Wines and Beyond

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Warre's from Portugal. Black pepper, ceiling wax, spices, and toast are found in the nose of the potentially exceptional 2003 Warre's Vintage Port. A concentrated effort, its youthful, classically ungenerous, masculine character reveals black pepper laced dark fruits. Silky-textured in its immensely endowed mid-palate, this top-flight effort displays an admirably long, tannin-filled finish. It will require serious cellaring. Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate 93 Points

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Warre's from Portugal. An outstanding wine that epitomizes everything that is great about a superbly balanced Twenty Year Old Tawny; the translucent copper colored tone of the wine is matched by the beautiful soft nutty aromas gained by a full twenty years ageing in seasoned oak casks. Otima 20 Years is rich and delicate, but never cloying; the tannins and acidity ensure balance and perfect length.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Royal Tokaji Wine Company from Hungary, European. Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2006! The 2000 Red Label is straw-colored with a hint of gold. On the nose, there are fruit aromas dominated by apricot and quince, with a lovely touch of wild flowers and orange peel. The palate exhibits ripe orange, figs and orange and grapefruit peel flavors, with a hint of honey at the end. This is a well-balanced wine, with a nice velvety texture and excellent length. Six vintages of the Royal Tokaji Red Label have been produced since its premier release of the 1990 vintage. Since then, the Red Label wine has been made in 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2000. This wine is a blend of carefully selected grapes from several of Royal Tokaji's vineyards. The summer and fall of 2000 were dry in the Tokaj wine region, resulting in finely-matured grapes. Harvest began mid-September and went through early November. Rating: 94 points, Editor's Choice An amazing wine that is a benchmark for its class. Pure scents of dried apricot, citrus, jasmine and melon are coated with Asian spices, while the mouth is honeyed but nuanced, with flavors of dried spices, apricot marmalade and citrus fruits. What sets this wine apart is its mouthwatering acidity. A blend of grapes from multiple vineyards, this ... wine is a steal at this price. - Wine Enthusiast, June 2006 500ml bottle

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Ch?teau Suduiraut from Sauternes and Barsac, France - Bordeaux. Displays focused aromas of lemon curd, spice and dried apricot. Full-bodied, medium sweet and quite oily, with a lemon rind and spice aftertaste. Long and racy for the vintage. Best after 2010. Wine Spectator 91 Points

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Taylor Fladgate from Portugal. An exceptionally fine old tawny blend, aged for 10 years in oak casks. Elegant and smooth, combining delicate wood notes and rich mellow fruit, it is bottled for immediate drinking. A superb dessert wine, particularly with dishes made with chocolate, coffee or almonds, Taylor's 10 Year Old Tawny may also be served at the end of the meal in the same way as Vintage Port.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Ch?teau Guiraud from Sauternes and Barsac, France - Bordeaux. Spicy, with dried apricot and lemon character. Full, yet tight and long. Medium sweet, with a spicy finish. An impressive racy style. Best after 2009. Wine Spectator 92 Points

