Fortified Muscats

Question 1

What do all grape varieties used to make muscat have in common?

Answer 1

All low to medium acid with perfumed aromas of orange blossom, rose and grape.
-These varieties thrive in warm and hot climates but the best vineyards usually benefit from some cooling influences. (Preserving the grapes acidity and aromas)

Question 2

Describe a youthful, unaged muscat

Answer 2

Medium gold in colour, floral and aromatic.
The aim of the grape growing and winemaking would be to ensure varietal character is as pure as possible.
Typically sweet, rarely luscious.
An example of this style is Muscat de Beaumes de Venise from Southern Rhone.
-grapes picked ripe and healthy
-some skin contact widely used to help increase aromatic intensity.
-fermentation is cool and is stopped by fortification with grape spirit that is 96% abv to make a sweet wine.

Wine is stored in inert vessels to preserve primary fruit aromas

Question 3

Describe a fully developed aged muscat and give a region

Answer 3

Amber to brown and sweet or luscious.
Rutherglen

Question 4

Explain the winemaking practises of a fully developed, aged muscat

Answer 4

-grapes picked when ripe and healthy
- for a more luscious style the producer may want to allow some raising to happen prior to picking but care has to be taken as you don’t want the grapes to lose varietal aromas.
-fermentation on the skins and then draining, pressing and and fortification occur when the juice reaches 1 to 2% abv producing a wine high in residual sugars.
-period of oxidative ageing that can last for decades.
-old wood is essential as new oak would clash with the aromas
-large oak vessels widely used.
-as they age they become amber and finally brown and decompose pronounced oxidative aromas.
-common for oldest wines to be given an aromatic lift by blending in a small amount of more youthful wine prior to bottling

Question 5

Explain the winemaking practises of a fully developed, aged muscat

Answer 5

-grapes picked when ripe and healthy
- for a more luscious style the producer may want to allow some raising to happen prior to picking but care has to be taken as you don’t want the grapes to lose varietal aromas.
-fermentation on the skins and then draining, pressing and and fortification occur when the juice reaches 1 to 2% abv producing a wine high in residual sugars.
-period of oxidative ageing that can last for decades.
-old wood is essential as new oak would clash with the aromas
-large oak vessels widely used.
-as they age they become amber and finally brown and decompose pronounced oxidative aromas.
-common for oldest wines to be given an aromatic lift by blending in a small amount of more youthful wine prior to bottling