Wine maker notes

We have been waffling with this wine in recent years between one style dominated by orange muscat and another dominated by muscat canelli. On the muscat continuum, canelli is relatively elegant and urbane - suggestive principally of white nectarine, Asian pear, spearmint and litchi and might be associated with Krug or Ferrand. Orange muscat, dominant in the 2001 vintage, is a far more highly stylized, effusive, bling bling peaches and pineapple variety you might find in the company of Cris and Cor-voi-see-yeah. Orange muscat may be nominally less delicate than muscat canelli, however, its aromatic potential is usually superior. It might be overkill to covet still more aromatic intensity in this wine [especially having just descended from my soapbox, my calls for vinous restraint still reverberating in the rafters], but desperate times call for desperate measures and for cranking this mo-faux icewine to 11. We have not, however, completely sacrificed refinement in the pursuit of prurient pineapplicity. Large dollops of moscato greco [aka malvasia bianca] and canelli, and very brisk acidity keep the OM bomb in check.