An account of the most spectacular and unique wines across all the islands in the Systres Archipelago by wine connoisseur and regional expert, Melynie Agnan.
HIGH ISLE
High Isle's climate and class lends itself quite well to the discovery of amazing wines. While I have never had a bad glass there, I would recommend going out of your way to try the following wines. They are especially unique and elevate any trip around the archipelago.
Leader's Rise Rose
A collaboration between the predominant houses in High Isle, this rose is created using the grapes of House Mornard's vineyards and aged in barrels fashioned by House Dufort's master carpenters. The creation of this vintage signified an era of congeniality between the two noble families. The result is a wine with a deep body and warm notes that make it a perfect summer drink. Guests of House Dufort are often served glasses while surveying the rolling sunflower fields of High Isle.
Albatross Cabernet
Sir Ludovel Gamache, a member of the Order of the Albatross, earned his place among their legendary knights when he created the perfect wine for reciting legends around a campfire. This wine's robust taste takes imbibers on a flavorful quest of their own, and knight aspirants have been known to carry a flask on their own travels to remind themselves of the taste of adventure.
Dufort Singular Amber
A rare and special blend developed by the vineyards of House Dufort, it displays mild flavors of stone fruits such as peaches or cherries, hints of teas, and a touch of honey without actually being sweet. One of the most popular and hard to find vintages was 2E 571. If you can acquire a bottle from this year, I highly recommend it!
Steadfast Chardonnay
Developed for one of Lord Bacaro's charitable galas by the vineyards of Steadfast Manor, this sipping wine became so popular that multiple barrels were shipped to inns across the archipelago. It's known for achieving an astonishingly balanced taste and a supremely clear color without any silt or residue.
GALEN
While fewer nobles from High Rock or the Shimmering Isles visit Galen, the island nevertheless produces some spectacular wines.
Stonelore Grape Mead
Across the Systres Archipelago, druids have been making wine and mead using all sorts of fruits and berries. But in Galen, the Stonelore's fortified grape mead is popular even among non-druidic inhabitants. Rumors say that there's an Eldertide kelp mead that's even more delicious, but as no non-druid has ever tasted it, I cannot compare it to the grape mead.
Mornard Red
This full-bodied wine isn't just for the tables of Vastyr anymore! The winemakers of House Mornard have developed a robust and flavorful wine that improves with every new vintage. Some say that the reason for the improvement rests with Stefan Mornard, whose known association with druids has given the Mornard vineyards an unfair advantage. I say, who cares when a wine tastes this good?
AMENOS
The less said about wine fermented and barreled in Amenos, the better.
Y'FFLEON
I, myself, have not sampled either of these wines, as few apart from druids ever set foot on Y'ffleon. That said, I interviewed a few druids who all agree that some of the most unique wines come from grapes grown in the shadow of Mount Firesong.
Smoke-Spiced Brandy
Distilled from wine until almost as dark as soot, this alcoholic beverage is reportedly thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Drinkers say the added spices give it a deep and rich flavor that one must experience to fully understand and appreciate.
Ash White
The Firesong druids of Y'ffelon can't escape the smoke and ash of Mount Firesong, so they embrace it. In addition to coating the grapes with ash prior to the fermentation process, the liquid is also heated over open lava vents before being filtered and bottled. I understand that the taste is quite unique and somewhat charred.
