Chambers Rosewood Old Vine Muscadelle

Chambers Rosewood Old Vine Muscadelle

 

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Chambers Rosewood
Old Vine Muscadelle
  • Vintage : 0
  • Country : Australia
  • Region : Victoria
  • Subregion : Rutherglen
  • Type : Sweet
  • Style :
  • Format : 37.5cl
  • Alcohol : 17,9°
  • Grappes : 100% Muscadelle

A showcase of Rutherglen’s fortified wine mastery, Chambers Rosewood Old Vine Muscadelle offers an exquisite balance of roasted nut, toffee, and mocha notes with a luscious texture.

Experts Score Vintage
ST Stephen Tanzer 99 NV
More information on wine critics and ratings

Region and Vineyards

Hailing from the iconic Rutherglen region in Victoria, Australia, this wine is crafted from the Muscadelle grape, a lesser-known white Bordeaux variety. The continental climate of Rutherglen, with its hot days and cool nights, enables late harvesting, ensuring maximum ripeness and the concentration of sugars.

The grapes are typically harvested in mid-April to early May, with sugar levels exceeding 16° Bé, a hallmark of Rutherglen’s fortified wine style. These carefully managed vineyards form the backbone of the Old Vine Muscadelle, delivering fruit with exceptional intensity and complexity.

Winemaking

Old Vine Muscadelle is a testament to Chambers Rosewood’s commitment to quality and tradition. Key winemaking details include:

  • Grapes are harvested late in the season, crushed, de-stemmed, and pressed.
  • A minimal fermentation (less than 1° Bé) is conducted, preserving the variety’s primary fruit characters. The must is then fortified with neutral grape spirit to achieve a final alcohol level of 17.9%.
  • Aging occurs in a modified solera system established in the late 20th century, with some base wine dating back to 1986. The solera has three levels, including small barrels and larger casks, with careful barrel-by-barrel assessments ensuring quality and maturity.

The wine is bottled on demand, ensuring each release is at its peak.

Tasting Notes

  • Color: Deep tawny with black coffee hues and a hint of olive at the rim.
  • Aromas: A captivating bouquet of mocha, roasted nuts, coffee beans, toffee, and a subtle hint of Earl Grey tea.
  • Palate: Lush and complex, with flavors of malt, salted caramel, mocha, and spiced tea. The mid-weight body balances sweetness with a savory, dry finish, delivering remarkable persistence.

Did you know?

The solera system for Old Vine Muscadelle began with a 1986 vintage as its base. This wine has earned global acclaim, including 97 points from James Suckling and 95-97 ratings in Halliday Wine Companion across multiple vintages, solidifying its place as one of the finest fortified wines globally.

Wine Pairing Ideas

  • Sticky toffee pudding: Enhances the wine’s caramel and mocha notes.
  • Roquefort or blue cheese: The saltiness contrasts beautifully with the wine’s sweetness and nutty complexity.
  • Dark chocolate mousse: Complements the wine’s roasted coffee and toffee flavors.
  • Spiced nut tart: Highlights the spiced and nutty elements of the wine.

History of Chambers Rosewood

Founded by the Chambers family in 1858, Chambers Rosewood stands as a testament to Australian winemaking heritage. The winery has remained a family-run enterprise for over 160 years, with winemaking skills and traditions carefully passed down through six generations. The current custodian, Stephen Chambers, took over in 2001 from his father, Bill Chambers, one of Australia’s most respected wine figures. Bill's dedication to preserving and enhancing the winery’s fortified wine production earned him a lasting legacy as a leader in the field.

Chambers Rosewood's success is rooted in its unique approach to crafting fortified wines. The family’s cellar houses stocks of Muscat and Muscadelle that have matured for over a century, making them some of the oldest and most prestigious fortified wines in the world. These wines, blended with material aged in a modified solera system established in the 1890s, embody a blend of history, tradition, and innovation. Their Rare Muscats and Muscadelles have achieved legendary status, often earning perfect scores from international critics.

The winery’s enduring reputation is bolstered by its commitment to quality and consistency, ensuring that every bottle reflects the excellence that has defined the Chambers family for generations. The blending expertise honed over the decades allows them to craft wines with unparalleled depth, complexity, and balance, securing their position as one of Australia’s most iconic producers.

