Domaine de Durban 2020 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, Half Bottle, Rhone Valley

Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise is a regional specialty of the southern Rhone Valley.  Like port wine, fermentation is stopped by the addition of clear brandy to make the alcohol by volume 15%, roughly three times stronger than a Moscato d'Asti.  But don't think this is a heavy wine; it's not.  Delicate orange blossom aromas suggest a delicate sweet flavor, and that's what you get, only with a bit more backbone.  French chefs will use Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise to make certain cream sauces for citrusy desserts, but it's wonderful sipping this wine chilled with a butter cookie as accompaniement to make a light dessert.

You will be tantalized by its appealing aromas of orange and tangerine.  The silky texture adds an elegance to the sweet, but not syrupy fruit flavors, with an emphasis on fresh oranges.  Delightful fruit, even creamy, with a beautiful, clean finish.

Winemaker Notes: Sweet indeed, but not without a healthy infusion of that higher-altitude freshness. It’s no wonder why the French drink it before dinner rather than just saving it for dessert.  Duck pate, anyone?