Do we ship to you?.
750ml
Bottle:
$19.94
12 bottles:
$19.54
The 2019 Syrah Turtles Vineyard was aged for 12 months in an equal mixture of new and second-use French barriques. It...
750ml
Bottle:
$19.90
12 bottles:
$19.50
A rich, medium- to full-bodied red, with an underpinning of mesquite smoke and loamy earth and flavors of fig cake,...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$20.43
A deep ruby-red color, with hints of violet. The promise of blackcurrant, blueberry, wild cherry, black pepper,...
750ml
Bottle:
$18.48
12 bottles:
$18.11
The aromas and palate structure that are typical of this grape variety, are enhanced by the warmth of Sicily, which...
750ml
Bottle:
$148.95
3 bottles:
$145.97
Ripe black cherries, wild blackberries, blackcurrants, nutmeg, licorice, mahogany, musk and some dried thyme on the...
750ml
Bottle:
$181.50
3 bottles:
$177.87
Very deep and dark fruit in the nose, with violets, ink, blackberries, roasted meat, asphalt and spices. Wet earth,...
750ml
Bottle:
$145.20
3 bottles:
$144.00
Very attractive aromas of meat, spice and blue fruits with cloves and black pepper. Medium-bodied with very fine...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$13.70
Deep intense ruby red in color. Marvelous and well defined nuances of cherry and plum aromas with a touch of spice....
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:
$25.01
Deep purple color with crimson highlights. Elegant floral nose with peony and violet flowers along with the typical...
750ml
Bottle:
$260.92
A beautiful Syrah from Tuscany, the 2020 Scrio shows impeccable elegance with a very long and linear style that...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$36.80
Leuta 0,618 Syrah DOC Cortona comes from a vineyard cultivated in Cortona - Tuscany - IT -. The intrinsic...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$36.80
Leuta 0,618 Syrah DOC Cortona comes from a vineyard cultivated in Cortona - Tuscany - IT -. The intrinsic...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$40.01
Powerful and impenetrable, this is a wine destined for long aging. Sweet oriental spices and a fleeting recall of...
750ml
Bottle:
$18.94
12 bottles:
$18.56
Intense ruby-red color with damask-violet tints. Generous bouquet with touches of ripe fruit and the typical spices...
750ml
Bottle:
$33.92
12 bottles:
$33.24
Spending 18-24 glorious months aging in used bourbon barrels from legendary Pappy Van Winkle, old vine fruit shines...
750ml
Bottle:
$37.94
12 bottles:
$37.18
100% Syrah, a portion of which are partially de-stemmed, while some are left whole and still others are lightly foot...
750ml
Bottle:
$198.95
$209.99
#8 TOP 100 WINES OF ITALY, 2022. Seductive aromas of violets, blackberries, blueberries, flowers and sandalwood....
Mavrodaphne Syrah Greece Italy Spain
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?
Known as Syrah in most countries around the world, and Shiraz in Australia and certain other regions of the New World, this grape varietal has proven over the centuries to be one of the most powerful and flavorful red wine grapes there is. It is now one of the planet's most widely grown grapes, and is a favorite with wineries as a result of its robustness and versatility. It isn't easy to identify many characteristics of this particular varietal, due to the fact that it is highly versatile and shows significant differences in flavor and character depending on the terroir it is grown in, and the climatic conditions of the region. However, Syrah is most widely associated with full bodied, strong and loud red wines, packed full of fruity and spicy flavors, held in a beautifully deep red liquid.
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.
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.
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.