Cantillon Reed Gueuze Muscat
Description
Cantillon Reed Gueuze Muscat was created specifically to celebrate Akkurat's 10th anniversary in 2005. It is a blend of 2 year old lambic with dried Muscat grapes from Willi Opitz and aged in Bordeaux barrels. Opitz also provided the grapes for Goldackerl Gueuze and Reed Gueuze Pinot Noir.
History / Other Notes
The grapes were dried out using process called appassimento or rasinate (to dry and shrivel) in Italian. This is traditionally done on straw mats following a method used to make Italian Amarone wines. While the Amarone process is primarily for red wine grapes, the history of straw wines, or raison wines dates back to 800BC and the process was used with both red and white wine grapes.[1] The drying process typically takes around 120 days. Drying the grapes results in the grapes losing 25-45% of their weight and the process concentrates the remaining sugars and flavors. As a result, the grapes produce a raisony, full-bodied flavor with low acidity.[2]
Bottle Log
| Cork Date | Bottle Size | Label / Notes | Image Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 750mL | Screenprinted label | N/A |
Label Text (Translated):
This is yet another unique beer to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Again we have used sweet grapes mixed with the spontaneous fermented original beer.
In Cantillon Reed Gueuze, we use Willi Opitz Muscat grapes that he had let dry on straw beds in months. These are then mixed with the finest Cantillon lambic and matured on Bordeaux barrels for 3 months.
A fermentation in the bottle gives the true feeling of champagne.
References
- ↑ Straw Wine, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_wine
- ↑ Amarone Wines, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amarone