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Dow's from Portugal. 10 Years indicates and average age - this Aged Tawny Port is a blend of older wines, which offer complexity and younger wines, which bring fresh fruit flavors and vibrancy. During their long maturing period in oak casks, Aged Tawnies undergo subtle color changes: the deep red hue which characterizes Port's youth gradually gives way to a paler reddish amber color. Dow's is known for its characteristically drier house style. This 10 Year has a full, nutty bouquet with citrus and vanilla accents on the palate and a soft lingering finish. Serving and Pairing Suggestions Dow's 10 Year is bottled ready to drink after an average of at least ten years of cask aging. It has a t-cap closure, which means that you don't need a corkscrew to open it and that it will stay fresh for two to four months if stored in a cool, dark place or refrigerator. Serve it in a glass with at least a six ounce capacity so that you may appreciate the wine's aromas. Dow's 10 Year is delicious when paired with soft ripened cheeses such as a double cream cow's milk cheese, flan or fruit tarts. In warmer months, try it chilled for a refreshing dessert in a glass.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Graham's from Portugal. 10 Years indicates and average age - this Aged Tawny Port is a blend of older wines, which offer complexity and younger wines, which bring fresh fruit flavors and vibrancy. During their long maturing period in oak casks, Aged Tawnies undergo subtle color changes: the deep red hue which characterizes Port's youth gradually gives way to a paler reddish amber color. Graham's is known for its rich, elegant house style. This 10 Year has a full, nutty bouquet, the classic Graham's richness and a soft lingering finish. Serving and pairing suggestions Graham's 10 Year is bottled ready to drink after an average of at least ten years of cask aging. It has a t-cap closure, which means that you don't need a corkscrew to open it and that it will stay fresh for two to four months if stored in a cool, dark place or refrigerator. Serve it in a glass with at least a six ounce capacity so that you may appreciate the wine's aromas. Graham's 10 Year is delicious when paired with milk chocolate, creme brulee or fruit tarts. In warmer months, try it chilled for a refreshing dessert in a glass.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Clos Jean from Bordeaux, France - Bordeaux. A must of the Clos Jean trademark, this wine comes from 80% Semillon grapes, gathered manually in two or three successive picks. Then it's pressed and vinified with care and delicacy to obtain the best that nature, man and technicity can give. The result is remarkable, this wine is regularly quoted in all the specialized magazines, French and foreign, including Robert Parker's documents.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Warre's from Portugal. The latest addition to the range of fine ports from Warres, Otima is an aged 10 year old Tawny especially suitable for those with a preference for the lighter style of Port. Its delicate palate challenges the traditional perception of Port as a dark and full-bodied after-dinner drink. Otima is a Premium Quality Port from a renowned Port house, and brings a lighter, more contemporary style to reflect todays lifestyle - a contemporary, quality drink, versatile enough to be enjoyed anytime.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Ch. Doisy Vedrines from Sauternes and Barsac, France - Bordeaux. Intense aromas of honey, dried pineapple and botrytis spice. Full-bodied, very sweet and very powerful, with loads of dried fruit and sweetness on the finish. Lots of clove and orange peel. Same quality as the 2001. Best after 2013. -Wine Spectator

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Coppo from Piedmont, Italy. Brilliant yellow color with some green highlights. The nose is refreshing and delicate with scents of peach, pear and the characteristic fragrance of Moscato. An elegant, slightly sweet, sparkling wine. Excellent on its own or with panettone (a typical Italian Christmas cake) and other light pastries.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Fonseca from Portugal. Fonseca Bin No. 27 was created over a century ago for family consumption, and only released commercially in 1972. It is produced primarily from wines from Fonseca's own quintas in the Cima Corgo and thus shows an exceptional quality and consistency from year to year. Blended from reserve wines selected for their intense fruit character and depth of color, Fonseca Bin No. 27 spends four years in large wood vats prior to bottling. Although it may improve slightly with bottle age, Bin No. 27 is ready to consume when bottled. It does not require decanting, as a cold precipitation prior to bottling prevents any crust from forming. Its well-knit structure, rich, velvety full body and luscious blackcurrant and cherry flavors, also evident in the nose, carry into an intense, lingering finish. Bin No. 27 should be served at room temperature either alone or with simple, classic last courses and desserts. It is best consumed within two weeks after uncorking.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Broadbent from Portugal. Aged in oak casks for at least 5 years. A delicious, full-bodied and rich dessert wine, with an excellent balance between sweetness and acidity.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Graham's from Portugal. Six Grapes has a seductive, rich aroma of ripe plums, cherries and dark chocolate notes. On the palate it's complex, with an excellent structure and a long, lingering finish. Six Grapes is one of Graham's original Port blends--it is a very full-bodied, luscious wine drawn from the same vineyards as Graham's Vintage Ports. Blended from two or three years' harvests, the wine is an average of five to six years old when it is lightly filtered and bottled. Serving and pairing suggestions Six Grapes is bottled ready to drink after about five years of cask aging. It has a t-cap closure, which means that you don't need a corkscrew to open it and that it should stay fresh for up to two months if stored in a cool, dark place or the refrigerator. Serve it in a glass with at least a six ounce capacity so that you may appreciate the wine's aromas. Six Grapes pairs particularly well with dark chocolate, but is also fantastic on its own as a luscious dessert in a glass.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Croft from Portugal. This is a Vintage Character Port which is a blend of Ports which have been aged in wood for four to five years to produce wines of greater complexity than their younger counterparts. A port with attractive, intense fresh fruit aromas and flavours. Premium reserve port of superior age and quality. Vigorous but silky taste. Very consistent bottle to bottle. Decanting is not required. Enjoy for many months.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Ramos Pinto from Portugal. This ruby port has a vibrant youthful color, with a red-brown rim that is the only visual concession to maturity. It has full aromas unveiling dry plum, fig and berry scents with a touch of pepper. On the palate, the attack is soft and succulent. This is a rich, subtle wine with a fine, generous structure and remarkable persistence. The Collector is an excellent accompaniment to mild cheeses and sweet dark chocolate. An unfiltered vintage character port is a blend of several excellent vintages aged in wood for about six years. The wine retains its delicate fruity aromas while gaining the patina and roundness of age. The Collector gives wine drinkers the opportunity to experience a vintage quality wine without laying it down for years

