Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains—white Muscat or 'Fronti' in South Australia—has been responsible for some of Barossa’s greatest fortified wines. Most of the region’s Muscat vineyards are old, dry-grown and overseen by seasoned growers compelled to preserve a slice of Barossa history and resist a switch to more commercial varieties. Pete and Magali work with a 70-year-old, organically farmed vineyard in Moppa, in the northwest corner of the Barossa Valley. In Pete's words, it’s a site that delivers spectacular fruit.
In the cellar, Schell crushes the fruit prior to macerating for a couple of days before pressing it into old oak for fermentation. The wine undergoes partial malolactic fermentation to tone back Fronti’s natural exuberance, so although the nose offers roses, orange and some tropical notes, the whole remains subtle and balanced. The palate is loaded with orange, honey and flowers and shot through with fresh, zippy acidity. This is delicious and a lot of fun to drink.