Pfeiffer Rare Muscat 500ml, Rutherglen

Sheer quality. Hands down. Intense, fluid, seductive and long, and noteworthy for its exquisite balance too. A parade of flavours and textures, a perfect mix of bass and treble notes, and soaring length.

98 points James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2019

NV – 100% Brown Rutherglen Muscat. Average age material is 25 years.

Pfeiffer Rare Muscat from Rutherglen is a luxurious, opulent fortified wine that captures the very soul of the region's winemaking heritage. Made from fully ripened Muscat à Petits Grains Rouge grapes grown in the warm, sun-soaked vineyards of North East Victoria, this wine represents the pinnacle of the classic Rutherglen Muscat style — luscious, complex and aged to perfection.

The fruit is picked late to ensure high sugar concentration, then fortified and matured using a solera system. Pfeiffer's Rare Muscat includes parcels that have been ageing in barrel for decades, some for over 30 years, creating immense depth and length. The wine is classified under the Rare tier of the Muscat of Rutherglen system — the highest level, reserved for only the most concentrated and exceptionally aged examples.

In the glass, it pours deep mahogany with amber glints. Aromas are intense and layered: raisin, toffee, fig, orange peel, burnt sugar and dark spice, all swirling in a heady perfume. The palate is full-bodied, rich and silky, with extraordinary concentration and viscosity balanced by a bright, lifted finish. It is both indulgent and remarkably refined, showing the complex interplay of sweetness, spirit and time.

Perfect on its own as a meditative end to a special meal or paired with blue cheese, sticky date pudding or dark chocolate truffles. A small glass goes a long way, and an opened bottle will keep for months.