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NOTES
The unpretentious public face of this small family winery belies the fact that they produce some of the richest and most acclaimed wines in the world. Since arriving in Rutherglen, north-east Victoria, six generations ago, the family has quietly gone about establishing a particularly enviable reputation for their fortified wines. Stephen Chambers is now making his own mark after taking over the winemaking role from his legendary father, Bill Chambers OAM.
The Rares: Rare Muscat, Rare Muscadelle
The "Rare" designation is reserved for material dating over 100 years. Wines clearly not from this century, they display an olive rim, an extremely complex bouquet with nutty, rancio characters and an unctuous, treacly palate of astounding balance and persistence of flavour.
TASTING NOTES
Produced from Muscat a Petit Grains, or Brown Muscat as it is more commonly known, the Rare Muscat offers a complex nose of dried raisins, candied fruit skins, ground coffee and complex rancio characters. The intense, syrupy palate explodes with molasses, dried fruit and walnuts, with drying tannins and brisk acidity to carry the amazingly intense finish.
REVIEWS
Beautifully fragrant, with a sense of true age, depth and power; floral on entry, the acidity is extraordinary and gives the wine amazing life and nerve; the layers of flavour are almost countless, and this wine is truly something that every wine lover must experience at least once in their lives; one sip was taken for this entire note and the flavour is still building; thanks to the Chambers for sending these in this year. Cork.18% alc. Rating 98 James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2010
As has been noted in Issues 168 and 173, they are the product of a solera system so there is total consistency from year to year. The lower end wines are spectacular values and the rare bottlings approach perfection. They should not be missed. 100 Points, Jay Miller, Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate December 2009, Issue #186
The Rare series has achieved perfection frequently in these pages. Happily nothing has changed. The Non-Vintage Rare Muscat is brown/black in colour with an awesome bouquet of fig, dates, brown sugar, molasses, and chocolate. Layered, amazingly rich, and concentrated, it is a tour de force in winemaking as are all of these Chambers gems. 100 Points, Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate February 2009, Issue 181
Dark amber. Toffee, roasted nut, molasses and caramel aromas add depth to bitter orange peel, apricot and roasted cherry. Deep, palate-saturating pit fruit and mocha flavors are complicated by notes of fruitcake, candied fig and burnt sugar, with a marzipan quality gaining power on the back end. A zesty red berry note sneaks in on the finish, adding improbable energy to this deep, sweet black hole of a wine. This seems more like a condiment than a beverage. 96 Points, Josh Raynolds, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar Sep/Oct 2009
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