Hungarian Cellar Door

 

For December 4th we stretch the Christmas Pudding theme for one last time. Today’s treat is the perfect accompaniment for Christmas Pudding - in a glass. Australian Liqueur Muscat!

 

This exquisite substance is like liquid gold or perhaps Christmas pudding IN a glass. The best contain very old material, some laid down by the Grandfathers or Great-Grandfathers of current winemakers, as many of these wines are produced by smaller family concerns, mostly in the Rutherglen region of Victoria. Not many Grandmothers as winemakers in those days, but there will be plenty in the future as many of our best and brightest winemakers are now of the female persuasion.

 

The best are rich and treacly-viscous with a bouquet full of raisined fruit and spice and a long lingering aftertaste.

 

Liqueur Muscat and its relative Liqueur Tokay are very distinctive Australian fortified wine styles, related to Tawny Port but made using different grape varieties. Muscat is made from a variety known, like our friend the turkey, by many aliases, but most commonly in Australia as Frontinac, but its official name is Muscat á petit grains. In Italy, where it is used to make Asti Spumante, it is known as Moscato Blanco, Muskadel in South Africa.

 

Liqueur Tokay, ironically, is made from Muscadelle. The local Australian cultivar was incorrectly believed to have come from the Tokay-Hegyalja region in Hungary but its true origin is in Bordeaux, where it is used as a minor variety in both sweet and dry wines. In California it is usually incorrectly identified as Sauvignon Vert.

 

When selecting a muscat, look for the family names Campbell, Morris, Baileys of Glenrowan, Stanton & Killeen and Chambers. Also All Saints, and the big combines Seppelt and Lindemans which release excellent show stock Liqueurs, sometimes a little lighter and more restrained in style.

From the top of the tree try Campbell’s Merchant Prince Muscat and Isabella Tokay, the Bailey’s HJT line, or my very favourite when they can be found, the rare reserve releases from Chambers Rosewood Estate.

 

 

And speaking of Hungary, did you know if you haven't been good, at Christmas you'll be chased by a little goblin with a stick called Krampusz, so watch out! Presents are left under the tree by Baby Jesus, Jézuska, and the angels but it seems Baby Jesus is doing a lot of work as the presents apparently come from Mum's Jesus (Anyuka Jézuskája), Dad's Jesus (Apuka Jézuskája), Grandma's Jesus (Nagyanyó Jézuskája) and so on.

 

Another Hungarian custom was the blessing of the wine, or borszentelés, on the Feast of St. John (Szent János napja), December 27^th. Families took their wine to church to be blessed by the priest, after which miraculous powers were attributed to the wine. It was said to have the power to cure the sick, both human and animal, and was added to other wine barrels to prevent them from going bad.

 

 

Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket es Boldog Új Évet!