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Chambers Rosewood

Muscadelle

Rutherglen - Australia

About

Muscadelle, which you might know as a minor white Bordeaux variety, was one of the originally misidentified varieties planted in Australia. It wasn’t until 1976 that it was properly identified, after years of being recognized as a great variety to produced sweet white fortified wines. The Rutherglen Muscadelle (a.k.a. “Topaque”) is the youngest wine style in Chambers’ four-tier classification (Rutherglen, Classic, Grand, and Rare), exhibiting more primary aspects of the variety. For more of the naming backstory, “Topaque” was introduced in Australia in 2010 to replace “Tokay,” which was banned under EU labeling agreements, but it never caught on with consumers. Producers have since reverted to using the grape’s actual name, Muscadelle, for clarity and recognition.

The grapes were harvested late in the season to achieve maximum ripeness. Once the fruit was crushed and de-stemmed, the must was pressed and the juice was fortified with a neutral grape spirit to reach 18-19% alcohol. (If the sugar levels weren’t high enough, the grapes were sometimes soaked in the press overnight.) The resulting wine was then placed into large oak barrels for maturation, leaving single vintages and individual harvesting dates together as they tend to exhibit the same characteristics. After this first aging period, the wines were then graded to determine their final tier designation (Rutherglen, Classic, etc.) and then were blended in 225-5000L used oak casks and aged until bottling on demand with a cross flow filtration. No fining.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Muscadelle
  • Vineyard: Convent Block - Horse Paddock Block - Cellar Block
  • Vine Age: 30-years-old
  • Soil Type: Red duplex over clay
  • Viticulture: Sustainable
  • Fermentation: Inoculated – open-top stainless-steel
  • Skin Contact: Mostly none, sometimes up to 24 hours
  • Aging: 1st aging in used oak casks until blending, 2nd aging in 225L-5000L used oak casks until bottling on demand
  • Alcohol: 17.7%
  • Residual Sugar: 256.8 g/L
  • pH: 4.37
  • Total Acidity: 3.5 g/L
  • Total SO2: 62 ppm
  • Total Production: 1,083 cases
  • UPC: 767749009021

Tasting Notes

A dark bronze-gold color with hints of amber. Intense, fresh and fruity aromas waft from the glass: honey, butterscotch, crème brûlée, creamy caramel, dried oranges, orange blossom, dried pears, tea-cake, malt, and green tea. These characters are also evident on the palate, which is luscious with a hint of jasmine and fresh layers of lingering flavor. This wine has a luscious texture with the gentle warmth of clean spirit and well-balanced sweetness complementing the finish.

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