Two Hands Moscato Brilliant Disguise 2011 500ml

Winery: Two Hands

Varietal: Muscat

As one of the oldest grape varietals in the world, the Muscat grape has a huge amount of variation in its character, flavors and even color As such, it is a wildly popular grape in several different countries, and its hardiness and reliability, coupled with its excellent characteristics makes it a highly popular grape varietal with wineries looking to produce fine and elegant wines with a wide appeal. One of the key attributes of Muscat varietal grapes is the fact that they have proven themselves to be highly versatile. Indeed, Muscat grapes are used for a vast range of different wines, from superbly aromatic sweet wines typical of eastern Europe, to refined and elegant sparkling wines, dry white wines, and even fortified examples. They are recognized by their bright and sharp fruity taste, and their characteristically floral aroma.

Region: Barossa

Australia's Barossa Valley has, over the past few decades, been catapulted to the forefront of Australia's wine industry as a result of the quality produce which is made there, and the dedication the winemakers of the region have for great flavor The original German settlers in the area may have set up the first traditional style vineyards, but today there are plenty of wineries exploring the possibilities of the region and utilizing modern technology to make the most of their vines. The region itself is surprisingly temperate, with hot valley floors and cooler slopes allowing the grape varietals to reach full ripeness. Although the region is most closely associated with Australia's much loved Shiraz grapes, there are now plenty of different varietals being cultivated in the Barossa Valley, and great success has been had with everything from Chardonnay to Semillon, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Country: Australia

Whilst most of Australia consists of arid deserts and dense bushland, the oceanic coasts to the south of the country have a terrain and climate ideal for vine cultivation and wine production. It took several decades of failed attempts at the end of the 18th century in order to produce vines of a decent enough quality for making wine, but since those first false starts, the Australian wine industry has continued to grow and grow. Today, wine production makes up for a considerable part of the Australian economy, with exports in recent years reaching unprecedented levels and even overtaking France for the first time ever. Whilst the greatest successes in regards to quality have been the result of the Syrah grape varietal (known locally as Shiraz), Australia utilizes several Old World grapes, and has had fantastic results from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Riesling, Chardonnay and more. As the Australian passion for locally produced wine continues to develop, wineries have begun experimenting with a wider range of grape varietals, meaning that nowadays it isn't uncommon to find high quality Australian wines made from Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Tempranillo and Viognier, amongst many others.