Château Mukhrani, Muscat Fortified Dessert Wine NV, Kartli, Georgia (Rep. of)

Sweet Dessert Wine, although I have tasted it with real food also and I must say, to say it is a dessert wine only will not do it justice! This is the kind of Muscat that when you have tasted it once you want to find any excuse to drink it again...It is that good. And if it wasn’t enough, on top of that is its packaging, the bottle is completely gorgeous with a luxous perfume bottle feel.

Technical Data: 100% White Muscat fortified with Château Mukhrani Chacha Spirit. 18% vol.

Description: Bright honey gold color. Exuberant nose expressing dried fruits and floral aromas. Rich and luscious palate for a full bodied sweet wine. Honey and dried apricot are mingled with figs, and spicy flavors backed up by soft oak notes. Extremely well balanced for a wine of such intensity. Long lasting unforgettable finish.

Food Pairing & Service: Although it is a sweet wine, Château Mukhrani Muscat is very versatile, consume by itself as an aperitif, with spicy Asian dishes, or fruity salads. It is exquisite with dark chocolate and figs. It will also accompany extremely well Foie Gras. Drink preferably chilled (Best at 12-14 degree Celsius), but can also be served at room temperature to suit individual taste.

Score: 9.5/10.

Ageing Potential: Enjoy anytime

Price as seen on DC shelf: Not available at the moment.

Solera System, Spain

Basically a solera is a collection of barrels of the same wine of differing ages, the older ones (called Solera) being nourished by the new wines each year. The wines are aged together in oak for other years to marry the flavors and add complexity, then fortified.

So the first level of barrel, the ones holding the older wine is called Solera, the level on the top of the Solera is called 1rst Criadera (Criadera= harvest), the level on the top of the 1rst Criadera is the second Criadera and so on...This system of production is proper to Spain and is called the Solera System.

Lustau East India Solera Sherry NV, Andalucia, Spain

A "must-have" Fortified Wine, specially for the coming holidays, a great sweet one to share with friend and family, from the very best producer of that type of wine!

Technical Data:From the South of Spain ( Andalucia), produced between Sevilla and Cadix. Like Jerez and Madeira wines it’s a white fortified wine made mainly from Palomino Fino ( 85%) sweetened by Pedro Jimenez( 15%). A blend of Soleras averaging 15 to 50 years of age.

Description:Bright amber color. Rich and concentrated nose focused on toffee and nutty aromas. Sweet, luscious almost weighty wine yet very balanced. The palate is complex, extremely voluptuous and enjoyable showing up flavors such as roasted nuts and toasted almond enticed with caramel and candied apricot peel. Clean lingering finish.

Food Pairing & Service:Perfect accompaniment to light desserts, chocolate cake, can also be served with cheeses like blue cheese or as a sweet digestif. Personally I prefer it at room temperature but most people like it chilled.

Score:9/10

Suggested Retail Price:$24.99 ( considering the time this wine spent in ageing prior bottling it's trully a great value)

Quinta do Noval, Special Reserve Port, Portugal

A nice Port to enjoy, a little less sweet than the Non-Vintage LB Port from the same Quinta.

Technical Data:Made from 3 Portuguese Grapes, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz ( = Tempranillo) and Touriga Francesca. Grapes trodden by foot and aged in traditional large oak vats called "Lagares", aged 4 years.

Description:Deep purple color, with a wild spicy nose and ripe fruits well married with woody notes. The full and silky tannins express the essence of its terroir. A rich and full-bodied wine with great charm and finesse. Intense fruity bouquet with a rich, elegant, well-balanced palate, a smooth velvety tannic structure and a powerful, intense finish.

Food Pairing & Service:It is delicious with a variety of cheeses & desserts, particularly chocolate. Ready to be enjoyed immediately, this port does not need to be decanted.

Score:9/10

Suggested Retail Price:?

Quinta do Noval, Non-Vintage LB Port, Portugal

A very fine Port you will enjoy anytime, that's my latest favorite wine!

Technical Data:Port made traditionnaly from 3 Portuguese grapes called Tinta Roriz ( that's one of the synonym for Tempranillo grape), Touriga Francesca and Tinta Barroca. The grapes after been harvested have been trodden by foot then aged in traditional large oak vats called "Lagares". It is blended from a number of vintages to add complexity.The aging is from 4 - 5 years, this kind of Port is bottled according to demand.

Description:Intense dark purple color with some red shades. A complex nose showing mostly red fruits such as raspberry, cherry and berry. This Non-Vintage Late Bottled or LB ( vintage character) Port is an impressive one, it possesses fabulous cherry and berry fruity flavors, a smooth texture with a nice touch of spice and smoky chocolate character just by the end of the palate. Dense, rich, concentrated, this is an excellent value in high quality port. A full-bodied one yet round and well-structured with a long lasting elegant finish.

Food Pairing & Service:Accompanies well chocolate desserts and red fruits one. Could also be enjoyed on its own. Ready to be enjoyed immediately, this port does not need to be decanted.

Score:10/10

Suggested Retail Price:$14.99