Drink.  Learn.  Laugh.  Repeat.

Welcome Back!Sign in here:

Not Registered?Become one of our thirsty clan 333,078 strong:

Register Today!

Quails' Gate Estate Winery Totally Botrytis Affected Optima 2009 Wine Review

Quails' Gate Estate Winery Totally Botrytis Affected Optima 2009

Quails' Gate Estate Winery Totally Botrytis Affected Optima 2009

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia B.C. V.Q.A., Canada

Community Score:96/100

Community Reviews: 5

  Add My Review


Price: $120.00

Drink: 2011-2023

Bottle size: 375 ml

Alcohol: 14%

Sweetness: Extra Dry

Wine Type: Dessert Wine


Winery: Quails' Gate Estate Winery

Agent: Hobbs & Co. - Perigon

Natalie's Score: 92/100

An opulent homage to after-dinner relaxation. Redolent of ripe apricot and muscat aromas, this richly layered dessert wine will make visions of sugarplums dance in your head. Extraordinary craftsmanship!

Food pairings: vanilla panna cotta and apricot preserves, biscotti.

This Quails' Gate Estate Winery Totally Botrytis Affected Optima 2009 was reviewed on August 5, 2011 by Natalie MacLean

More Vintages: 2018  2010  2017  2011 

  Add New Vintage

Pricing & Stock Information

  • BCLDB
  • 390328
  • $34.95 
  • Check Stock
  • AGLC
  • 390328

Reviews and Ratings

Andrea rated this wine as 97/100
Handpicked in late October, the Totally Botrytis Affected (TBA) Optima grapes were foot stomped in the picking bins to ensure juice contact with the skins before pressing and fermentation. These soft-skinned grapes were thoroughly dehydrated from the “Botrytis Cinerea’ mold. This harmless fungus pierces the grape skins causing the fruit to shrink and raisin, leaving the remaining juice naturally sweet. The significant levels of mold and micro flora provide excellent interest and complexity in the finished wine. After gentle pressing and cold settling in the tank, the juice was racked and then fermented cold over a 10 day period.
This succulent dessert wine exhibits classic dried fruit notes of apricot, orange peel and honeycomb. The palate is all candy and sweetness balanced with natural acidity.

2 Members would buy this wine again

If you liked the Quails' Gate Estate Winery Totally Botrytis Affected Optima 2009, you might also like these wines:

Recipes for Quails' Gate Estate Winery Totally Botrytis Affected Optima 2009

WANT TO LEARN HOW TO

PAIR WINE
& FOOD?

Join me in a free online video class to learn the secrets to perfect pairings.

Wine of the Week

As featured on  

CTV Wine of the Week!

Wander + Found Sparkling Wine
Sparkling Cuveé Blanc Can

Natalie MacLean

Natalie MacLean offers North America's most popular online wine and food pairing classes. She was named the World's Best Drinks Writer at the World Food Media Awards in Australia.

Natalie has published two books with Random House, both selected as one of Amazon's Best Books of the Year.

Join 333,078 thirsty wine lovers who get access to all of her wine reviews by becoming a member of her site. Take a free online pairing class with her here.

FEEL LOST IN THE

LCBO?

Know the wines you want before you even get to the store with my wine reviews. Join now. It's free.

Red, White & Drunk All Over

  Best Books of the Year

Red, White & Drunk all over by Natalie MacLean

Natalie MacLean writes about wine with a sensuous obsession... and often laugh-out-loud funny... Terrific.

Rex Pickett, Sideways

Ms. MacLean is the disarming Everywoman. She loves wine, loves drinking ... ultimately, it's a winning formula.

Eric Asimov, The New York Times

GOT A SMARTPHONE?

Access my reviews on mobile with the bar code scanner.

GET NAT'S APP

Unquenchable: A Tipsy Search

  Best Books of the Year

Unquenchable by Natalie MacLean

Natalie MacLean is a new force in the wine writing world ‐ a feisty North American answer to Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson. She can write beautifully about wine.

The Financial Times of London

There are very few people in the wine world who "get it" and Natalie is one of those who brings more fun to a buttoned-up and stodgy game.

Gary Vaynerchuck, Wine Library TV

Starting a Wine Cellar?

Expert advice for all budgets

Insider tips on starting a wine cellar
From wine racks to underground caves, insider tips on size and space, number of bottles, ideal conditions and reputable resources.   learn more  
Winner World's Best Drink Writer
WFour-Time Winner James Beard Foundation
Five-Time Winner Association of Food Journalists
Six-Time Winner Bert Greene Award
Best Wine Literature Book Gourmand World Cookbook Awards
Online Writer of the Year Louis Roederer International Wine Writing Award