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750ml
Bottle:
$21.94
12 bottles:
$21.50
Notes of crushed wild berries and sweet plums with blue flowers and dried blood orange. Medium-bodied, juicy and...
750ml
Bottle:
$15.35
12 bottles:
$15.05
We love Dolcetto. In the local tradition, this grape was cultivated on the best exposures, just above Nebbiolo...
750ml
Bottle:
$22.94
$25.20
12 bottles:
$22.80
A fresh and lively dolcetto with sliced raspberries and citrus undertones. Medium body. Crisp acidity. From...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$18.52
Purple in color with aromas of blueberries and blackberries. Medium to light in body and very smooth on the palate,...
750ml
Bottle:
$13.87
12 bottles:
$13.59
Luc and Jerome Choblet are the third generation to make wine at their family estate, in the Côtes de Grandlieu...
750ml
Bottle:
$21.60
12 bottles:
$20.52
This remarkable Vin de France (thus without vintage on the label) has not only the color of a honeydew melon, it also...
750ml
Bottle:
$22.94
12 bottles:
$22.48
A beautiful combination of density, finesse and appealing bitter flavors on the back of the palate. The complexity...
1.5Ltr
Bottle:
$54.93
6 bottles:
$53.83
750ml
Bottle:
$21.94
12 bottles:
$21.50
750ml
Bottle:
$31.95
12 bottles:
$31.31
From a high desert site in the Gabilan Mountains, neighboring Pinnacles State Park. Harvested from a south facing...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$14.25
Attractive pale-yellow hue with green tints, a sign of the wine’s youth. The seductively fresh and fruity nose...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$14.25
Attractive pale-yellow hue with green tints, a sign of the wine’s youth. The seductively fresh and fruity nose...
750ml
Bottle:
$20.94
12 bottles:
$20.52
From Bien Nacido in Santa Maria, this is a crisp, mineral driven wine with captivating brininess. Made for shucking...
750ml
Bottle:
$28.93
12 bottles:
$28.35
This red is appealing in its softness, despite a base of light tannins and bright acidity. Allows the cherry and...
750ml
Bottle:
$27.45
12 bottles:
$26.90
The nose offers attractive aromas of juicy black fruits, spices and underbrush. The palate is refreshing and...
Dolcetto Melon de Bourgogne Robola
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.
One of the more unusual French grape varietals, Melon de Bourgogne has been grown in and around the Loire Valley for several hundred years. In fact, this grape was first planted in the Loire region of Pays Nantais back in the mid 17th century, after a devastating frost decimated most of the red grapes which were typical in the area. The winemakers of Pays Nantais were keen to cultivate vines which were hardy, high yielding, and capable of surviving another such frost, and so turned their attention to Melon de Bourgogne for this very reason. The native home of the varietal is actually in Burgundy, where it is still grown to a lesser extent.
Because Melon de Bourgogne produces naturally heavy yields, the vintners of Pays Nantais go to great lengths to reduce the amount of fruit the vines bear. This allows the finest characteristics of the grape to come forward, and also opens up the opportunity for it to express the wonderful granite and schist soils in which the vines are grown. Melon de Bourgogne is a minerally white wine grape varietal, with a very subtle set of fruit flavors. It is prized for its freshness and brightness, and is seeing a revival in the twenty first century as an excellent wine for pairing with a wide range of foods.
In the mountains of Cephalonia, the mineral rich soils assist in the growing of one of the finest of Greece's white grape varietals – the Robola grape. These noble yellowish grapes are notable for the wines they produce, which generally contain summer fruits, peach and citrus aromas, coupled with flavors which extend beyond the usual range of white wines, revealing smoky and mineral notes, and a lengthy, lemony after-taste. These fine characteristics helped the regions it is grown in gain AOC status, and wine-makers in this area have many generations of practice in bringing out the elegant and subtle characteristics of this grape.
Robola, and the other wines of Cephalonia have a long and illustrious history, being mentioned even in ancient epic poems such as Homer's Iliad. However, it was the Venetians who first recognized the great potential of Robola grapes, which quickly became the focus for the areas wine-makers and tradesmen. Nowadays, Robola wines act as an excellent example of a refined Greek dry white wine, which can be either drank as a light and refreshing summer aperitif, or alongside grilled white meats, salads, or white fish. Robola wines, as a rule, do not age particularly well, and it is highly recommended that bottles are drunk young, within two years of bottling. By doing so, you can enjoy the unique characteristics of this remarkable wine, complete with the balanced combination of chalky, smoky citrus flavors and delicate peach aromas which typify the finest examples of Robola varietal wines.
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?