Tatars), featuring poppy seeds, butter, milk, cream, dough, and yeast. Though complex in its creation, this dessert evoked a comforting, nostalgic flavor profile that tasted like home. It was perfectly paired with Vin de Constance. Runner-up in this category was Vilnius restaurant Elven with its Elven Cheescake, paired with Lithuanian Gintaro Sino Apple Icewine.

The sweetest experience

If there had been an award for presentation, it would have gone to the second-place winner, Arrivée Kaunas. Lithuanian pâtissier Evaldas Juška presented a four-stage dessert inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince. The experience began with a berry-based palate cleanser hidden in a real rose, followed by a sphere of chocolate mousse symbolizing a planet, a hat represented by a butter mille-feuille with blackcurrants and coffee beans, and an edible fox. This whimsical creation was paired with Graham’s Six Grapes Port.

From competition to menu

One of the best aspects of the contest is its influence on Lithuanian gastronomy. This year, 14 out of the 18 desserts presented were added to actual restaurant menus, allowing guests to try, judge, and enjoy these innovative creations themselves.

Here’s where you can find these desserts

SOMM. The Wine Bar (Vilnius) – 1st place, Winner of Lightest Pairing
Arrivée (Kaunas) – 2nd place, (variation of the contest dessert)
Red Brick (Radiškis) – 3rd place, Winner of Best Wine Award (dessert coming soon)
Dine (Vilnius) – 4th place, Winner of the Public Vote
Pacai Hotel restaurant (Vilnius) – 5th place, Winner of Most Lithuanian Dessert
Amandus (Vilnius) – 6th place (variation of the contest dessert)
Demo (Vilnius) – 7th place, Winner of Best Dessert to Pair with Coffee
Nineteen18 (Vilnius) – 8th place, Winner of Most Stylish Dessert
Elven (Vilnius)
Harmony Park (Kaunas)
Vytautas Mineral SPA Restaurants Sun and Moon (Birštonas)
Taurakalnis (Lithuania) – dessert available for private catering events
Cloud Kitchen (Lithuania) – dessert available for private catering events
Esė Gastrobar (Birštonas) – dessert will be part of the winter menu

Promoting culinary creativity since 2010

“The annual contest has been organized since 2010 and has become a key driver in changing the way pastry chefs and sommeliers collaborate and create,” Arūnas Starkus stated, the founder of the contest and owner of Vyno Klubas, a fine wine retail store based in Lithuania. “Fourteen years ago, we launched the event with the goal of drawing restaurants' attention to the shrinking category of sweet wines. But today, we're seeing another significant benefit. The contest has evolved into a catalyst for the creation of unique, original desserts. The concentration of such desserts in Lithuania is now unparalleled compared to other similar markets. Additionally, restaurant patrons are eagerly ordering the award-winning pairings, which not only enhances their dining experience but also helps restaurants improve their business.”

Source: www.falstaff.com