Quady Elysium Black Muscat

Quady Elysium Black Muscat is a fantastic sweet, red dessert wine from California. Quady Wines, located in Madera in the San Joaquin Valley, was founded by Andrew and Laurel Quady in 1977. Prior to this Andrew Quady was in the fireworks business before he made the explosive leap into the wine trade (I am sure he has heard all the jokes by now) and learnt his trade at the Lodi and Heublein wineries. Quady specialises in dessert wines but also makes some other wines like a Palomino Fino Sherry look-a-like, several Port-style wines, including a celverly named Starboard, and a two styles of Vya Vermouth, a sweet and a dry. The first wine Quady produced was a Port-style wine made from Amador County Zinfandel which was quickly followed by the dessert wines, Essencia, made from Orange Muscat grapes, and Quady Elysium.

Buy Quady Elysium at Fareham Wine Cellar.

Quady Elysium is made from Black Muscat which is also known in Europe as the table grape variety Muscat Hamburg. Muscat Hamburg is one of only a small number of black skinned muscat grapes and, when it is allowed to ripen fully, it develops rose-like aromas and lychee flavours which can be detected in the wine. Recently Quady has introduced new vineyard practices like green harvesting in the the vineyards to ensure that plenty of sunlight gets underneath the canopy  which helps to produce the ripest grapes. The wine is lightly fortified (the 2011 vintage is 15%) and is then aged for three months in small French oak barrels prior to bottling.

Quady Elysium Tasting Notes

This wonderful red, dessert wine is a a deep magenta colour. The nose is reminiscent of roses, lychees, cherry and other red fruits. The full and round palate shows more of these characteristics with more cherry and red berry flavours. The wine is sweet but not cloying and has a good, persistent finish.

Serving Quady Elysium

Quady Elysium is a great wine to match with chocolate desserts or any with fresh mixed berries. Serve chilled or even in a long drink over ice, with tonic and a slice of lemon.