Chambers Rosewood Rare Muscat

Chambers Rosewood Rare Muscat

 

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Chambers Rosewood
Rare Muscat
  • Vintage : 0
  • Country : Australia
  • Region : Victoria
  • Subregion : Rutherglen
  • Type : Sweet
  • Style :
  • Format : 75cl
  • Alcohol : 16,9°
  • Grappes : 100% Muscat

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.

Experts Score Vintage
RP Robert Parker 99 NV
More information on wine critics and ratings

Region and Vineyards

The Rutherglen region, located in Victoria, Australia, is globally renowned as a benchmark for fortified wine production. This area benefits from a continental climate with hot, sun-drenched days and cool nights, allowing grapes to ripen fully while maintaining their natural acidity. The balance between sweetness and vibrancy is a hallmark of Rutherglen fortified wines.

The Muscat à Petits Grains Rouge grape thrives in this region, prized for its deep, reddish-brown hue and ability to develop intense flavors and sugar concentration. The vineyards are meticulously maintained to ensure the highest quality fruit, harvested at late ripeness levels (16° Bé and above) to deliver the signature richness and complexity of Rare Muscat.

Winemaking

Rare Muscat is crafted from late-harvested Muscat à Petits Grains Rouge grapes, chosen for their exceptional sugar concentration and flavor intensity. The grapes are crushed, de-stemmed, and partially fermented to enhance the wine’s aromatic complexity. Fermentation is halted by the addition of neutral grape spirit (96% alcohol), which preserves the fruit’s natural sweetness while achieving a final alcohol content of 16.9%.

The wine undergoes aging in a modified solera system established in the late 19th century. This solera, maintained by the Chambers family for over 60 years, features small barrels and a central 1800-liter cask, where the wine develops its extraordinary depth and balance. Only wines of exceptional quality are added to the solera, making this a rarity even among Rutherglen’s finest fortified wines.

Tasting Notes

  • Color: A dark, amber hue with remarkable density and viscosity.
  • Aromas: Layers of exotic raisins, black cherry, butterscotch, rose oil, roasted almonds, and coffee beans, lifted by hints of toffee and rancio.
  • Palate: Lush and concentrated, with flavors of dried fruits, roasted nuts, caramel, and spiced mocha. Despite its immense richness, the wine retains a refreshing elegance and a beautifully balanced sweetness, with a long, dry finish.

Did you know?

The Rare Muscat solera is one of the oldest in Rutherglen, and it is believed that traces of the original wines from the 19th century still remain within the system. This wine has consistently garnered international acclaim, including 99 points from Wine Enthusiast and a Platinum Award from Decanter.

Wine Pairing Ideas

  • Plum pudding: The wine’s spiced and fruity flavors complement the richness of this traditional dessert.
  • Dark chocolate fondant: Enhances the wine’s caramel and mocha notes while balancing its sweetness.
  • Roasted almond tart: Highlights the wine’s nutty and toffee flavors.
  • Gorgonzola dolce: The creamy, tangy character of this cheese contrasts beautifully with the wine’s luscious sweetness and complex aromas.

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.

Robert Parker (RP) : 99 Points (NV)
Tasted again in March 2016, the NV Rare Muscat has a deep brown color with a distinctive green tinge to the rim. The nose is, in a word, incredible and terribly difficult to describe, which is a great thing. Rancio doesn't begin to capture the complex, oxidative signature: honey coated walnuts, molasses, dates, sandalwood, baking spices, old chesterfields, aniseed and potpourri with fleeting, ethereal wafts of incense, roasted nut and exotic spice notes. Rich, unctuous and gratuitously multi-layered, this is one for the hedonists.

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 Old Vine Muscadelle 0
Chambers Rosewood Old Vine Muscadelle 0
Chambers Rosewood
Old Vine Muscadelle
ST
99
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.
33,50 €
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
250,00 €
Quantity : Moins     Plus
 
 
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