×
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $25.08 $26.40
12 bottles: $23.94
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $39.04 $41.10
12 bottles: $37.91
A blend of fine cognacs from 15-30 years old, this XO Cognac is characterized by a pleasant light-gold color,...
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $74.55 $78.47
6 bottles: $62.39
A very delicate blend of eaux-de-vie from Grande and Petite Champagne, aged between 8 and 15 years in cask, and...
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $61.78 $65.03
6 bottles: $57.59
TOP 100 SPIRITS OF 2019 - This Cognac offers rich aromas and flavors, yet still remains light and easygoing....
12 FREE
WE
94
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $235.52 $247.92
Carefully matured, balancing the influence of oak with that of time, to produce a complex Cognac. Rich, sweet and...
12 FREE
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $100.32
6 bottles: $99.60
Complex and in need of some time to breathe. However, patience is rewarded with richness, fruit and the layers of...
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $20.04 $21.10
12 bottles: $18.91
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $33.06 $34.80
12 bottles: $31.92
Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $23.26 $24.48
This spirit is amber in color and exhibits nutty, caramel notes on the nose. The palate has subtle hints of citrus...
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $30.62
12 bottles: $24.40
This velvety Cognac opens with plenty of oak on the nose and palate. The more you sip, the more the oak recedes and...
WE
92
UBC
91
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $70.98
12 bottles: $66.68
90-95 Nice nutty aromas countered with subtle notes of tropical fruit. Palate entry features roasted tastes of...
12 FREE
WE
95
UBC
92
White
750ml
Bottle: $15.49
12 bottles: $15.19
Pretty, yellow gold colour revealing straw tints. Apricot and floral notes of white and yellow flowers. Good...
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $51.38 $54.08
6 bottles: $42.00
An impressive mix of savory and aromatic aromas is abundant on the nose. Baked white cherries, golden peach, raisins,...
12 FREE
UBC
94
BTI
91
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $108.08
3 bottles: $90.00
Big flavors of apple and pear cider, clearly holding their character through the influence of the cask, here bringing...
12 FREE
UBC
95
WE
93
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $223.15 $234.89
Delicate vanilla and apricot perfume this Cognac. The palate is more forward, showing mouthwatering butterscotch,...
12 FREE
WE
92
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $31.23 $32.87
12 bottles: $27.35
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $47.28
12 bottles: $38.76
Aromas of fresh pressed cider are supported with a core of earthiness. Medium rich in the mouth, it pleasantly coats...
12 FREE
WE
89
UBC
89
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $11.94 $13.43
12 bottles: $11.52
Simply delicious Melon de Bourgogne! Just the right amount of acidity and final dryness to keep it well balanced....
Sale
Spirits
375ml
Bottle: $34.37 $36.18
12 bottles: $29.81
D’Usse was developed as a brand and is a bit cagey about age and appellation. It’s curiously dark amber for a...
VM
92
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $11.94 $13.43
12 bottles: $11.52
Chateau de la Chesnaie is a family owned estate dedicated to the production of high quality Muscadet. This wine is...

Calvados Cognac Melon de Bourgogne Viognier France

For over three hundred years, Cognac has enjoyed its reputation as the king of brandies. Indeed, it is widely regarded as the finest drink to be distilled from grapes to be found anywhere in the world, and it is a testament to its producers and the master craftsmen who make it that this reputation has never faltered, and remains as strong as ever to this day.

Cognac is produced solely in the beautiful towns of Cognac and Jarnac, found about fifty miles north of Bordeaux, on the west coast of France. Here, around six thousand grape growers work exclusively in the production of white wine, used for the Cognac distilleries which are scattered throughout the region. The wines are made primarily from the Ugni Blanc or Trebbiano grape - one of the most commonly planted grape varietals in the world - which benefit from the cool, coastal climate and mineral rich soils which are found there. The wines themselves wouldn’t be suitable for drinking in themselves, as they are high in acid and low in alcohol, but this makes them ideal for distillation, and they can impart their wonderful, complex, rich flavors to the brandy.

Cognac varies quite significantly from bottle to bottle, depending on how long it has been aged for, and which appellation it comes from. The Cognac region is split into six separate Crus, all with their own distinctive characteristics, and the spirit can be aged from two years (VS) to six (Hors d’Age and Napoleon) and longer.

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.

Although primarily associated with the Rhone region of France, the precise origins of the Viognier grape variety are unknown, and the subject of much debate. However, these fine and delicate green skinned grapes are an important varietal for many of France's most elegant white wines, and they are quickly beginning to spread around the New World, too, where wineries are discovering their unique qualities and unusual character. Viognier grapes are notoriously difficult to grow, due to the fact they are highly susceptible to mildew, but wineries persevere with them nonetheless, producing wines which are highly aromatic and have a great, fruit-forward character. Their delicate aroma suggests sweetness due to its flowery, sappy nature, but the wine itself generally very dry and crisp, and full of summery, light and refined qualities.

Year in, year out, France enjoys its prestigious reputation as the producer of the finest wines in the world. With a wine making history which spans several thousand years and owes its expertise to the Romans, it comes as little surprise that this most highly esteemed of the Old World wine countries continues to impress and enchant both novices and experts to this day. Despite the rise in quality of wines from neighboring European countries, not to mention the New World, the French wine industry continues to boom, with up to eight billion bottles being produced in recent years. However, France prides itself on always putting quality before quantity, and the wide range in fine produce is a testament to the dedication and knowledge of the wineries across the country. Indeed, from rich and complex reds to light and aromatic white wines, French wines are as varied and interesting as they are enjoyable to drink, making this country a firm favorite for wine lovers across the globe.