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750ml
Bottle:
$22.94
$23.60
6 bottles:
$20.00
Among the better expressions from this vast, somewhat sclerotic Lugana region, evidencing many styles and...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$15.94
The typical aromas of the Sauvignon are tangy on the nose; sage, ripe peach, elderflower and green pepper. The Pinot...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$16.68
The typical aromas of the Sauvignon are tangy on the nose; sage, ripe peach, elderflower and green pepper. The Pinot...
750ml
Bottle:
$19.94
12 bottles:
$19.54
Colour: Yellow with greenish reflections.
Nose: Floral notes.
750ml
Bottle:
$14.62
$16.25
12 bottles:
$14.25
An original blend of estate-grown 60% Tai (the local name for Friulano), 25% Pinot Bianco and 15% Pinot Grigio, all...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$28.22
Full bodied but balanced with bright acidity and medium tannins from the 7 months of skin contact. It has honeysuckle...
750ml
Bottle:
$18.00
12 bottles:
$17.64
Fresco di Masi is a new line of handcrafted organic wines, with a low alcohol content and authentic flavour profile....
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$27.34
Straw yellow with green reflections. Notes of jasmine, anise, ripe apricot, peach, and vegetal spice. The palate is...
750ml
Bottle:
$13.70
$14.73
12 bottles:
$13.18
Fresh and pleasant thanks to its sustained acidity. White flowers of acacia, jasmine, bouquet of citrus such as...
Pre-Arrival
Maculan Torcolato 2005
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$55.39
The 2005 Torcolato pulls you in with notes of blood orange, gingery spice, dried nectarines and roasted almond. A...
Italian White Blends Mavrodaphne Muller Thurgau Italy Veneto 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.
As historically one of the most important regions in the world regarding trade and experimentation, it comes as no surprise to discover that Veneto has always been a well respected and innovative wine region. This area of north-easterly area of Italy benefits greatly from a continental climate tempered by the Alps, and plenty of influence from the Germanic countries it is near to. Veneto is most commonly associated with beautifully elegant white wines, such as those of Soave, and has over ninety thousand hectares under vine. Impressively, within that area, over a third of the vineyards in the Veneto region have been granted official AOC status, and many of the sub-regions and appellations of Veneto have gone on to be world-famous in regards to quality. One such example is Valpolicella, where some of Italy's finest and most complex red wines are produced.