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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $411.95
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $1315.14
The 2019 La Faraona comes from the vineyard called El Ferro in the village of Corullón, 0.55 hectares on very steep...
WA
99
JS
94
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $1191.93
The pale and delicate 2020 La Faraona is the lowest in alcohol at 13.5% and is more reductive than its...
WA
99
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99
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $122.22
Deep, bright-hued ruby. Powerful, spice-accented aromas of red berry liqueur, cherry pit, rose oil and incense, with...
VM
94
WA
93
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $135.94
I always like to compare the 2018 Las Lamas with the Moncerbal (and the others!) from the same vintage, as they are...
WA
97
JS
97
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $119.84
The grapes used for the 2019 Las Lamas come from a selection of 1.75 hectares they own in the paraje in the village...
WA
97
JS
96
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $115.95
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $133.95
The 2019 Moncerbal is a "vino de paraje," produced with grapes (mostly Mencía but also 4% white grapes) from...
WA
98
JS
94
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $152.08
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $144.71
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $55.03
Which to choose? Dominio do Bibei’s Lacima with its sumptuous dark cherry preserve (93pts in my book) or Lalama?...
DC
94
WA
92
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $55.03
The 2018 reds are one step above in finesse, elegance and freshness compared with the 2017s, and the 2018 Lalama is...
WA
93
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $45.28

Mencia Tequila Xarel-lo Pre-Arrival

Tequila is probably Mexico’s greatest gift to the world of fine spirits, and is also possibly one of the most underestimated and misunderstood drinks in the world. Widely used for shots and slammers, and more often than not associated with parties and hangovers, Tequila is in fact a wonderful drink full of subtleties and expression of terroir, that is highly rewarding for those who look into its finer points.

One of the special things about Tequila is the fact that it is capable of expressing the fine nuances and subtle notes of its raw material, far more so than other, similar spirits. That raw material is, of course, the Blue Agave - not a cactus, as is commonly believed, but rather a succulent quite like a lily, which grows in the deserts of Mexico mainly around the province of Jalisco. The Blue Agave takes a decade to mature, and during those ten years, it takes in many of the features of its surroundings, just like a grapevine would. This is why Tequila varies in flavor and aroma from region to region, from the earthier Tequilas of the lowlands, to the more delicate and floral examples from areas of a higher altitude.

The picking and peeling of the spiky Agave, and the distillation process of Tequila is a complicated one, and one which is carried out with enormous skill by the jimadors and master craftsmen who produce the spirit. Steam cooking of the body of the plant is followed by crushing, then fermentation and distillation completes the process. The end product is categorized according to whether or not it is made with pure (‘puro’) agave, or blended with other sugars, and according to how long the spirit is aged for.