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375ml
Bottle:
$44.40
12 bottles:
$42.18
Floral nose. Waxy (candlewax, crayons), then spicy, fruity notes emerge, in particular raisin and plum, becomes more...
750ml
Bottle:
$14.93
$16.66
Concentrated and ripe, this red offers blackberry, loganberry, dark chocolate and loam flavors, while dense tannins...
750ml
Bottle:
$20.88
12 bottles:
$20.46
The colour is ruby red, clear and transparent, with tinges of purple. The nose is fruity and winy. Full-body, rich...
700ml
Bottle:
$36.79
6 bottles:
$36.00
The nose is fragrant, delicate and harmonious. On the palate, this grappa is intense and complex, but with a smooth...
750ml
Bottle:
$82.39
4 bottles:
$81.60
Complex profile with multiple nuances attributable to spicy and fruity notes with hints of vanilla, morello cherry...
700ml
Bottle:
$40.08
6 bottles:
$31.60
Bold and bright on the nose, hints of fresh fennel and black licorice dominate the nose, with slight touches of Meyer...
700ml - Case of 4
Bottle:
$82.50
Sweet oak and cereal on the nose. Enjoyably elegant on the palate, with rich nutty and floral notes. Richly textured...
750ml
Bottle:
$17.94
12 bottles:
$17.58
Purple colored with pronounced vinous to fruity aromas of red fruits, blueberry, raspberry. It is dry on the palate...
750ml
Bottle:
$27.94
$29.20
12 bottles:
$26.60
Displaying a deep purple color and a perfumed nose that highlights the fruity characteristics of the grape. This wine...
750ml
Bottle:
$33.28
12 bottles:
$32.61
Black cherry and blackberry fruit aromas lifted by floral and spice notes. Rich, ripe fruit on the palate, with a...
750ml
Bottle:
$75.60
12 bottles:
$74.09
Deep purple in color with aromas of plum, blackberry and cherry. The palate is round and warm with a hint of almond...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$21.50
The 2021 Dolcetto d'Alba Trifolè is such a gorgeous wine. Inky, deep and super-expressive, the 2021 is wonderfully...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$24.65
The 2022 Dolcetto d'Alba Trifolè is a very pleasant, easygoing wine to drink now and over the next few years. Floral...
![Caffo Grappa Vecchia [Barrique] 750ml](https://www.saratogawine.com/files/images/cached_thumbs/27/27b3f764d9c6078ff71534c6397be9ef.jpg)
750ml
Bottle:
$26.40
12 bottles:
$22.80
Aged in oak for 12 months, this golden grappa edges close to aged brandy territory—although one sip and that grappa...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$20.40
90% of the Camerano, Dolcetto d'Alba is planted in the middle of their estate grown, cru Terlo vineyard. The result...
750ml
Bottle:
$20.08
12 bottles:
$19.68
A dry red wine made with grapes coming from our vineyards in Treiso and Alba. Suggested with all dishes, from Italian...
750ml
Bottle:
$11.70
12 bottles:
$11.47
Deep red colour. A particularly vinous bouquet. A delicate, dry taste.
Dolcetto Gaglioppo Grappa Mavrodaphne
In Italian, Dolcetto means 'little sweet one' – a slightly misleading name, as the black grapes of this varietal have relatively little natural sugar and almost almost produce dry wines. However, the Dolcetto grapes are remarkably popular with those looking for a full, rounded and highly flavorful wine, and are grown extensively in their native Italy, and in many other countries around the world. Dolcetto varietal grapes tend to have quite a high level of tannin, due to their thick, black skins, and low acidity, resulting in interesting wines with a large feel in the mouth, despite being relatively light in body. They are most commonly associated with big, complex flavors such as liquorice and prunes, and are regularly described as having a finish similar to the flavor of bitter almonds.
Like so many of the great spirits of Europe, Grappa was born from a need to make resources go that little bit further, to eke out the last drop of flavor and potential from the crops of winemakers. Indeed, Italian vintners invented Grappa as a way to make use of the pomace - leftover grape skins, stems, pulp and seeds - which remained after the juice was extracted from the fruit needed to make wine. Over the centuries, the process was refined, and the distillation of Grappa became an art in itself. Today, top Grappa producers use a range of state of the art equipment, from continuous stills to pot stills, to manufacture a wide variety of Grappas, each with their own distinct characteristics.
Most of us know Grappa from our local Italian restaurants, where it is commonly served as a digestif. However, in the twenty first century, there is a high interest in unique, boutique Grappas, which showcase the talent of the distillers through a range of interesting qualities. Grappa can be aged in oak, in which case it takes on a beautiful golden color, quite different from the clear Grappas we are most familiar with. The high end Grappas are a world away from the harsh spirit many of us have encountered, and have a smooth, gentle quality which can be nothing short of a revelation.
In the Archaea region, high in the Northern Peloponnese mountains, the predominant grape varietal grown is the prized Mavrodaphne. Meaning 'Black Laurel', the Mavrodaphne grapes have extremely dark skins, and ripen slowly under the Greek sunshine, helped by the mineral rich soils the vines thrive in. This grape varietal is mostly used to produce the opaque, inky fortified wine of the same name, which is popular all over Greece and elsewhere in the world. This fortified wine allows the grapes to really show off their complex and fascinating flavors, which range from a rich marzipan to flavors of bitter chocolate, sweet coffee, dried figs and prunes, as well as plenty of jammy fruit notes.
Mavrodaphne is produced in a traditional method which involves leaving the grape juice exposed to the sun in large vats, before having its fermentation halted by the addition of various distillates taken from previous successful vintages. This mixture contains plenty of residual sugar, which gives the end result its characteristic sticky sweetness, and also helps with the next fermentation process, which typically takes place in large underground cellars. The final product is a heady drink, absolutely bursting with unusual, rich and sweet flavors and carried in a dark and slightly viscous Port-like liquid.
Mavrodaphne grapes are also used for the production of still red wines, but are generally blended with varietals such as Agiorgitiko or imported grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon. Mavrodaphne grapes are excellent for mellowing more acidic varieties, and producing deliciously rounded wines, which have taken the international market by storm in recent decades.
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?