It’s first time Muddy Water have produced a true dessert wine. The closest before this was the highly acclaimed James Hardwick, which is a beautifully balanced medium Riesling.

The Sugar Daddy Riesling is huge wine from the Estate vineyard, which is part of the Organic program. In 2008 they only made the Dry and Sugar Daddy Rieslings from this vineyard (different vineyard blocks are at different stages of this organic process).

Some autumn rains showed themselves in particular blocks in the Riesling vineyard and that created the right conditions. It’s very concentrated at 50 Brix – the highest they’ve ever had by nearly 20 Brix – that’s 50% sugar, which may never happen again!

It’s always a trade-off producing a sticky. They’re expensive, with minuscule juice extracted from the shrivelly grapes, but winemaker and viticulturist Belinda Gould and Miranda Brown knew it would be a special vintage. The winery has not put it out for export anywhere else up to now. It’s selling like hotcakes at cellar door as something unique so they’ve no need to push it into export markets. Just as well a few arms have been twisted. Afterall, this is something that will enhance the already brilliant brand internationally.

Only 100 cases were produced. They’re not making one in this year’s 09 vintage and who knows in 2010. So for now, when I say rare, it’s not marketing puffery!

Quite simply a divine wine – you won’t find one as rare as this from New Zealand in Ireland. Brightly golden with decadently sweet flavours and a thick, viscous, honeyed texture. Full of intense raisins, plumped up dried apricots, luscious sweetness masterly crafted with beautifully fresh acidity and verve. It’s a fully botrytised wine, carrying just 7% alcohol and a whopping 300gm/L which puts it in a very rare bracket (the average dessert wine sits around 150gm/L).

It’s the first fully botrytised dessert wine that Muddy Water has made, which will only happen in certain years. It spent 9 months in the finest French oak where the fermentation was stopped when the desired sugars were reached. Powerful, delicious and with a finish that lasts forever.

Right now there are only 5 cases of it Ireland. If you want a memorable treat, look no further.