This blend represents the newest bottled offerings from this Rutherglen producer, an area that produces spectacular fortifieds, especially the Muscats and Tokays (actually Muscadelle). Its freshness, good acidity, soaring aromatics, and unctuous flavors must be tasted to be believed. Drink now or cellar.

 

This blend represents the newest bottled offerings from this Rutherglen producer, an area that produces spectacular fortifieds, especially the Muscats and Tokays (actually Muscadelle). Its freshness, good acidity, soaring aromatics, and unctuous flavors must be tasted to be believed. Drink now or cellar.

Until 3-4 decades ago, many Australian wineries were better known for their fortified than dry table wines. For whatever reason, many of these fortifieds fell out of favor in Australia, and have never received the respect they deserve given how spectacular many can be. Rick Burge’s ancestors always made fortified wines, and kept the soleras active during their lifetimes. No one will be disappointed in this spectacular non-vintage fortified.

Until 3-4 decades ago, many Australian wineries were better known for their fortified than dry table wines. For whatever reason, many of these fortifieds fell out of favor in Australia, and have never received the respect they deserve given how spectacular many can be. Rick Burge’s ancestors always made fortified wines, and kept the soleras active during their lifetimes. No one will be disappointed in this spectacular non-vintage fortified. Drink now or cellar.

Sourced from material aged between six and ten years old, this wine is the foundation of the style; displaying the fresh raisin aromas, rich fruit, clean spirit and great length of flavor on the palate which are the mark of all the Muscats of Rutherglen. Drink now or cellar.

The Muscat is a blend of North East Victorian Muscat which has "trickled" into Barossa Muscat and now some of the neighboring, Wally Krieg's red Muscat into over the recent years. This Muscat shows richness and a complexity of flavours. Fruitcake, toffee, raisins, coffee, combining with the natural grape sweetness, oak and alcohol produce a wine style uniquely Australian. Drink now or cellar.

Blend is made up of a huge list of varieties including Verdelho, Grenache, Shiraz, Touriga, White Muscat and Palomino. Some of these components date back over 30 years, and are responsible for adding the lusciousness and the distinctive rancio (butterscotch) characters we find in this wine. This year I topped up the old base blend with a little old Verdelho, and Touriga. Plenty of rich, rancio, butterscotch flavours and fine drying oak tannins, warm alcohol and fantastic length of flavour. Drink now or cellar.

The Tokay shows plenty of caramel, toffee and nutty like characters and has a sweet, rich, luscious palate, finishing round and a touch dry from the oak tannin and warm alcohol. Drink now or cellar.

Semi-dried fruit, very much in the Amarone style. Sweet ripe berry fruit nose, with some raspberry and blackcurrant character. The palate shows lovely vivid, pure fruit with some sweetness. Really interesting stuff with lovely fruit quality. Fantastic with chocolate based desserts.

Picked from our own Semillon vines planted in the early 1960's. All of our dessert wines are made the same way. We do not use Botrytis infected fruit or fortification in any of our dessert wines. After hand picking the grapes are placed into trays and semi dried.

 

This drying process highlights and intensifies natural flavours and aromas. Giving a very long clean and crisp finish combined with wonderful fruit.