Stanton & Killeen Rutherglen Muscat NV

Story

The history of Stanton & Killeen spans seven generations and began when Rutherglen was a fledging gold mining town in the 1870s. Today, mother-daughter team, Wendy and Natasha Killeen, are looking to the future by combining the best features of the old and new, continuing the tradition of making award-winning fortified and distinctive quality table wine. Their small team is having fun with 14 varieties, including some rare and unusual Portuguese cultivars. Vineyard ecology and soil health are a priority for viticulturist Fred Morris ensuring outstanding fruit is produced from 33 hectares. Varieties include 97-year-old Shiraz vines, Durif, muscat and Portuguese varieties including Tinto cão, tinta roriz, Tinta Barroca and Touriga Nacional. More recently planted to suit Rutherglen’s climate and soils are alvarinho, arinto, and souzão. Winemaker Andrew Drumm continues to develop the decades-old modified solera, which produces some of Rutherglen’s most famous muscats, topaques, and tawny. These sit alongside exciting new table wines including The Prince Reserva, a complex blend of Portuguese red grapes. Muscat grapes are picked at optimum ripeness, with high levels of natural grape sugar and the flavours that come from extended ripening. Muscat grapes are picked at optimum ripeness, with high levels of natural grape sugar and the flavours that come from extended ripening. Once picked, they are crushed and kept on skins until fermentation commences, at which point they are quickly pressed and fortified with grape spirit. This early fortification preserves the high natural sugars while the short fermentation releases additional flavour from the skins. Once fortified, the wine is stored in large oak casks for three to four years before we assess which of the classifications the different parcels of wine fit into. The wines of the Rutherglen range are chosen to exhibit bright fruit and do not undergo further barrel ageing before bottling. The Stanton & Killeen Rutherglen Muscat is a deep orange amber with floral aromas of crushed rose petal, lavender, and orange blossom. The palate has rich raisins with subtle oak and great length. This is the perfect pairing for rose infused baklava or a Turkish delight tart with chocolate pastry – on the off chance if you have to be making either of them…

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