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750ml
Bottle:
$34.84
12 bottles:
$34.14
The 2021 Langhe Freisa Kye is redolent of black cherry, herbs, licorice and spice. The Vajra children are picking...
750ml
Bottle:
$43.94
12 bottles:
$43.06
Colour: Deep ruby-red.
Nose: Varietal, spicy.
Taste: Dry, characteristic, good body with a lot of tannins.
750ml
Bottle:
$24.94
12 bottles:
$24.44
A light-bodied, fruity red, with an earthy aroma giving way to strawberry and rose flavors. Features a lining of firm...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$18.23
Intense ruby red colour with garnet reflections in more mature wines. Aromas of rose and geranium. Still wine,...
750ml
Bottle:
$22.69
$24.40
12 bottles:
$22.42
uby-red color, Freisa has a floral and fruity aroma of concentrated berries and tar with hints of blackberry. It is a...
Pre-Arrival
G.D. Vajra Langhe Freisa Kye 2013
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$44.84
The 2013 Langhe Freisa Kyè is remarkably polished and, dare I say, elegant, in this vintage. The bombastic style of...
Pre-Arrival
Giuseppe Mascarello Langhe Freisa Toetto 2018
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$61.62
Colour: Deep ruby-red.
Nose: Varietal, spicy.
Taste: Dry, characteristic, good body with a lot of tannins.
Pre-Arrival
Giuseppe Rinaldi Langhe Freisa 2022
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$57.74
The 2022 Langhe Freisa is a rich, sturdy wine that deals with the challenges of the year quite well. It marries the...
Other Italian Reds Mavrodaphne Italy Piedmont Langhe 750ml
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?
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.
Situated in the north-western part of Italy, the region of Piedmont is known worldwide and is highly respected for the quality of the wines produced there. Many of the most successful sub-regions in Piedmont produce many of the world's finest red wines, such as those made from the excellent Nebbiolo grape varietal in areas such as Barolo and Barbaresco. However, the historic wineries which typify this region use a relatively wide variety of grapes, including Dolcetto and Barbera for their red wines, which are typically aged and have a delightful velvety character. Piedmont isn't all about beautifully complex red wines, though, as it is also famed for high quality, elegant sparkling wines, notably the Asti wines made with the white Moscato grape. The region benefits from a range of terroirs which are often well expressed in the sparkling wines, and a wonderfully consistent climate ideal for vineyard cultivation.