2020 Quady Orange Blossom Muscat ‘Essensia’ San Joaquin Valley

In 1980, Andrew Quady’s discovery of underused Orange Muscat grapes in Reedley, California, led him to make a wine that celebrated the intense aromas and spicy fruit avors of the grapes. “Essensia” refers to the idea that the wine contains the very essence of the grape. In Italy the variety is known as Moscato Fior d’Arancio: Orange Blossom Muscat. Essensia astonished the wine world. At the time, sweet wines were looked down upon. The idea that a distinctive Orange Muscat Varietal wine could be made in the San Joaquin Valley was a revelation.