2023 Artist Series 'Angelica' Fortified Dessert Wine
A blend of Albarino, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat, Chardonnay and Brandy made from STC wines
Angelica is a style of sweet wine that is made by fortifying must (unfermented grape juice that’s straight out of the press) with brandy to around 18% ABV to prevent the must from fermenting. The juice retains all of its natural sugar since it doesn’t ferment, the alcohol from the Brandy provides stability and the 14 months in barrel allows the wine to develop complexity. This is great as a aperitif or an after dinner drink. Pair with a cheese course, key lime pie, any dessert with fruit flavors (chocolate not recommended). This wine can stay open for extended periods of time so you can just have a little glass now and then without worrying about the bottle spoiling.
The Artist Series wines are single barrel production (22 cases each). We bottled in crown cap bottles because we had some leftover glass from a vermouth project. The bottles are a unique shape and provide an interesting package to showcase this project.
Labels by Phoenix based artist Hector Viramontes aka @_loosebrain_
Flowers share similarities with the human experience in that they are diverse, blossom with beauty and eventually wither and perish. In the artwork produced for the recent collection, Hector Viramontes focuses on creating loose abstractions of various flower shapes -- combined with heavy texture and movement produced by the drip of the acrylic paint. The goal was to paint a bright & vivid piece that lends itself to the various notes found within the wine. Each label corresponds to a different ambience/mood - variety in the same way that wine can be so diverse.