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750ml
Bottle:
$31.94
12 bottles:
$31.30
• Varietal Mencía from a few parcels, some younger and some up to 100 years old.
• Spontaneous fermentation in...
750ml
Bottle:
$18.94
12 bottles:
$18.56
There is a note of dry hay and esparto grass in the 2022 Fusco, which made me think of some wines from Douro in...
750ml
Bottle:
$59.94
$64.08
Native to the northwestern corner of the Iberian Peninsula, mencía is known for its thick skins and dark fruit and...
750ml
Bottle:
$25.50
12 bottles:
$24.99
The young red 2020 Castro Candaz, from a very warm vintage in Ribeira Sacra, is quite fruit-driven, straightforward...
750ml
Bottle:
$39.00
A seamless red, medium-bodied and lightly chalky in texture, with fine tannins enmeshed with flavors of mulled cherry...
750ml
Bottle:
$45.60
$48.00
Enology and Viticulture: Sara Perez and Rene Barbier. Production: 125 cases produced Vineyards: The vineyards consist...
750ml
Bottle:
$12.99
Anyone who has ever seen photographs of the steep slopes of Ribeira Sacra will wonder how it is possible to produce a...
Pre-Arrival
Dominio Do Bibei Ribeira Sacra Tinto Lalama 2017
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$55.20
Which to choose? Dominio do Bibei’s Lacima with its sumptuous dark cherry preserve (93pts in my book) or Lalama?...
Pre-Arrival
Dominio Do Bibei Ribeira Sacra Tinto Lalama 2018
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$55.20
The 2018 reds are one step above in finesse, elegance and freshness compared with the 2017s, and the 2018 Lalama is...
Listan Blanco Mavrodaphne Mencia Spain Galicia 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?
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.
The northern Spanish wine region of Galicia is a fascinating one indeed, and is most definitely a wine region to keep your eye on today and in the near future. Once an important center of viticulture and wine trade, Galicia suffered from a huge and devastating economic depression in the 19th century, leaving many of the vineyards untended and useless. However, the 20th century saw various organizations pour money into Galician wine making, thus rebooting the wine industry of this relative wet and windy region on the Atlantic coast. Today, the region is being celebrated for its superb and flavorful blended white wines, made from native grape varietals such as Albarino and Caino Blanca, and is continuing to rebuild itself and regain former glories.