The Jaboulet family deserves a lot of credit for drawing consumers' attention to the Beaumes de Venise appellation. They consistently produce a sweet, dessert-styled Muscat Beaumes de Venise. There is usually not much variation in quality between vintages of this wine, but the 1998 is one of the finest yet made. What sets it apart from some of its predecessors is its extraordinary aromatic intensity. Its soaring bouquet reeks of oranges macerated with brandy. The alcohol is a whopping 15.5% and there are 100 grams of residual sugar. This wine should be served by itself at the end of a meal, or with an open-faced fruit tart. Readers with a sweet tooth will enjoy it served chilled as an aperitif. These wines tend to break up quickly because of their delicate aromatics, so this 1998 should be drunk within its first 1-2 years of life. Importer: Frederick Wildman, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700