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Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $112.32 $129.94
After igniting the rye revival of the ‘00s and ‘10s through the iconic success of WhistlePig Whiskey, BHAKTA...
12 FREE
Red
750ml
Bottle: $34.94
12 bottles: $34.24
• 100% Barbera. • Practicing Biodynamic. • Sierra Foothills AVA (Shake Ridge Vyd). • Planted in early...
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $46.27 $48.71
6 bottles: $43.19
BLACK DIRT Rye is distilled from 100% NY rye grown in upstate New York. The mash bill consists of 90% Rye and 10%...
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Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $103.73 $109.19
Emerald Rye is Blue Run’s second Rye Whiskey release. Contract distilled at Castle & Key in Frankfort, Kentucky,...
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Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $50.16 $52.80
6 bottles: $45.60
Bright citrus immediately jumps out on the nose—orange peel and clementine—along with dried mango, cinnamon...
12 FREE
WKY
88
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $124.94
The 2019 Barbera d’Asti Ai Suma is laced with blackberry jam, crème de cassis, sweet spice, licorice, lavender and...
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VM
93
Case only
Red
375ml - Case of 24
Bottle: $35.39
A supple, concentrated red, with plum, blackberry, earth and iron flavors permeating the rich texture. Stays...
WS
92
Case only
Red
1.5Ltr - Case of 3
Bottle: $178.80
A smooth red, saturated with plum, blueberry, loam and toasty oak flavors. Reveals assertive tannins on the finish,...
WS
93
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $68.88
A smooth red, saturated with plum, blueberry, loam and toasty oak flavors. Reveals assertive tannins on the finish,...
12 FREE
WS
93
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $67.13
Ruby red in color, with purple hues. Rich, intense and persistent aromas of liquorice, violet, plum and vanilla....
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Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $30.40
Characterised by well defined fragrances of ripe cherry and small red fruits. Violet ruby red in color. Intense mouth...
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $53.58 $56.40
6 bottles: $48.00
A remarkable four-grain blended rye whiskey with a final mash bill of 77% Rye, 16% corn, with wheat and barley making...
12 FREE
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $34.94 $38.40
Intense ruby red colour with violet reflections. Intense winey bouquet recalling sour cherry and spices. Lively,...
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $29.30
Bruno Rocca's 2020 Barbera d'Alba offers terrific brightness to play off its red fleshed fruit. This mid-weight,...
VM
91
Rapid Ship
Spirits
1.0Ltr
Bottle: $39.94
Ideal for Manhattans and other cocktails, this 95% rye has a malty profile that mixes vanilla, crème brûlée, and a...
12 FREE
WE
93
UBC
92
Instore only
Spirits
1.75Ltr
Bottle: $59.94
Ideal for Manhattans and other cocktails, this 95% rye has a malty profile that mixes vanilla, crème brûlée, and a...
WE
93
UBC
92
Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $27.54 $30.60
Ideal for Manhattans and other cocktails, this 95% rye has a malty profile that mixes vanilla, crème brûlée, and a...
WE
93
UBC
92
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $24.33
Testacalda is a pure Lambrusco di Sorbara Spumante Metodo Classico made with the ancient and traditional method of...
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $13.00
Slightly sparkling ruby red wine, semi dry, vinous and intense bouquet, with a characteristically fruity scent,...
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $17.94 $20.08
12 bottles: $16.60
Red wine made with grapes coming from some of our oldest vineyards in Agliano Terme. Suggested with cold cuts,...

Barbera Lambrusco Rye Whiskey

For centuries now, the beautiful red grapes of the Barbera varietal have been grown in Italy, where they are prized for their unusual high acid content and low tannins, brought about by their thin skins. The Barbera grape varietal thrives in warmer climates, and has had some success overseas in the new world, where its strongly aromatic flavors of intense hedgerow fruits make it a favorite with wineries and wine drinkers looking for a grape which offers plenty of interesting characteristics. Interestingly, the differences between young and aged wines made from this varietal are quite significant, with younger bottles holding a plethora of berry flavors, including blueberry and raspberry notes, and oak aged wines made from the Barbera grape being much loved for their ability to become extremely complex and spicy, and picking up vanilla flavors from the wood they are barreled in.

Some grape species are distinct and unique varietals, clearly separate from each of their cousins. Others, like Lambrusco and Muscat, are more like umbrella terms, featuring several subspecies which show slight differences from each other from region to region. Indeed, there are astonishingly more than 60 identified varieties of Lambrusco vines, and they are almost all used in the production of characterful Italian sparkling wines. They are distinguishable by their deep ruby blush, caused by strong pigments present in their skins, and their intensely perfumed character.


Lambrusco vines are grown in several Italian regions, although we most closely associate this varietal with Piedmont and Basilicata. It has also been grown successfully in Argentina and Australia. The varietal suffered from a fairly lowly reputation in the late 20th century, due to bulk, low cost production of Lambrusco sparkling wines, aimed at markets across northern Europe and America. However, things are rapidly changing, and the older, more traditional methods of bottle fermentation are returning, along with a higher level of quality and expression, as consumers become more discerning and demanding. Many of the Lambrusco sub-varieties have their own established DOC, such as Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce, Lambrusco di Sorbara and Modena, where new regulations are keeping standards high and methods traditional.

Rye Whiskey is enjoying something of a renaissance of late, with sales rocketing in recent years thanks to a growing interest in strong, unique flavors, and small, independent distilleries. Rye Whiskey is a drink which is all about powerful, bold flavors, with plenty of spice and bitterness when drunk young. Aged, however, it takes on a deep set of subtle notes which are beautifully mellow and complex, and becomes a fascinating example of what whiskey can be when made with expert hands.

In order for an American Whiskey to be labeled a Rye Whiskey, it must have a mash content which is no less than fifty one percent rye. This separates it from Bourbon, and it is this which gives it its distinctive flavor and spiciness. Toffee, cinnamon, caraway, cloves and oak are typical tasting notes, and ‘straight rye’ whiskies - which are aged in charred oak barrels - take on plenty of the smokiness of the wood, adding a further, fascinating facet.

Rye Whiskey has its spiritual home in the northeastern states of Pennsylvania and Maryland, and cities like Pittsburgh produced vast quantities of Rye Whiskey in the 18th and 19th centuries. Most the old distilleries were closed during the prohibition era, after which time rye whiskey more or less disappeared completely, but the twenty-first century is seeing old recipes being resurrected and released to rave reviews.