Wilmington Magazine Jan-Feb 2023

Moscato is a
refreshing semisparkling
sweet
wine that can add
a new dimension to
your entertaining.
sweetness, the wine is filtered for stability
and bottled.
The Noble Late Harvest 2018 from
Rickety Bridge Winery in Franschhoek,
South Africa, also uses Muscat Blanc
grapes, ones that are hand-picked late
in the season after their flavors have
concentrated and intensified. These
raisinated grapes lend sweetness and
full mouthfeel and a deep, rich, golden
hue. The wine, with a residual sugar of
56 grams per liter, has intense apricot,
peach skins, tropical fruit, plus a whiff
A bunch of ripe
grapes being cut at a
vineyard in Bordeaux
with late season
Botrytis infection,
hailed as “noble rot”
since it contributes to
the distinctive flavor
profile of Sauternes.
of petrol and a distinctive spiritous note
that reminds me of fortified wines, even
though this is a middle-of-the-road ABV
of 13.5%. Very satistfying, one might pair
with smoked salmon or aged cheeses for
pure contentment.
Sauternes are a dessert wine from
Bordeaux that uses even more intensely
raisinated grapes. Vinters wait to harvest
the grapes, Sémillon, sauvignon blanc
and muscadelle, in the hopes they develop
a late season Botrytis infection, hailed as
“noble rot” since the fungus enables the
distinctive, concentrated flavor profile of
Sauternes. With its maritime climate, the
terroir of the Sauternes region frequently
experiences fog and mist in late autumn,
and this dampness contributes to the
ability of the fungus to take hold and
infect the grapes. The 2015 from Chateau
Saint-Vincent is light gold with honeyed
ginger, intensely ripe cantelope melon,
apricot compote, marmadale and candied
pineapple, just a torrent of intense,
unctuous syrupy fruitiness. Powerful
enough to sip on its own, and a tour de
force with blue cheese, fois gras or even
apple tart-tatin. At under $25 a bottle, this
Bordeaux is next level, and a testament to
terroir and ingenuity.
The vintners of ice wine also embrace
their terroir, often harvesting so late in
the season that the fruit is already frozen
on the vine, uber concentrating the sugars
and flavors. While traditional eiswien is
associated with Reisling and Vidal Blanc
from Germany and Austria, in the past
few decades, producers of wine and cider
in Canada and New England have gotten
creative about capturing these intensified
flavors. Some producers use frozen
apples, but others, such as Eleanor and
Albert Leger, founders of Eden Ciders in
Newport, Vermont, use naturally frozen
apple juice. They embrace the terrior of
their long cold winters and freeze apple
juice out-of-doors in large containers
and then ferment the super-concentrated
must. Eden’s highly-acclaimed heirloom
blend Vermont ice cider is a powerhouse
coupling cryo-concentration with the
intensity of bittersweet and heirloom
apple varieties.
The complexity of the 2015 yields heady
aromas of intense butterscotch, golden
raisins, ripe figs and stewed apples. With
150 grams per liter of residual sugar, its
layered tannic richness lingers dreamily.
Its heft stands on its own yet vanilla
ice cream, bread pudding or blue cheese
would all vault up a notch alongside it.
What a delightful gift extracted from the
ice and snow! As autumn dwindles into
wintertime, sip something with a story
and reflect on the journey of this fruit
through the seasons and into your glass.
Soak in your surroundings, revel in the
extraordinary flavors, and share with
those you hold dear. W
January /February 2023 | 79