Region and Vineyards

The Rutherglen region, situated in Victoria, Australia, is synonymous with fortified wine excellence. Nestled on the floodplain of the Murray River, the region boasts deep alluvial soils rich in nutrients and with excellent moisture retention. The red loam soils, lying atop a clay base, are particularly well-suited to growing Muscat à Petits Grains Rouge and Muscadelle, the flagship varieties for Rutherglen fortified wines.

The region’s continental climate plays a pivotal role in the production of these wines. Hot summer days provide the heat necessary to develop intense sugar levels in the grapes, while the cool nights help preserve acidity, ensuring a balance between sweetness and freshness. As the season progresses into the warm autumn, the grapes naturally shrivel on the vine, further concentrating their flavors and sugars, a key characteristic of Rutherglen fortified wines.

The vineyards at Chambers Rosewood include some vines that are over a century old, planted on a single-wire trellis system. This system allows the fruit to achieve optimal ripeness while supporting the sprawling canopies necessary for protecting the grapes from excessive heat. Harvest typically occurs from early March to early May, with late-harvested fruit attaining the desired 16° Bé and higher, essential for crafting the rich, sweet wines that define Rutherglen’s signature style. The result is fruit of exceptional quality, providing the foundation for the winery’s world-renowned Muscats and Muscadelles.

Wine Range of Chambers Rosewood

  • The Rutherglens: Blended from material aged 6 to 10 years, these wines are fresh and vibrant, showcasing the rich fruit and clean spirit that form the foundation of the Rutherglen style.

  • The Grands: Blended from material dating back to World War I, the Grand Muscat and Grand Muscadelle exhibit extraordinary complexity, pronounced rancio notes, and a luxurious mouthfeel.

  • The Rares: Crafted from material over 100 years old, these wines are the pinnacle of Chambers’ production. Featuring an olive rim and a treacle-like palate, they deliver exceptional aromatic complexity, balance, and persistence.

Did you know?

The solera system used to age Chambers’ wines was established in the 1890s, and it is believed that some of the original wine still remains in the barrels. The careful maintenance of these ancient stocks ensures that every release captures a piece of winemaking history.

Stephen Tanzer (ST) : 99 Points (NV)
This offering is awesome. The wine is sweet, but its extraordinary concentration of flavor, explosive aromatic fireworks, and singular characteristics makes it nearly impossible to describe accurately. Aromas of caramel, toffee, fig, molasses, maple syrup, and oranges macerated in cognac emerge. These change quickly in the glass, providing an orgasmic smorgasbord of flavors. The wine is almost unbelievable in its richness and aromatic complexity. Life’s too short not to drink at least a few glasses of this wine.

Chambers Rosewood Rutherglen Muscat 0
Chambers Rosewood Rutherglen Muscat 0
Chambers Rosewood
Rutherglen Muscat
WS
90
RP
90
JH
90
The Chambers Rosewood Rutherglen Muscat is a gateway to the world of Australian fortified wines, blending fresh aromatics with the hallmark richness of the style.
19,90 €
Quantity : moins plus
Chambers Rosewood Old Vine Rutherglen Muscat 0
Chambers Rosewood Old Vine Rutherglen Muscat 0
Chambers Rosewood
Old Vine Rutherglen Muscat
WS
95
A true treasure from Rutherglen, this Old Vine Muscat is a symphony of rich, luscious flavors crafted with over a century of winemaking tradition.
33,50 €
Quantity : moins plus
Chambers Rosewood Grand Muscat 0
Chambers Rosewood Grand Muscat 0
Chambers Rosewood
Grand Muscat
WS
93
RP
93
WE
97
A masterpiece of balance and depth, this Grand Muscat offers a kaleidoscope of flavors, textures, and aromas, making it a true icon of Australian fortified wines.
63,90 €
Quantity : moins plus
Chambers Rosewood Rare Muscat 0
Chambers Rosewood Rare Muscat 0
Chambers Rosewood
Rare Muscat
RP
99
Chambers Rosewood Rare Muscat is a treasure of Australian winemaking, delivering a symphony of concentrated flavors, elegance, and freshness, perfected over more than a century.
250,00 €
Quantity : moins plus
Chambers Rosewood Rare Muscadelle 0
Chambers Rosewood Rare Muscadelle 0
Chambers Rosewood
Rare Muscadelle
RP
98
Chambers Rosewood Rare Muscadelle is a masterpiece of Rutherglen’s fortified wine heritage, offering extraordinary depth, intensity, and a taste of history in every sip.
250,00 €
Quantity : moins plus
Wine regions guide
33,50 €
Quantity : Moins     Plus
 
 
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