Domaine des Bernardins Muscat 2024 375ml from Beaumes‑de‑Venise in the southern Rhône is a luscious yet beautifully balanced Vin Doux Naturel, offering intense perfume and freshness in a compact half‑bottle format. This Domaine des Bernardins Muscat de Beaumes‑de‑Venise 2024 bursts with aromas of rose, apricot, peach and exotic glazed fruits, layered with honey, quince paste and a hint of citrus peel, all carried by a silky, mouth‑coating sweetness that’s lifted by vibrant acidity.

On the table, it’s a knockout with blue cheeses like Roquefort, fruit‑based desserts, panna cotta, citrus tarts and pavlova, where the wine’s richness and perfume play off salt, cream and tangy fruit. It’s also superb with foie gras, chocolate desserts and as a luxurious glass on its own at the end of a meal, especially chilled around 8°C on a warm evening.

For Australian drinkers, this half‑bottle is a brilliant way to bring a proper French dessert wine into the mix without committing to a full 750ml – organically farmed Muscat à petits grains, low‑yield 2024 fruit and careful fortification give you a sweet wine that feels opulent, precise and long‑lived, with the potential to age gracefully well over a decade.