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Deetlefs Muscat d Alexandrie 1974

This 1974 Muscat has earned itself a place amongst the rarest and most unique luxury products in the world; a collectors item!

A dark golden-tawny colour with a khaki green tinge and an intense meniscus .The colour highlights the influence of time and impact of a special winemaking technique.
On the nose one finds a combination of raisins, dried fruit, coffee and toffee-like flavours, almonds, with a hint of straw in the background.
The rich palate confirms the colour and nose, with layers of concentrated fruit (hints of Christmas cake), that has matured into a round and smooth wine and slips away to a seemingly endless dry finish.

This handcrafted product, a gift from nature, was made with minimum interference, is unfined, unfiltered and hand filled. The wonderful aromas of this wine explode on decanting.

Individual and exotic!

variety : Muscat dAlexandrie [ 100% Hanepoot ]
winery : Deetlefs Estate
winemaker : Philippus Petrus Deetlefs
wine of origin : Rawsonville
analysis : alc : 15.5 % vol  rs : 172.8 g/l  pH : 3.99  ta : 4.06 g/l  
type : Fortified  body : Full  
pack : Bottle  closure : Cork  
AWARDS
2002 Michael Angelo competition –GOLD MEDAL.
2003 Muscat du Monde (Muscat’s of the World Competition in France) –GOLD MEDAL

'Superb old Muscat and a rarity' – John Platter

This unique 1974 desert was recently auctioned in Rome for €3,100, which is a world record price for a 375ml bottle of South African wine!

A quarter of a century ago, my late father Philippus Petrus Deetlefs and a winemaker friend entered into a wager. The friend claimed that it was impossible to mature a Muscat D’ Alexandrie or Hanepoot, as it is known locally, for any significant length of time.

My father, however was convinced that it could be done and filled a third of a tank with Hanepoot lees and two thirds with fortified Hanepoot Wine and closed it down.

Now, thirty years later, we have the excellent result of this wager between two friends who have both since passed away.

A SPECIAL TOAST TO OLD FRIENDS!

"I am now laying down another batch of this wine, for my children to open in 25 years time. And so the tradition will continue in 2028."
Kobus Deetlefs

Certified by the Wine and Spirit Board of South Africa: WS 54884

Click here for our image gallery of this wine

in the vineyard : The wine was made in March 1974 from hand selected grapes produced by 50 year old bush-vines.
Shoots from the best of these old vines (no clones available) were selected, grafted on the rootstock 8-7 and planted on a specially selected piece of land in 1994 in order to maintain the absolute unique style. Specially selected grapes were hand picked in 2003 for the 2028 release!
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Deetlefs Muscat d Alexandrie 1974
Muscat dAlexandrie