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750ml
Bottle:
$22.00
12 bottles:
$21.56
Made from 100% Lledoner Negre, the local name for Garnacha in this part of Catalunya, Pla de Gates showcases the...
750ml
Bottle:
$44.46
$46.80
The 2020 Atalier Caíño was produced with ancient vines in the same place as Perez gets the Albariño. It has...
750ml
Bottle:
$14.94
12 bottles:
$13.94
Focussed herbal, wild black fruit and tobacco nose. The youthful palate is poised and approachable with a soft...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$45.98
A wine that talks about roots and new beginnings. Covered cherry red colour. Intense aromas of ripe fruit, spices,...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$23.42
Dense yet supple and polished, with rich aromas and flavors of herbs, licorice and dark fruit.
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$20.48
A bouquet of red fruit, citrus blossom, and white pepper - pure and lithe on the palate with the same mouth-coating...
750ml
Bottle:
$14.94
$15.84
Concentrated aromas of fresh red fruits, herbs, leather and spices. Light-bodied with a good acidity, and soft,...
750ml
Bottle:
$31.95
12 bottles:
$31.31
As Xaras is 100% Mencia from the villages of Chandoiro and Larouco in the Val do Bibei (500-600 elevation) on 20 year...
750ml
Bottle:
$15.94
12 bottles:
$15.62
100% Sousón (indigenous red varietal). All stainless steel. Fresh, light, beautiful, approachable red with notes of...
750ml
Bottle:
$21.20
12 bottles:
$20.78
• 100% Mavrodaphne.
• Low yielding vines from loamy clay soils.
• Fermented and aged in stainless steel.
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$22.50
Deep purple color with crimson highlights. Elegant floral nose with peony and violet flowers along with the typical...
750ml
Bottle:
$21.95
12 bottles:
$21.51
El Triángulo is 100% Tintilla sourced from three Pagos and three soils – Balbaína, Corchuelo, and Carrascal....
750ml
Bottle:
$15.95
12 bottles:
$15.63
Rated 91 - The 2020 Manchuela from Rus Jimenez (and selected by Mary Taylor) is crafted from the Moravia Agria grape,...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$45.86
Aromas of blueberries and warm baking spice on the nose with hints of dried violets and crushed rocks. Rich and...
Mavrodaphne Mencia Pinot Noir Greece Spain 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?
Regularly described as being the grape varietal responsible for producing the world's most romantic wines, Pinot Noir has long been associated with elegance and a broad range of flavors The name means 'black pine' in French, and this is due to the fact that the fruit of this particular varietal is especially dark in color, and hangs in a conical shape, like that of a pine cone. Despite being grown today in almost every wine producing country, Pinot Noir is a notoriously difficult grape variety to cultivate. This is because it is especially susceptible to various forms of mold and mildew, and thrives best in steady, cooler climates. However, the quality of the fruit has ensured that wineries and vintners have persevered with the varietal, and new technologies and methods have overcome many of the problems it presents. Alongside this, the wide popularity and enthusiasm for this grape has ensured it will remain a firm favorite amongst wine drinkers for many years to come.
As one of the oldest wine producing countries in the world, Greece has millenia of experience and expertise when it comes to viticulture, and has developed a set of flavors and characteristics which are found nowhere else on earth. The ancient Greeks revered and deified wine, and were the first true innovators in the history of wine, adding everything from seawater to honey and spices in order to find exciting new taste combinations and aromas. Today, Greek wines are just as varied, although far more refined and sophisticated than their ancient counterparts. The practice of enhancing Greek wines with aromatic substances never left the country, though, as can be seen in the popular Retsina wines, which use pine resin to provide their unique taste and aroma combinations. There is far more to Greek wine than merely Retsina, however, and the vast variety on offer is a testament to the expertise of Greek wineries making the most of the wonderful climate, terrain and grape varietals they work with.
Ever since the Phoenicians and Romans brought their knowledge of vine cultivation to Spanish soils, the country's culture has grown alongside wine production, with wine being a vital part of Spanish identity and Spanish traditions. Each region of Spain has a wine quite distinct from the others, and it is produced by smallholders and families as much as it is by large companies and established wineries. From the relatively mild and lush regions of La Rioja to the arid plateaus that surround Madrid, grapes are grown in abundance for the now booming Spanish wine industry, and new laws and regulations have recently been put in place to keep the country's standards high. By combining traditional practices with modern technology, Spanish wineries are continuing to produce distinctive wines of great character, flavor and aroma, with the focus shifting in recent decades to quality over quantity.