De Martino Viejas Tinajas Muscat

De Martino Viejas Tinajas MuscatTasting Notes The aroma of this pale golden wine is intense initially more floral (rose petals) than grapey but still more like Muscat than Gewrztraminer. The floral character is underpinned by apricots and something like box, though one associates that smell with Sauvignon Blanc. After that initial captivating impression, the taste is a surprise: still grapey and perfumed but with an extraordinary smoky, almost sweaty, flavour of lapsang souchong and

Tasting Notes 

The aroma of this pale golden wine is intense – initially more floral (rose petals) than grapey but still more like Muscat than Gewürztraminer. The floral character is underpinned by apricots and something like box, though one associates that smell with Sauvignon Blanc. After that initial captivating impression, the taste is a surprise: still grapey and perfumed but with an extraordinary smoky, almost sweaty, flavour of lapsang souchong and a definite dry saltiness that seems more intense than on the previous vintage. It's bone dry and the skin contact during fermentation seems to have added the scent of chamomile and hay, as well as a firm and unmistakable tannic effect on the finish.

Grape variety: 100% Moscatel of Alexandria. The fruit for this Muscat comes from vineyards densely planted on mainly granite soils in 1975 in the Itata Valley, more than 500 km south of Santiago and just 18 km from the cold Pacific Ocean and its cooling influence. Viejas Tinajas are old terracotta amphorae. The ones used to make the De Martino wine are over 100 years old.

Vinification and ageing: This wine was fermented and aged in centennial tinajas (amphorae), a tradition originated in the first vineyards of the Itata Valley planted in 1551. The result is a tribute to the first winemakers of the country and to this special terroir.

Serving temperature: 14°C. 

Ageing potential: Potential of around 10 years.