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750ml
Bottle:
$13.94
$15.17
12 bottles:
$13.66
A pale yellow with a fresh and floral nose reminiscent of elderflower; notes of gooseberries. The attack is supple....
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$25.28
A pure and delicate full fruited Pinot, with a lot of flexibility, balanced out with a dry touch. Pinot Blanc is a...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$25.28
A pure and delicate full fruited Pinot, with a lot of flexibility, balanced out with a dry touch. Pinot Blanc is a...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$23.47
A pure and delicate full fruited Pinot, with a lot of flexibility, balanced out with a dry touch. Pinot Blanc is a...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$27.36
Fresh notes of ripe, yellow apple dominate the nose of this wine, flanked by some yeasty funk. The palate presents...
750ml
Bottle:
$15.94
12 bottles:
$15.62
This is a richer style of Pinot Blanc, yet still fresh and elegant. Mouthwatering acidity enlivens flavors of citrus,...
750ml
Bottle:
$20.94
12 bottles:
$20.52
Soft and delicate, refined floral notes. It combines freshness and suppleness balanced by a pleasing acidity....
750ml
Bottle:
$19.20
12 bottles:
$18.82
ostly light to medium-bodied, mouthwatering and will accompany fish, simple roasted chicken and vegetable dishes...
750ml
Bottle:
$15.94
$17.09
Delicate, subtle and well built, it makes an excellent aperitif because, although nicely rounded, it is also...
750ml
Bottle:
$16.93
$17.91
Appearance: Brilliant, yellow-tinged. Nose: A fine, light flowery aroma comes through on the nose with a persistant...
750ml
Bottle:
$16.44
Pale yellow with green reflections and rich concentrated aromas of white flower and apricot notes. Smooth, medium...
Malvasia Mavrodaphne Pinot Blanc France Alsace 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?
Pinot Blanc is a popular white grape varietal most commonly associated with the beautiful French region of Alsace, but which is also grown across Central Europe and Italy. In Germany and Austria it is known as Weisseburgunder, in Italy it is called Pinot Bianco, and is one of the key varietals in the alpine regions of Alto Adige. Pinot Blanc is the main white grape varietal in Alsace, where it is prized for its ability to beautifully express the fine terroir on which it is grown, and it is used to produce exceptional single varietal wines, as well as blended wine such as Edelzwicker. Pinot Blanc is also a key component in this part of France’s signature sparkling wine, Cremant d’Alsace.
The wines made from Pinot Blanc are typically medium to light bodied, but they possess a remarkable freshness and clean character, which reminds us of the cool, green hillsides of their homeland. Apple, honey and biscuity, yeasty flavors are typical in fine Pinot Blanc wines, as well as a good level of minerality, making it a popular choice for those looking to pair a fine white wine with a wide range of foods. Although it is almost never oaked in Alsace, Italian vintners have a tendency to age Pinot Bianco in oak barrels, adding an extra dimension to this wonderful varietal.
Year in, year out, France enjoys its prestigious reputation as the producer of the finest wines in the world. With a wine making history which spans several thousand years and owes its expertise to the Romans, it comes as little surprise that this most highly esteemed of the Old World wine countries continues to impress and enchant both novices and experts to this day. Despite the rise in quality of wines from neighboring European countries, not to mention the New World, the French wine industry continues to boom, with up to eight billion bottles being produced in recent years. However, France prides itself on always putting quality before quantity, and the wide range in fine produce is a testament to the dedication and knowledge of the wineries across the country. Indeed, from rich and complex reds to light and aromatic white wines, French wines are as varied and interesting as they are enjoyable to drink, making this country a firm favorite for wine lovers across the globe.
Alsace has to be one of the most fascinating regions of France, with a history which stretches back millennia, and demonstrates perfectly the kind of blended culture that can arise from being located on the border between two enormously important, yet very different countries. Indeed, being on the border between France and Germany has resulted in Alsatian wines being something of a mix between the wines of these two countries. Riesling varietal grapes are grown in enormous quantities here, and display all of their crisp, dry complexity perfectly in the famous wines of Alsace. Alongside this typically Germanic wine, Alsatian vintners also produce plenty of Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer, Muscat and Sauvignon Vert wines, all of which are superb when it comes to expressing the finer features of the wonderful Alsatian terroir.