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Rapid Ship
Sparkling
750ml
Bottle: $9.53 $10.25
Aromas of fresh peaches leap from the glass along with hints of ginger and lilac. Once sipped, a shower of foamy...
Rapid Ship
Sparkling
750ml
Bottle: $9.99
Vivacious and aromatic, this delicate Italian pale pink sparkler Is perfect for enjoying anytime. Notes of...
Rapid Ship
Sparkling
750ml
Bottle: $67.50
The 2019 Gracias Madre, 100% Grenache Noir, is fabulous. Rich, creamy and super-expressive, the 2019 offers notable...
12 FREE
VM
94
Sale
Rapid Ship
Sparkling
750ml
Bottle: $16.90 $17.50
12 bottles: $16.63
Luminous straw-green. Honey, white flowers, crushed rocks and lemon oil all come alive in this nicely chiseled,...
VM
91
Rapid Ship
Sparkling
750ml
Bottle: $45.61
Rich and mouthwatering, this feels like raw silk on the palate, offering exotic hints of toasted coconut and lime...
12 FREE
WS
93
WE
90
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $14.99
A fresh nose of blueberries, plums, cassis and violets. It’s medium-bodied with velvety tannins. It’s easygoing...
12 FREE
JS
89
Rapid Ship
Sparkling
750ml
Bottle: $9.99
The golden yellow color of this Blanc de Blancs and its delicate bubbles highlight the finesse of its effervescence....
Rapid Ship
Sparkling
750ml
Bottle: $12.99
Colour straw yellow. Bouquet pleasant, light, fine and delicate, fruity, with a characteristic bouquet of apple....
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Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $16.83 $17.50
Taut and linear in profile, this red delivers black currant, black cherry, vanilla and peppery spices. Tightens up on...
WS
91
Sale
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $15.49 $16.66
A juicy but umami nose on this wine begins with black cherries, blackberries and plums. Aromas then turn to soy sauce...
WE
89
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $68.55
A beautifully curated and polished young red with black berry, violet, and bark. Full and velvety with creamy...
12 FREE
JS
94
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $21.94
On the nose, the leading coppery, sanguine aromas are emphasized by astringent undertones of cranberry, white pepper...
12 FREE
WE
93
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $10.01
This is a blend of Sangiovese and Ciliegolo grapes, not normally found in today's Chiantis. This wine delivers with...
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $11.99
12 bottles: $11.75
This is a blend of Sangiovese and Ciliegolo grapes, not normally found in today's Chiantis. This wine delivers with...
Rapid Ship
Sparkling
750ml
Bottle: $7.99
Ballatore Gran Spumante Sparkling White Wine is sweet and crisp. Aromas of ripe peach and apricot combine with melon...
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Rapid Ship
Sparkling
750ml
Bottle: $41.32 $47.22
This unique, zero-dosage Champagne boasts the perfect balance of dryness and sweetness resulting in a clean, crisp...
Rapid Ship
Sparkling
750ml
Bottle: $37.94
Exuberant grapefruit peel, almond skin, honeysuckle, and lime zest rise from the glass with a suggestion of red...
12 FREE
UBC
93
DC
90
Sale
Rapid Ship
Sparkling
750ml
Bottle: $25.19 $28.79
In 1955, a group of wine growers from the village of Mardeuil, a small village on the hillsides of Epernay, joined...
Rapid Ship
Sparkling
750ml
Bottle: $49.90
12 bottles: $48.90
This rose is characterized by a soft pink color that turns over the years to old pink, by an exuberant foam and a...
12 FREE
Rapid Ship
Sparkling
750ml
Bottle: $84.89
A gorgeous rosé Champagne with sliced strawberries, orange peel and hints of cream and pie crust. Medium body, tight...
12 FREE
JS
94
DC
93

Champagne Blend Italian Red Blends Other Italian Reds Lambrusco 750ml Rapid Ship

The sparkling wines of Champagne have been revered by wine drinkers for hundreds of years, and even today they maintain their reputation for excellence of flavor and character, and are consistently associated with quality, decadence, and a cause for celebration. Their unique characteristics are partly due to the careful blending of a small number of selected grape varietals, most commonly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. These grapes, blended in fairly equal quantities, give the wines of Champagne their wonderful flavors and aromas, with the Pinot Noir offering length and backbone, and the Chardonnay varietal giving its acidity and dry, biscuity nature. It isn't unusual to sometimes see Champagne labeled as 'blanc de blanc', meaning it is made using only Chardonnay varietal grapes, or 'blanc de noir', which is made solely with Pinot Noir.

Some grape species are distinct and unique varietals, clearly separate from each of their cousins. Others, like Lambrusco and Muscat, are more like umbrella terms, featuring several subspecies which show slight differences from each other from region to region. Indeed, there are astonishingly more than 60 identified varieties of Lambrusco vines, and they are almost all used in the production of characterful Italian sparkling wines. They are distinguishable by their deep ruby blush, caused by strong pigments present in their skins, and their intensely perfumed character.


Lambrusco vines are grown in several Italian regions, although we most closely associate this varietal with Piedmont and Basilicata. It has also been grown successfully in Argentina and Australia. The varietal suffered from a fairly lowly reputation in the late 20th century, due to bulk, low cost production of Lambrusco sparkling wines, aimed at markets across northern Europe and America. However, things are rapidly changing, and the older, more traditional methods of bottle fermentation are returning, along with a higher level of quality and expression, as consumers become more discerning and demanding. Many of the Lambrusco sub-varieties have their own established DOC, such as Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce, Lambrusco di Sorbara and Modena, where new regulations are keeping standards high and methods traditional.