Rutherglen Muscat, Australia: 10 Best Bottles, Tasting Notes

Rutherglen Muscat wines are complex, aromatic wines from the Rutherglen region of north east Victoria, Australia. 

Made from the Muscat a Petits Grains Rouge (Rutherglen brown Muscat) grape, these wines are sweet, with rich fruit flavours and a high alcohol content (17-18% ABV.)

Let’s discover all about Rutherglen Muscat, including the 10 best bottles to buy in 2022, pairing suggestions, and wine classifications. We’ll also briefly cover the winemaking process and explore the Rutherglen Muscat region. 

10 Best Rutherglen Muscat Wines

Here are 10 irresistible Rutherglen Muscat wines that you can buy in 2022:

• Chambers Rosewood Vineyards Rare Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia ($420)
• NV All Saints Estate Museum Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia ($1,069)
• Stanton Killeen 12 Year Old Classic Rutherglen Muscat, Victoria, Australia ($39)
• Morris Classic Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia ($26)
• Campbells Merchant Prince Rare Rutherglen Muscat, Victoria, Australia ($162)
• Buller Wines Fine Old Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia ($27)
• Seppeltsfield Solero DP 63 Grand Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia ($30)
• Campbells Grand Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia ($102)
• All Saints Estate Classic Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia ($64)
• Pfeiffer Rare Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia ($81)

1. Chambers Rosewood Vineyards Rare Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia ($420)

Here we have a deliciously complex wine with raisin and dried fruit flavours. It’s an impressive wine with butterscotch notes and subtle oak characters.

2. NV All Saints Estate Museum Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia ($1,069)

This indulgent wine has a distinct dried fruit flavour, high alcohol content, and a lovely coffee finish. It’s deliciously sweet with a treacle-like character. 

3. Stanton Killeen 12 Year Old Classic Rutherglen Muscat, Victoria, Australia ($39)

This beautiful sienna-colored wine has decadent notes of dried fig, honey, Christmas pudding, and brandy. The finish is lingering with honey, fresh raisin fruit, and toffee flavours. 

4. Morris Classic Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia ($26)

Here’s a smooth wine with caramel, toffee, and oak flavours and subtle raisin tasting notes. It’s notably sweet with a long, luscious finish.

5. Campbells Wines Merchant Prince Rare Rutherglen Muscat, Victoria, Australia ($162)

Here we have a fragrant and decadently dark mahogany wine with rich flavours of fresh raisin fruit, dates, toffee, fudge, and molasses. It’s incredibly sweet yet refreshing on the palate.

6. Buller Wines Fine Old Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia ($27)

Here’s a smooth, balanced wine with lovely caramel aromas, toffee, and rich fruit flavours. It also has enticing notes of honeyed ginger, raisin fruit, and dried fig.

7. Seppeltsfield Solero DP 63 Grand Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia ($30)

This bright amber gold wine has initial coffee, caramel, and toffee notes followed by dried fruit and brown sugar flavors. The wine’s sweetness is harmoniously balanced by its high acidity levels. 

8. Campbells Wines Grand Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia ($102)

This rich, deep wine has a complex bouquet and tasty raisin, coffee, cookies, and dark chocolate flavors. The finish is long with vanilla and mature oak flavours. 

9. All Saints Estate Classic Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia ($64)

Here we have a beautiful butterscotch, dried fruit, and treacle flavoured dessert wine with a delightful bouquet of flower petals and subtle oak characters. 

10. Pfeiffer Wines Rare Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia ($81)

This Rutherglen Muscat from Pfeiffer Wines has a coffee aroma and decadently complex flavours. The intense coffee notes perfectly complement the delicious dark chocolate flavour that Pfeiffer Rutherglen Muscat wines are known for. 

Rutherglen Muscat Pairing Suggestions

Rutherglen Muscat is the perfect aperitif, dessert, and dinner drink.

Here are a few delicious ways to enjoy this wine:

• Before Dinner: As a pre-dinner aperitif, Rutherglen Muscat wines taste divine with cheddar, strong cheese, and freshly shelled nuts. 
• During Dinner: These wines are delicious with soups, terrines, and spicy curries. 
• For Dessert: Pair your favorite bottle of Rutherglen Muscat with richly flavored vanilla, butterscotch, cookies, and fruit-based desserts. It also makes an excellent accompaniment to ice cream, plum pudding, bread pudding, and sorbet. 

Rutherglen Muscat Classifications

Rutherglen Muscat wines (also known as Liqueur Muscat) fall under four main classifications based on age, sweetness, and complexity:

1. Rutherglen Muscat: These Rutherglen wines are sweet and aromatic with rich fruit and raisin flavours. The wines are aged between 3-5 years before bottling and have 180-240 grams of residual sugar per liter.

2. Classic Rutherglen Muscat: These complex wines are often matured in oak casks and have a distinctively dry, nutty character. 

Classic Rutherglen Muscat wines are aged between 6-10 years prior to bottling. The residual sweetness level is 200-280 grams per liter.

3. Grand Rutherglen Muscat: These wines are layered with a concentrated flavour profile. The average aging time for Grand Rutherglen Muscat wines is between 11-19 years prior to bottling. The residual sweetness level is 270-400 grams per liter. 

4. Rare Rutherglen Muscat: This is the richest and most complex of all Rutherglen Muscat wines. Production of Rare Rutherglen Muscat wines is extremely limited. These wines are aged for 20+ years prior to bottling and contain 270-400 grams of residual sweetness per liter. 

Rutherglen Muscat Winemaking

Here’s the winemaking process:

• The Rutherglen brown Muscat grapes are harvested when they are very ripe. This ensures the grapes reach optimum flavour and high residual sugar levels. 
• Next, the Muscat grapes are pressed. 
• The grape juice undergoes partial fermentation before being fortified with a natural grape spirit. 
• The fortified wine is then transferred into barrels where it is aged using a modified solera system. 
• During this aging process, the wine is transferred slowly from barrel to barrel over a period of 5 to over 20 years before being bottled.
• The aged wine is blended with other vintages to produce the final Rutherglen Muscat blend. 

The Rutherglen Muscat Region 

The historic Rutherglen region in north east Victoria has been producing Rutherglen Muscat wines since the 1850s. Some wineries have been producing the delicious fortified wine for seven generations.

The Rutherglen region enjoys plentiful sunshine and great weather, allowing the Muscat grapes to develop the full, complex, sweet flavors that Rutherglen Muscat is renowned for. 

The soil and topography of the region play an important role in the taste of the wines.

There are two main types of soil in the area:

• Vineyards with lighter sandy soils produce aromatic wines with delicate fruit flavours.
• Vineyards with predominantly grey and brown loam soils produce rich, complex, and high alcohol Rutherglen wines.

Enjoy A Luscious Rutherglen Muscat!

If you’re looking for delicious, sweet, and alluringly complex wine, then you’ll love Rutherglen Muscat.

Known for its decadent dried fruit flavours and enchanting aromas, this exceptional wine would be perfect for a special occasion or a quiet dinner at home. 

But if you’re a wine enthusiast looking for investment-grade wines, visit the Vinovest website. It’s an AI-driven platform that lets you buy, store, and sell investment-worthy wines from around the world.