Domaine de Montahuc ‘Comte Cathare’ 1998
This gorgeous dessert wine is a Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois, one of the Vins Doux Naturel which are such a speciality of the Languedoc and Mediterrannean coast of France. The Vins Doux Naturel are lightly fortified sweet wines. This is 15% alcohol; much on par with many New World Chardonnays or Shiraz. This class of wines range from rather rough and cloying cheap stickies, to refined and elegant wines with great purity. This example falls firmly into the latter camp. It is attractively fresh and flowery on the nose, with a subtle honeyed edge to soft, white pear and peach fruit on the palate. The raised alcohol is barely noticeable into an polished, long, sweet and pure finish. UK stockists: Oddbins 5.99 per 50cl