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Wine Details
Price:
$16.00 per bottle
Description:
There has always been a strong tradition in Australia in producing aged fortified wines. Rutherglen is in the north east of the state of Victoria and has been famous for its wine. This Muscat (which we call Black Muscat in California ) is a true fortified wine, 100% Black Muscat Grape and completed in the Solero aging method over a nineteen year period. The resultant wine holds 19% alcohol which is hidden by the ripe berry flavors of the wine. This wine is rich in sweet raspberry, blackberry and a touch of raisin. When thinking about pairing this wine with food be careful not to think it goes with all sweet desserts. It has such delicate flavors that it is best on its own or with some dried fruit and nuts and maybe some hard cheese.
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Varietal Definition
Muscat:
Muscat, thought to be one of the oldest grape varieties, is grown worldwide. It is vinified in a multitude of styles, from still to sparkling, and dry to sweet to fortified. Also called Moscato, Moscatel and Muskateller, it is a sweetly aromatic, fruity grape that has many genetic variations and colors. It probably originated in Greece but maybe the independent sultanate of Muscat in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula had something to do with it. Over 200 different varieties and derivatives to the Muscat family exist today. Muscat Canelli, Orange Muscat and Black Muscat are varieties most planted in California, which makes primarily still wine. More unusual is Muscat fermented to total dryness, which leaves greater alcohol levels and no residual sugar. Some Muscats are aged in oak to provide additional complexity.Today’s recommended Muscats represent many of these styles, so use the tasting notes and percent of residual sugar - listed if provided by the winery - to find a wine you’ll enjoy. The more sugar and the lower the alcohol, the sweeter the wine, though wines above 10 percent alcohol can also be somewhat sweet.
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Black Muscat:
Derived from a Schiava Grossa x Muscat of Alexandria cross, this variety has more than 30 synonym names, including Muscat Hamburg, Black Hamburg and Golden Hamburg. In most of the world, Black Muscat is destined for table grape production. However, in certain markets it is also used to produce wine. In California, in the hot southern reaches of the Central Valley, the vine's black-berried grapes are used in the production of dessert wine. The most notable is a richly colored and aromatic wine known as 'Elysium' made by Quady Winery in Madera. In Eastern Europe, it delivers a fair amount of light, grapey red wine with some Muscat aroma.
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