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Dow's from Portugal. Dow's 2000 Late Bottled Vintage Port is a fine value and marries delicious red fruit flavors with dark cocoa power and a slightly spicy, vibrant finish. It is made from a single year's harvest (in this case, 2000) and then aged for four years in oak casks. (The term late bottled vintage is because Vintage Port is aged for two years and then bottled with the intention of further bottle aging.) The extra aging helps it develop more quickly. Serving and pairing suggestions Given its extra aging, the Dow's LBV is bottled ready to drink. It has a t-cap closure, which means that you don't need a corkscrew to open it and that it will stay fresh for up to two months if stored in a cool, dark place or refrigerator. Serve it in a glass with at least a six ounce capacity so that you may appreciate the wine's aromas. It is delicious with dark chocolate or blue cheeses such as Point Reyes Original Blue.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Dow's from Portugal. These wines come from the same vineyards that, in a year when a Vintage is declared, produce Vintage Port. However, as they are bottled between the fourth and sixth year after the harvest, they mature more quickly and are ready to drink much sooner. Dow's LBV is a full rich Port with spicy ripe fruit flavors and an elegant aromatic nose. Well rounded on the palate and has the traditional Dow's drier finish.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Quady from California. From 100% Orange Muscat with an aroma reminiscent of Orange Blossom and Apricot, and a lingering refreshing aftertaste, Essensia is used as a dessert accompaniment or a dessert in itself. The Orange Muscat grape variety is little known. It was once grown in France and there are some small plantings in Italy and Australia. The wine is lightly fortified to about 15% alcohol and aged for 3 months in French Oak. Its relatively high acidity makes it taste balanced, even with its considerable sweetness, more like the taste of fresh fruit than an old fashioned sticky sweet muscat.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Coppo from Piedmont, Italy. Made from 100% Moscato d'Asti grown in hillside vineyards and harvested in mid-September. The must is fermented in tank until the wine has reached 5.5% alcohol. Aging is minimal, resulting in a bright yellow wine with pale highlights and a fine perlage. The bouquet is refreshing and delicate with aromas of peach, pear and the characteristic fragrance of Moscato. Moncalvina is an elegant, slightly sweet and sparkling wine.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Yalumba from Barossa Valley, Australia. Four decades ago my father Wyndham initiated the practice of putting aside a few barrels of each years production of our deluxe tawny ports. Known in the cellar as Antique Tawny, these wines are left to quietly mature in various corners of our marble cellars. During this ageing process, evaporation (known as the Angels Share) occurs at between 2.5% and 4.5% each and every year. Our master port blender, David Doc Zimmermann, then painstakingly assembles a wine with an average age of over 15 years - rich and concentrated, it is an important part of Australias wine heritage. COLOUR: Deep tawny with green tinges around the edges indicating prolonged aging in wood. BOUQUET: Intense wood aged rancio featuring dried fruits, chocolate and caramel. Elegant brandy spirit adds sweet vanillin and oak complexity. PALATE: Rich and soft in the middle. Complex rancio flavours with persistent nutty caramel aftertaste. Fine spirit characters balance the sweetness producing an elegant drying finish.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Domecq from Spain. La Ina is considered by many critics to be one of the benchmark Spanish Finos. Bone-dry with a lovely pale-straw hue, this medium-bodied sherry features fresh apple, almond and yeast flavors from its biological aging under a protective layer of flor yeast. La Ina is an ideal companion for olives, nuts, cheese, anchovies, sardines, shrimp or grilled sausages, and should always be served well chilled.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Alvear from Spain. The vineyards, located at an elevation of 1,050 feet, are comprised of the famous chalky soil called Albariza and the 40-year-old vines produce extremely low yields. The grapes were hand-harvested at the peak of maturity and dried on mats in the sun. This is one of the oldest wines in the cellar since the Solera was started at the beginning of the last century. The impressive 1927 Pedro Ximenez Solera, from a Solera begun nearly 80 years ago, boasts a dark amber color as well as an extraordinary nose of creme brulee, liquefied nuts, marmalade, and maple syrup. Huge and viscous, yet neither cloyingly sweet nor heavy, it is a profound effort priced unbelievably low. Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate 96 Points

