The Tawny VO exhibits a medium amber color along with a huge, fragrant perfume of sweet candy and brandy-macerated red and black fruits, molasses, maple syrup, licorice, and honey. One of the most powerful of these fortifieds (19% alcohol), it was made from Grenache, Shiraz, and Mourvedre. It will keep in the bottle 5-10 days after being opened; unopened it will keep indefinitely.
Until 3-4 decades ago, many Australian wineries were better known for their fortified than dry table wines. For whatever reason, many of these fortifieds fell out of favor in Australia, and have never received the respect they deserve given how spectacular many can be. Rick Burge’s ancestors always made fortified wines, and kept the soleras active during their lifetimes. After many years, Rick Burge decided to begin bottling some of these old fortified wines. There are five different offerings, all of them stunningly rich and intense. I suspect most of them are extremely old, although no records were kept, so it is impossible to know the average age of the solera for each of these cuvees. No one will be disappointed in these spectacular non-vintage fortifieds. 98 points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate #155
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