A blend of multiple influences. Rutherglen Muscadelle, aged sweet wine, Oloroso and Amontillado. 18.5% alcohol. Screwcap. Approx $A40 for 500ml bottle.One of properties of sugar is its ability to caramelize. Add enough heat and it moves from a colourless, odourless, simply sweet crystal to over one hundred new compounds. Some sour, others bitter, aromatic and coloured. Time, oxygen and partial fermentation have produced a similar array of wonders in this fortified wine.
A brown core but the rim has a flash of khaki. Sipped on a hot day, the sting of alcohol hits the nose, but not before the scent of fruitcake and panforte. As the label suggests, this is lush, viscous and concentrated. Like everything else, the acidity is intense and heightened. The next wave of sensation happens a few seconds after swallowing. You can follow the progress of the bolus by taking note of the warmth as it trickles into your being, as it does so, it releases more pleasure - toffee, treacle, mocha, a suggestion of bitterness and walnuts. A wonderful wine, even in the middle of Summer. 95.
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