N.V. Scholtz Hermanos Malaga Sweet Gold, 12-bottle Lot, Wood Case

Scholtz Hermanos was one of the most important producers and exporters in Málaga for more than 150 years. Christian and Richard Scholtz were German brothers from Berlin with international business ambitions who arrived in southern Spain in the first years of the 19th century. By 1807 they had established their own winery and export business, and Scholtz Hermanos dessert wines were considered top-notch until 1996, when the company closed. During its existence Scholtz Hermanos produced wines that won awards throughout the world. A close look at the estate’s label shows a line of medals won at various international competitions from Philadelphia and Paris to Vienna. The legendary wine writer Alexis Lichine in 1978 described Scholtz Hermanos as one of the region’s “principal producers and exporters” known for wines “of considerable distinction.” Many Scholtz Hermanos wines were made according to the solera blending system, in which wines of various ages are blended to achieve optimum character. Generally, the date on the bottle refers to the oldest vintage contained in the blend, not to the date the wine was released.

Málaga is a Denominación de Origen in Andalucía, just to the east of Spain’s southernmost tip. The wine industry there dates to 600 B.C., when the Greeks planted the region’s first vines. The wines were known for their sweet, syrupy character, and for centuries everyone from the Moors to the Victorians had a taste for them. By the early 19th century Málaga had nearly 250,000 vineyard acres, making it Spain’s second largest wine producing region. But in the late 19th century the vineyards were devastated by powdery mildew and phylloxera, and the wine industry never really recovered, especially as tourism starting in the 1960s turned the coastline into one of Europe’s most popular vacation spots. Today with fewer than 3,000 vineyard acres Málaga still makes mostly sweet wines from the Pedro Ximénez, Airén and Moscatel de Alejandría grapes. Most Málaga wines are brownish, raisiny and sweet, with alcohol levels up to 23%. The term “lágrima” on a wine means that the wine was made entirely from free-run juice without any mechanical pressing. To earn the Málaga DO label, wines must be shipped to the city of Málaga and cellared there until maturity. In 2004 Spain officially combined the Málaga DO with the appellations of Sierras de Málaga and Pasas de Málaga. All three appellations cover nearly the same geography.