Fortifieds

Andrew Sutherland-Smith has fashioned this tawny from a base of 2002 Cabernet with some 1991 Fairfield sweet red and a bit of young shiraz from the Parola’s vineyard to add freshness. The average age of the blend is 15 years.

Dark onion brown colour with an onion brown and green olive hue. Top notes of marzipan and Christmas cake laced with some honeyed raisin characters are followed by walnuts and fine old brandy spirit. Rich luscious textural feel with flavours of marzipan and honeyed raisins intermixed with almond. Warm mellow spirit background. Long dry nutty rancio finish and aftertaste.
Alc 18.5%

This magnificent fortified pours with a thick oil like viscosity. The colour is much deeper than the classic Muscat displaying a totally opaque black sienna brown core with a deep olive green walnut brown hue. The nose is a sniffers paradise, almost hypnotising the olfactory senses with intoxicating aromas of raisins and honey infused with marzipan followed by finely integrated spirit, hints of Christmas cake and marmalade with spicy rancio end notes. Thick oil like texture, the palate painted with incredibly rich and concentrated flavours of honeyed raisins, marmalade, refined spirit, Christmas cake, toffee, rancio characters, marzipan and spice. Good balanced freshness on the finish and beautifully integrated spirit. Exceptionally long conclusion of honeyed raisins, marmalade, Christmas cake, marzipan and rancio characters that stay in the mouth long after swallowing. A vinous steal by any measure.
Alc 17%

Other reviews….
Like 100 Christmases in the one glass. Ancient material blended across decades and decades, delivering immense depth, layering and complexity. Smells of dark toasted wood, dark chocolate, currants, raisins, plum paste and alluring, fragrant spices. The palate has a smooth, pillowy texture, rich and spicy raisins and ebb and flow of dried-plum flavors, emanating warmth in treasured layers. Drink now. Screw cap.
100 points
JamesSuckling.com

This has a tsunami of luscious spices, raisins dipped in chocolate, and dried fruit flavours, yet has enhancing freshness, length and a bright finish, rancio in high relief. This Rutherglen muscat has to be given 100 points.
100 points
James Halliday, The Weekend Australian, March 2019

Produced from Shiraz, Grenache and Mataro grapes this is an excellent example of entry level Tawny. Dark red onion brown colour with an onion brown hue. The nose shows medium intensity with scents of Christmas cake and honeyed walnuts over marzipan and light well integrated brandy spirit notes. Initial raisin and honey flavours meld into some marzipan and nutty brandy spirit. Dry nutty finish with the nuttiness following through to the aftertaste of walnuts, honey raisins and marzipan.
Alc 17.5%

A light, finer cousin of Muscat, Topaque (Tokay) is produced from Muscadelle grapes.

Semi translucent onion brown colour with an olive green hue. Spicy dried raisin, toffee and honey aromatics fill the nostrils followed by hints of tea and marmalade. Mouth coating flavours of honey and dried raisins marry beautifully to the spirit with toffee, marmalade and notions of tea bags also present. Very luscious mouthfeel finishing perhaps a shade drier than the Muscat. Long aftertaste of dried raisins, honey, toffee infusions, marmalade and subtle tea.
Alc 17.5%

Other Reviews....
Golden brown; highly perfumed classic aromas of cold tea, rose petals and Christmas cake; excellent spirit and balance. 500 ml.
93 points
James Halliday – Australian Wine Companion

Brown Muscat grapes from non-irrigated vines are fermented and the resulting juice fortified with high strength neutral spirit. Maturation takes place in large oak casks ranging in size from 1500 to 4500 litres.

Sienna Brown, onion skin colour with an olive green hue. Honeyed raisin and marmalade top notes meld into some well integrated spirit with toffee and subtle rancio end notes. Texturally viscous with a creamy like feel the palate is filled with sweet concentrated flavours of raisins, honey and marmalade over fine spirit, marzipan and some distinct rancio characters. Finishes with a long texturally viscous aftertaste of raisins, honey, marmalade, marzipan and rancio characters.
Alc 17.5%

Other Reviews....
More touches of red-brown than the Liqueur Tokay, precisely as it should be; fragrant raisin varietal fruit luring you into the second glass; perfect balance. 500 ml.
93 points
James Halliday – Australian Wine Companion

Much younger than the AUD $90 Old Premium but still showing great depth of flavour and lusciousness, this has a medium-deep red/tawny hue with yellow tints, and a hauntingly perfumed bouquet of rose petals, flowers and spicy muscat fruit. Very sweet, deep, lush flavour and freshness. Great quality – and affordable! (screwcap)
95 points
Huon Hooke

Made from fresher, younger material than the Grand Muscat the Classic has an average age of 10 years. Deep sienna brown colour with a green olive hue. The nose exhibits honey, raisin and marmalade top notes followed by some toffee apple and spicy brandy spirit. A thick viscous textural feel coats the palate with rich concentrated flavours of honeyed raisins, Christmas cake, some toffee infusions and spicy well integrated brandy spirit. Excellent depth with a long luscious aftertaste of honeyed raisins, Christmas cake, toffee and fine spicy brandy spirit.
Alc 18.5%

Produced from Shiraz, Durif, Tinto Cao, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional grapes. Totally opaque black core with deep dark crimson red black tinged hue. Pronounced liquorice top notes are followed by some ripe blackberry, dark chocolate and vanillin oak aromas with a hint of marzipan as an end note. Luscious rich liquorice and morello cherry flavours are to the fore followed by some ripe blackberry and vanillin characters with a very well integrated brandy spirit. Solid fine grained tannins with very long liquorice, ripe morello cherry, vanillin oak, fine brandy spirit and spice aftertaste.
Cellar 10-15 years.
Alc 18.5%

Young, slightly raw, and quite beautiful. This wine would have been labelled Vintage Port in the past. Opaque black crimson colour with black crimson hue. Top note of liquorice, followed by blackberry and spice delivering a fine brandy lift. The palate delivers loads of ripe flavour, blackberry and liquorice over an infusion of old brandy spirit. The fruit is quite dry – Portuguese style – with very long aftertaste of liquorice and blackberry.
Cellar 10-20 years (2017-2027)
Alc/Vol: 18%

This Muscat has been aged in barrels for up to 40 years. Beautiful sienna brown colour with an olive green hue. Aromas of dried raisins combine with honey and dried apricots with some rancio like characters, brandy spirit and spice in the background. Luscious flavours of honey, raisins, dried fruits and orange marmalade flow across the palate with a thick viscous feel followed by nutty rancio characters, brandy spirit and spice. There’s a touch of heat on the finish. Long aftertaste of honey raisins, Christmas cake, nutty rancio characters and spicy brandy spirit.
Alc 19%