2024 Domaine Bernardins Muscat Beaumes de Venise Half Bottle 375ml, Southern Rhone

Pale peach colour. Very silky and full-bodied, rich and luxurious on the palate. Bright acidity runs through the orange and peach flavours. It has a long finish, ending on a subtle mineral note. Such a wonderful mouthfeel, sweet and well balanced. Not overly aromatic. Satisfying, with inner freshness and depth. Aged in stainless steel. 110g/L residual sugar.

93 points Decanter

Domaine des Bernardins has been making Muscat de Beaumes de Venise for generations, and few producers capture the style with the same sense of freshness and purity. Set beneath the jagged limestone cliffs of the Dentelles de Montmirail, the vineyards soak up warm southern Rhône sunshine while cooler evening breezes help preserve the wine’s vibrant aromatics.

The 2024 absolutely bursts from the glass. Orange blossom, mandarin, white peach and ripe apricot come rushing out, layered with jasmine, honey and a touch of exotic spice. It smells almost decadent, yet there’s a brightness underneath that keeps everything lifted.

Sweetness arrives immediately, but so does freshness. Flavours of candied citrus, stone fruit and honey glide across a silky texture, while lively acidity keeps the wine dancing rather than sitting heavy. The finish lingers with orange zest, florals and a little ginger spice that makes it feel wonderfully alive.

This is where Muscat becomes ridiculously fun at the table. A classic apricot tart works beautifully, but it’s equally brilliant with sticky baklava, peach and almond galette or blue cheese drizzled with chestnut honey. For something unexpected, try it with spicy Thai mango salad or salty fried halloumi, the contrast absolutely lights the wine up.

Best enjoyed young while all those floral aromatics are front and centre, though it will hold nicely over the next few years.

There’s a joyful energy here, a wine that feels unapologetically exuberant and completely impossible not to smile at.