6. Rutherglen Muscat

Question 1

Describe the region in which Rutherglen Muscat is produced, and the unique characteristics of the wine.

Answer 1

• GI in North East Victoria
  
  • Ave Jan temp - 22.3 degC
  • Growing season rainfall - 290mm
  • Soil - Rutherglen loam Grey/brown loam
• One of Australia’s “own” FW styles
  
  • Many wineries family run - making this style for generations
  • House styles maintained on fruit selection,winemaking, maturation, blending
  • Pfeiffer - lighter and fresher styles
  • All Saints & Morris - intense, luscious styles

Question 2

Describe the growing environment and grape growing in Rutherglen

Answer 2

Rutherglen Muscat

• from Muscat a PGRouge - “Brown Muscat”
• mutation of the white variety,
• aromas still grape and floral

Environment

• Inland. NE of Victoria. 411 ha under vine
• Continental climate - warm days, cool air off Victorian alps at night
• Growng season is warm, dry autumn ~ ripe grapes accumm sugar to pot 20% abv, to prod syrupy sweet wines

Vineyard managment

• Trellising
  
  • double cordon, canopy sprawls over a single foliage wire, or held by more wires in a VSP system
  • Key concern is shading to prevent sunburn
• Considerable plantings of old vines
  
  • give smaller grapes, with larger skin:juice ratio
  • thus deeper colour and more concentrated wines
  • proportion of “old vine” cb element of house styles

Harvest

• harvest is between March and May
• wine has dried fruit character (raisins)
• some producers harvest “blocks” at different times to combine early harvest fruit (fresh aromas) with extra ripe, shrivelled fruit - sugar and dried fruit char.
• weather at harvest might influence this decision or determine which alternative dominates the final wine.
• although Autumn is typically dry, rain can sometimes be a problem - fungus / botrytis flavours (marmelade) are NOT desired
  
  • grapey aroma of muscat must be identifiable

Question 3

Describe Rutherglen Muscat winemaking

Answer 3

Fermentation & Fortification

• partly shrivelled grapes difficult to press due to dense pulp, therefore
  
  • crush and ferment on skins which breaks down the pulp, releasing sugar & flavours
• to aid extraction:
  
  • enzymes might be added
  • various cap mgt technicques - punch down/pump over, rotary ferment
• at 1-2% abv the wine is quickly drained,
• skins are pressed
• combined juice foritify to 17.5%abv
  
  • neutral spirit of 96%
  • retention of grape character is prio.
• wine is clarified by racking off the lees or light filtration
• winemaker may adjust PH, perform light fining for protein stability
  
  • aim is to avoid deposits which result in off-flavours

Question 4

Describe how Rutherglen Muscat is matured.

Answer 4

Maturing

• Very old oak, & warm conditions (mimicking Madeira)
• Stored in warehouses, tin roofs,
  
  • hot in summer -quicker maturation at the top of the warehouse OR
  • some warehouses have insulation (cooler temps) to allow slower maturation and maintain freshness in the wine
• The oak barrels may be
  
  • 1300 - 9000 l or
  • 180 - 500 l (more concentrated, more evaporation, quicker oxidation & quickere maturity.)
  • Flavours and tannins of new oak are NOT desirable
• Evaporation
  
  • concentrates sugar, alcohol, flavours
  • humidity slows the evaporation while warm and dry conditions lead to faster evaporation
• Producer may reduce ullage - top up barrels
  
  • frequent refills = fresher, less oxidative wine
  • less frequent = oxidative flavours develop
• As wine matures………..
  
  • Appearance = pale pink — ruby — garnet — brown
  • increasing sweetness, alc, acid, body, syrup, flavour conc
  • primary flavours >>>-tertiary flavours
• Most RM is non-vintage,
  
  • blend of younger + older wines for optimum balance of freshness and complexity and to retain consistency of wine year on year
• Some use modified solera system removing some wine, replacing with younger (not in the same system as in Jerez)
• Blending - helps producers achieve house style
  
  • eg wine from less ripe grapes, stored in cooler conditions, matured for less time creates a fresher and fruitier wine
  • wine purposely made with diff levels of RS can fine tune the perception of sweetness in the final wine.

Question 5

Comment on Rutherglen Muscat classification levels

Answer 5

Classification Levels

• “Rutherglen Muscat Network” (1995) promotes RM
• Intro 4 categories based on richness, complexity, intensity (taste not age) although the taste is a function of age…
• As classification level increases generally also will
  
  • no of vintages in blend
  • span of age between youngest and oldest component wines.
• Rutherglen Muscat and CLASSIC Rutherglen Muscat produced in greater volumes than “Grand” or “Rare”
• Rutherglen Muscat 3-5 yrs
  
  • 180-240 g/L RS sweet on palate
  • med garnet colour
  • pron flav raisins, figs, dates, sweet spices
  • full body, med- acidity, med alc(F)
  • vg Q and mid price
• Classic Rutherglen Muscat 6-10 yrs
  
  • 200-280 g/L RS
  • deeper colour, more concentration, complexity, tertiary flavours than RM
  • higher price
• Grand Rutherglen Muscat 11-19 yrs & Rare >20 yrs
  
  • 270-400 g/L RS
  • Tawny or brown
  • nutty treacle liquorice character
  • sweeter fuller body, higher acidity
  • still some fruit to provide balance
  • typically OS Q and S prem price
  • Rare >20 yrs Tiny volumes prod, pinnacle of range
• RM is fully mature on release date – does not age in bottle
• • Drink in a year or 2 to taste at freshest.

Question 6

Rutherglen Muscat business

Answer 6

• Few wineries - majority belong to the Rutherglen Network
• Most enitrely from estate grown fruit, some winemakers buy in a small qty from grwoer
• FW (not only RM) acc for 2% Aus wine sold globally
  
  • 20Ml prod - 19Ml to local market
• Export countries:
  
  • China, UK, USA
• Notable producers: “Campbells”; “Chambers Rosewood”.