Baluarte Muscat 2023

Baluarte is the modern, variety-led range from Grupo Chivite, a Navarra house making wine since 1975, built around fresh styles that put the grape first. This bottling is a single-variety Muscat from the D.O. Navarra, one of the most aromatic white grapes and instantly recognisable for its floral, grapey perfume. The wine is made young, fermented in stainless steel at controlled temperatures to protect the delicate aromatics, with no oak and no lees ageing to get in the way of the fruit. Cool, controlled fermentation preserves the volatile terpenes in Muscat that give its orange blossom and rose character, and an early bottling keeps the wine fresh and primary. It pours pale straw with a green tint. The nose is openly floral, with white flowers, orange peel and elderflower over white peach and a hint of melon. The palate is light and dry to just off-dry, the grapey fruit lifted by clean lemon acidity, finishing crisp and perfumed. Serve well chilled at 8 to 9 degrees as an aperitif or with lighter dishes.