Interesting chat about fortifying spirit.

[Eric Ifune]

While visiting Rutherglen in Australia, famous for their fortified wines, I had a brief chat with David Morris, winemaker at Morris. I asked about his use of fortifying spirit and what strength he used. Interestingly, he uses two. Approximate 78% for red varieties such as their port-styled wines both vintage and tawny styles; and 94-95% for the white varieties like Muscat and Muscadelle (used in their famous Topaque formerly Tokay). He likes a denser spirit with reds since he likes the mouthfeel it gives. The higher strength, more rectified spirit is more neutral and lets the fruit of the white varieties shine through. I only had a short time with him and wish I could have picked his brain more. By the way, in Rutherglen the wines are great and the wineries very atmospheric. They still use open top cement fermenters, old basket presses, and their cellar rooms warrens of various sized old casks and tonels.

[Thomas V]

It is a bit funny that you mention visiting an Australian maker of fortified wines. I myself will be going to Australia very soon and I have plotted in to visit Seppeltsfield in the Barossa valley while we are staying near Adelaide. They have a tour where you get to taste a colheita from your birth year (1981 in my case) and also a approximately 100 year old tawny. Looking forward to it.

How did you find their fortified wines, which I presume you tasted Eric?

[Eric Ifune]

Loved them.
Some quite good Tawnys which is their term for wood aged red fortified. Some Portuguese varieties, Durif (Petite Sirah in California) and Shiraz.
Great Muscats. The best were as good as Setubal.
Loved the Topaqes as well. Formerly known as Tokay, made from the Muscadelle grape. A bit brighter with more acidity than the Muscats.