Campbells Merchant Prince Rare Rutherglen Muscat (half-bottle)
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Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator - Decanter
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Winemaker Notes
Our Merchant Prince is classified 'Rare' - it is the pinnacle, the richest, most complex and complete wine. The ultimate in intensity. Raisined sweetness explodes on the front of the palate. Complex nutty flavors flow through the full length of the palate and the drying tannin finish lingers for many minutes.
Fruit is left to ripen on the vine until as late as possible to ensure the necessary high degree of lusciousness. Juice is fermented for only a very short time before being fortified with neutral spirit and stored in oak to mature. Only the very best fruit from the finest vintages is used in the blend. As with any blended wine, it is difficult to specify an exact age. The oldest base wine is well over 60 years old, with only wines of the highest standard from excellent vintages being added to this outstanding solera.
Professional Ratings
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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Wine Enthusiast
A deep mahogany in color, the Merchant Prince Rare Muscat boastd dense date. fudge and molasses components balanced by rancio, citrusy accents and even some floral notes. Despite being incredibly sweet and sticky, there's a freshness to it that keeps it from being overwhelming.
- Wine Spectator
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Decanter
It is complex, thick, powerful and balanced, with sweet coffee, bitter chocolate, Xmas cake, salted caramel, fig and prune flavours to the fore, acidity tightening up and extending the persistent finish. Stunning!
The Campbell family’s production of dessert and fortified wines dates back to the 1870’s. Direct descendants of gold mining pioneers, the fourth generation Campbell family owns and tends the vineyards at Rutherglen in Northeast Victoria. Brothers Malcolm and Colin Campbell have inherited the perfect tradition of making, blending and maturing these special styles. Since the first grapes were harvested at Rutherglen, wine experts from around the world have been consistently overwhelmed by the unique quality and richness of the area’s fortified wines. Today, the Rutherglen symbol on a bottle serves as a seal of authority that it is an authentic Rutherglen wine. Campbells winery is located in Rutherglen, a historical, picturesque town, approximately 93 miles northeast of Melbourne. The vineyard is blessed with a unique climate that is mellow and predictable, which offers plentiful sunshine. In winter and spring, soaking rains provide excellent moisture reserves. In summer months, Rutherglen experiences warm, sunny days and very cool clear nights. The extended, mild, dry fall allows the grapes to achieve slow, even ripening and abundant fruit flavors. Tokay is one of Rutherglen’s best-kept secrets—sweet, luscious, complex and elegant. Each vintage the grapes are left on the vines (20 to 25 years old) to ripen fully until raisined and laden with natural sugar. The resulting wine is blended with previous vintages using a modified Solera method to produce a consistent house style. The final blend contains portions of wine from some vintages more than 30 years old. The deep brilliant, burnished gold Tokay displays toffee, honey and tea leaf characters with mellowed oak on the finish. This unctuous dessert wine was developed by pioneer winemakers who discovered that Muscat produces a wonderful wine when exposed to Rutherglen’s long dry growing season. Each season the grapes are picked from vines (20 to 25 years old) after prolonged ripening to ensure maximum sugar levels and raisin character. The wine is then blended with previous vintages, some more than 30 years old, in the Soleras to maintain a consistent house style. The resulting bright amber Muscat displays intense, fresh raisin fruit flavors with a luscious, mouth-filling finish.