The Nelson Family Vineyards 2007 Orange Muscat is a surprising reminder of what a muscat can become when treated well. And let’s face it, too many winemakers have made a mess of this grape, making wine that is sweet, cloying, thick and generally overdone with no subtle flavors.
Tragic.
Tragic.
Muscat is easy to recognize most of the time. The orange scent wafting from the glass is unmistakable. It’s been said that adding one or two percent muscat to a chardonnay to increase the florals gives you all muscat and no chardonnay.
But this wine is all about the muscat. For starters, it’s been fermented dry, with no residual sugar. The flavor is full and rich in the mouth but not cloying like a cough syrup. If you have been turned off by one of those other “muscats”, the Nelson is worth investigating. One sip may be enough to change your mind. We speak from personal experience.