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Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $9.99
Red plum, currants and cedar aromas with a touch of earthy goodness. This wine is medium to full-bodied and...
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $67.94
Aalto was established in 1999 by Mariano Garcia, winemaker for 30 years at Vega Sicilia. His philosophy was minimal...
12 FREE
DC
95
VM
94
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $249.94
Expressive and intense, this impressive red marries elegance and power, delivering rich flavors of blackberry,...
12 FREE
WS
95
VM
94
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $39.69
12 bottles: $38.90
Aromas of currants, cedar and violets follow through to a medium body and fine tannins with a lovely, light velvety...
12 FREE
VM
92
JS
92
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $21.93
12 bottles: $21.49
A deep nose full of black and purple fruit, iodine, stones, sage and hedgerow. Full-bodied and broad on the palate...
JS
90
Sale
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $26.33 $28.00
Dense and broad Viñas de Gain with impressive concentration and compact tannins that give gravity to the palate,...
JS
94
WA
92
Sale
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $22.93 $24.40
This deep-garnet-colored wine features a bouquet of purple plum, roasted fennel bulb and flint. Flavors of blackberry...
WE
92
JS
91
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $19.94
A fresh and mineral nose with cherries, currants and blueberries. Full body, compact and firm tannins and a medium...
12 FREE
WA
92
JS
92
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $16.99
Made from old Tempranillo vines with a seasoning of Graciano (6%) and Mazuelo (1%) this Rioja spends 18 months in a...
DC
91
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $15.54
Brick red colour with a good coating. Clean, complex and with good intensity on the nose, aromas of red fruits well...
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $19.86
12 bottles: $19.46
The enticing, complex and focused nose displays scents of ripe plum, cherry, clove, rose, rosemary and thyme. The...
DC
96
WS
92
Sale
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $16.83 $17.50
12 bottles: $16.63
This medium-bodied red features a creamy, well-meshed flavor range of baked cherry, mocha, dried thyme and black...
WS
90
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $22.89
A savory, full-bodied red with olives, blackcurrants, grilled herbs, toast and anchovies on the nose. Gently chewy...
12 FREE
JS
91
DC
90
Sale
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $28.90 $29.96
In this wine, aromas of Mission fig, purple plum, milk chocolate and violet set the scene for blackberry preserve,...
WE
93
JS
92
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $14.85
12 bottles: $14.55
Color: Ruby red color with clean bright purple edge. Nose: High aromatic intensity of fruit compote assembled with...
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $13.35
12 bottles: $13.08
Dark plums, black cherries and some roasted cumin. A medium-bodied red with a firm, frosted tannin structure and...
JS
91
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $9.94
This full-bodied, hardy red maintains an element of freshness throughout. An underlying herbaceous and earthy tone...
WE
88
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $12.99
A brilliant crimson hue in the glass hints at this Merlot’s generous palate of rich, ripe red fruit. Notes of...
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $10.99
Wonderfully aromatic and fruity, blending silky flavors of blackberry, cherry, and blackcurrant.
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $34.90
Very intense and elegant ruby red colour; broad and complex fruity fragrance with hints of plum, cherry jam and...
12 FREE

Merlot Primitivo Tempranillo 750ml Rapid Ship

With its dark blue colored fruits and high juice content, Merlot varietal grapes have long been a favorite of wine producers around the globe, with it being found in vineyards across Europe, the Americas and elsewhere in the New World. One of the distinguishing features of Merlot grapes is the fact that they have a relatively low tannin content and an exceptionally soft and fleshy character, meaning they are capable of producing incredibly rounded and mellow wines. This mellowness is balanced with plenty of flavor, however, and has made Merlot grapes the varietal of choice for softening other, more astringent and tannin-heavy wines, often resulting in truly exceptional produce. Merlot is regarded as one of the key 'Bordeaux' varietals for precisely this reason; when combined with the drier Cabernet Sauvignon, it is capable of blending beautifully to produce some of the finest wines available in the world.

As with many European grape varietals, there is some debate regarding the precise origins of the Primitivo grape. Most people now agree that it probably came from Croatia, where it is still used widely in the production of red wine, and it known as Tribidrag. However, today it is a grape most commonly associated with the powerful red wines of Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot, where the intense sunshine and brisk Mediterranean breezes produce grapes of remarkable character and balance. Primitivo is a dark grape, known for producing intense, inky, highly tannic wines, most notably the naturally sweet Dolce Naturale and the heavy and complex Primitivo di Manduria wines. Primitivo tends to be naturally very high in both tannin and alcohol, making it ideal for both barrel and cellar ageing, which brings out its more rounded and interesting features.


Primitivo is not the easiest grape to grow or manage, and it has had something of a difficult century. Indeed, by the 1990s, there was little interest in Puglian wines in general, and winemakers were neglecting their Primitivo vineyards and looking to other, more commercially viable varietals. However, the last decade has seen this grape come well and truly back into fashion, with new techniques and a heightened interest in native Italian grape varietals bringing Primitivo back into the spotlight. It is now widely loved for its intensity and ability to be paired with strongly flavored foods.

There are plenty of notable native Spanish grapes which have made a big impression on the wine world at large, but none are as renowned or as widely loved as the Tempranillo varietal. This black skinned grape has been used for wine making for centuries, with several ancient civilizations noticing the fact that it is highly versatile and holds some delicious flavors and aromas, perfect for those looking for a powerful yet elegant grape for their wines. Tempranillo often causes winemakers some trouble, however, as it is highly susceptible to many diseases. Despite this, plenty continue to persevere with this varietal, as it is perfect for producing delicious and complex single variety and blended wines, packed full of classic Spanish flavors and plenty of aromatic and intense surprises.