Ochoa sweetens its offer

Navarra producer Bodegas Ochoa is planning to release a “super-late harvest” barrel fermented Moscatel later this year.

Describing the wine, which is likely to be called “Sweet November”, as “like a 5 puttonyos Tokaji, but with no botrytis, just sun and wind”, marketing manager Beatriz Ochoa told the drinks business that the family has produced just two barrels, equivalent to 1,000 bottles.

“It has that toastiness but also the fruit of Moscatel,” she said of the wine, which joins the existing late harvest and 5.5% abv sparkling expressions of the variety produced by Bodegas Ochoa from its 20 hectares of Moscatel

Explaining the decision to create this new style, Beatriz said: “My father and sister are always investigating new things and we have such great Moscatel. Since 2007 we have been leaving a few rows of grapes after the harvest – but under a net to stop the birds eating them.”

Having spent 13 months in barrel, the finished wine has an abv of around 11% and will be bottled in a 37.5cl format, which Beatriz anticipated will retail in the UK for around £25.

The current plan is to release the 2008 vintage in November. The producer had originally hoped to show the wine for the first time at Vinobile, before the wine fair was cancelled due to a lack of funding.

Moscatel, commonly known in other parts of the world as Muscat or Moscato, is currently enjoying a surge in mainstream popularity, especially in the US, where sales leapt by 73% last year.