Jeff’s Corner 12-8-16

Today, we’re going to talk about the endangered and elusive Muskrat Canary, a very strange species of Muskrat found only on the Canary Islands. It has bright yellow fur, and OOPS! I dreamed for a minute that I was a wildlife writer, when I’m actually a wine writer.

Today, we are going to talk about the not-so-elusive (but very delicious) 2015 GCV Muscat Canelli. All joking aside, this is a serious wine that deserves to be taken seriously.

However, before we check out this delightfully rich and complex wine, let’s check out its history. I’m going to plagiarize from Jeff’s Corner 8-25-15:

“With a history stretching back millennia, the Muscat family of grapes is most likely the progenitor of all wine grapes. It has hundreds of clones, and the Roman scholar Pliny the Elder called it “uva apiana” (grape of the bees) due to its honey-like aroma. The best variety for producing great wine is “Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains” (White Muscat with little berries). We know this grape as Muscat Canelli.”

So, here we go about the new 2015. The ’14 began a trend, and was much less sweet than previous vintages. It was 2.3% residual sugar, in contrast to around 5% for the ’13 on back. The 2015 continues this at 2.0% RS, and is now our least sweet wine.

The color is a crystal clear, pale yellow/chartreuse. Aromas and flavors are layered and complex, with butterscotch, burnt caramel, and orange blossom honey in rich contrast with Mandarin orange, lemon zest, and hints of under-ripe pear.

This wine is full-bodied, with a rich mouthfeel and a well-balanced, lingering finish. Crisp acids merge with fruit and sugar in a most beguiling way, and it offers something unique with every sip. When I drink this, I can’t wait to revisit, which I’m about to do right now.

We should enjoy this pretty cold, about 45 degrees. This temp will highlight the acidity, and still showcase the citrus and wild honey. This might be pretty darn good with a Cointreau/Caramel glazed flan, or a lemon pound cake with orange zest and finished with creme fraiche

We’ll see you in the funny papers…