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750ml
Bottle:
$19.94
12 bottles:
$19.54
Lots of fruit and flowers here with a mixture of red and blue berries. Currants and blueberries. Juicy, vibrant fruit...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$30.31
Deep, dark ruby red with a purplish hue. Complex bouquet on the nose, with notes of blackberries, plums, and Marasca...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$39.05
Deep, dark ruby red with a purplish hue. Complex bouquet on the nose, with notes of blackberries, plums, and Marasca...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$34.40
Extraordinary aromas of incense and herbs, hibiscus and wild fennel. A luminous and lyrical wine which recounts the...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$26.40
Very aromatic and pretty with floral, citrus rind and berry character. Full to medium body, fine tannins and a fruity...
750ml
Bottle:
$39.04
$41.09
A lovely nose of fresh red cherry, rose petal and grated nutmeg. Medium-to full-bodied with zesty acidity and silky...
750ml
Bottle:
$40.94
6 bottles:
$40.12
Mt Etna, Europe’s highest active volcano, is situated on the eastern side of Sicily and is home to some of...
750ml
Bottle:
$41.09
6 bottles:
$40.30
Sciaranuova, one of the four contrade (districts) in which we live and work, is located at an average elevation of...
750ml
Bottle:
$17.90
12 bottles:
$17.54
Sweet berry and orange peel with peach undertones as well as lemon blossom. Medium body, with crunchy fruit and a...
Assyrtiko Mencia Verdeca Italy Sicily 750ml
Cultivated since at least the middle of the Byzantine era, the Assyrtiko grape is generally considered to be one the finest of the Greek grape varietals, as a result of its multi-purpose properties and ability to flourish on a wide range of terrains. The ancient Byzantines used it in conjunction with Aidani and Athiri grapes for the production of their unusual and naturally sweet Vinsanto wines, which are still produced today in Santorini, and continue to be popular. However, the Assyrtiko grapes are used for many different AOC wines across Greece, and are favored by wine makers who want to maintain a dryness and acidic punch to their produce.
The Assyrtiko grapes are renowned for their ability to maintain their acidity as they ripen beneath the blazing Mediterranean sun, resulting in wines which have a distinctive dryness and a range of citrus fruit aromas, as well as great structure and high tannins. Often, Assyrtiko grapes will produce wines which leave an unusual after-taste reminiscent of the mineral rich, volcanic soils they are grown in on the slopes of Santorini, making them a favorite for wine drinkers looking for something full of character and interesting attributes. The past twenty five years have seen Assyrtiko vines planted all over the Greek mainland, and even in Attica and Macedonia, where the softer terrain often produces more fruit forward wines with a milder, less astringent character. However, wherever this fine grape varietal is grown, it is rare the results will be anything less than excellent.
Additional Information on Greek Wines
Greek Wines
Ancient Greek Wines – A Brief History of Wine in Greece
The Myth of Dionysus, Greek God of Wine
What is Retsina?
There are few countries in the world with a viticultural history as long or as illustrious as that claimed by Italy. Grapes were first being grown and cultivated on Italian soil several thousand years ago by the Greeks and the Pheonicians, who named Italy 'Oenotria' – the land of wines – so impressed were they with the climate and the suitability of the soil for wine production. Of course, it was the rise of the Roman Empire which had the most lasting influence on wine production in Italy, and their influence can still be felt today, as much of the riches of the empire came about through their enthusiasm for producing wines and exporting it to neighbouring countries. Since those times, a vast amount of Italian land has remained primarily for vine cultivation, and thousands of wineries can be found throughout the entire length and breadth of this beautiful country, drenched in Mediterranean sunshine and benefiting from the excellent fertile soils found there. Italy remains very much a 'land of wines', and one could not imagine this country, its landscape and culture, without it.
The beautiful island of Sicily has been growing grapevines and producing wines for thousands of years, ever since the ancient Greeks first landed on its golden shores and noticed the island's true potential as a haven for quality grapes. Today, the island is one of Italy's primary wine regions, and even though over eighty percent of Sicily's grapevines are used for the production of sweet fortified wines, the remaining wineries making other wine styles are renowned around the world for their quality and character. Indeed, Sicilian wineries are famed for their ability to capture something of the sun-drenched region in their wines, and the vines they cultivate benefit enormously from the almost constant sunshine and the incredibly fertile volcanic soils which typify the island.