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Yalumba from Barossa Valley, Australia. The non-vintage Museum Reserve Muscat is exotic, full-bodied, rich, and sweet. It spent 7 years in wood, and was bottled from a solera system. This amber-hued, rich, unctuously-textured effort boasts luscious aromas and flavors of marmalade, figs, chocolate, melted caramel, toffee, and prunes. Once again, Australia proves this country is hard to beat when it comes to their fortified after-dinner wines, which still sell for a song. - Wine Advocate The production of premium fortified wine has long been part of the history at Yalumba. Founder Samuel Smith first made port back in the 1860s, and the South Australian Governor (1914-1920) Sir Henry L Galway selected his own personal pipes from the Yalumba bodega. Today Yalumba maintains its reputation for its premium quality fortified wines by occasionally releasing very small parcels of Show Reserve stocks. This old Muscat was sourced from the Rutherglen and other Northern traditional areas of Victoria then blended and stored in French oak puncheons in our marble cellars at Angaston for eight years. Made from the red and pink clones of the Muscat, a petite grains grape variety, this luscious dessert wine displays all the characteristics of this classic Australian wine style. Color: Deep tawny red. Bouquet: Classic rose petal and orange rind of the Muscat grape. Palate: Full, luscious middle. Richly flavored, reminiscent of raisined fruits, nuts and spices. Sweet and soft yet unclaying finish. Incredible persistence of flavors.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Chambers Rosewood from Victoria, Australia. 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. While these wines are seen as after dinner drinks, try serving them as an aperitif, particularly in winter. A small glass goes a very long way, warming the mind as well as the stomach. And remember that a bottle, once opened, will keep for some months without deteriorating, providing it is recorked after each serving.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Chambers Rosewood from Victoria, Australia. In the warm fall climate the grapes ripen and shrivel on the vines producing natural sugar levels in the range of 16.7 - 20 degrees Baume. The raisined grapes are then picked, crushed and partially fermented before being fortified and then subjected to a wood aging program loosely resembling a solera system that lasts (in some cases) for over 100 years. A blend of six to ten-year-old Muscadelle. This is a rich, viscous wine displaying characters of honeyed spice, marmalade and tealeaf. Although luscious, the palate is not cloying. It finishes with a tight acidity and lingering nuttiness. While these wines are seen as after dinner drinks, try serving them as an aperitif. And a bottle, once opened, will keep for some months without deteriorating, providing it is recorked after each serving.