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750ml
Bottle:
$21.92
6 bottles:
$21.48
Our Maturana Tinta vines produce small clusters of grapes with high acidity and good resistance to vine diseases, all...
750ml
Bottle:
$11.89
$13.43
12 bottles:
$11.65
A round, creamy-textured red with blackberry, dark-walnut and some chocolate character. It’s medium-bodied with a...
750ml
Bottle:
$27.20
12 bottles:
$24.70
A supple red marked by black currant, blackberry and fruitcake flavors. Spicy, with powdery tannins lining the...
750ml
Bottle:
$199.94
The 2021 Mourvèdre is another archetypal example of the variety from Andremily, where winemaker Jim Binns manages to...
750ml
Bottle:
$22.00
12 bottles:
$21.56
Made from 100% Lledoner Negre, the local name for Garnacha in this part of Catalunya, Pla de Gates showcases the...
750ml
Bottle:
$27.94
12 bottles:
$27.38
Named after the Sky God ‘for its light, ethereal qualities,’ unfiltered, Ouranus has a hazy plum hue, but lovely...
750ml
Bottle:
$44.46
$46.80
The 2020 Atalier Caíño was produced with ancient vines in the same place as Perez gets the Albariño. It has...
750ml
Bottle:
$15.00
12 bottles:
$14.70
Colour: Deep ruby red with garnet hues, clear.
Bouquet: Intense and persistent with aromas of red fruits.
Flavour:...
750ml
Bottle:
$22.94
This Cagnulari Isola dei Nuraghi IGT is a tribute to the founder of the winery, Billia Cherchi, who rediscovered this...
750ml
Bottle:
$27.94
The Cagnulari – Isola dei Nuraghi IGT – is an ancient grape variety of Usini rediscovered and appreciated by...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$9.51
100% Monastrell. Old bushvines in rocky limestone and sand. Unoaked.
750ml
Bottle:
$27.00
The nose develops an intensity of violet and wild berries aromas. The mousse is fair and creamy, with a dry yet full...
750ml
Bottle:
$39.90
12 bottles:
$39.10
Quite light in the glass, this bottling pops on the nose with fresh berry aromas that are leveled by a crushed rock...
750ml
Bottle:
$14.94
12 bottles:
$13.94
Focussed herbal, wild black fruit and tobacco nose. The youthful palate is poised and approachable with a soft...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$45.98
A wine that talks about roots and new beginnings. Covered cherry red colour. Intense aromas of ripe fruit, spices,...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$16.17
The red Monastrell 2016 Plus+ has a little less alcohol than the 2015, and the wine feels fresher. It fermented in...
750ml
Bottle:
$17.86
$18.80
12 bottles:
$17.42
A well-spiced red, fresh and medium-bodied, revealing a ripe core of boysenberry and black plum fruit, with crisp...
750ml
Bottle:
$28.94
12 bottles:
$28.36
Cherry red color with low layer. Complexity on the nose with floral notes and very elegant. Complex, elegant, fresh...
750ml
Bottle:
$25.20
12 bottles:
$24.70
Complexity on the nose with balsamic notes, scrub, aromatic herbs from the area and with a mineral character....
Lambrusco Mavrodaphne Mencia Mourvedre
Some grape species are distinct and unique varietals, clearly separate from each of their cousins. Others, like Lambrusco and Muscat, are more like umbrella terms, featuring several subspecies which show slight differences from each other from region to region. Indeed, there are astonishingly more than 60 identified varieties of Lambrusco vines, and they are almost all used in the production of characterful Italian sparkling wines. They are distinguishable by their deep ruby blush, caused by strong pigments present in their skins, and their intensely perfumed character.
Lambrusco vines are grown in several Italian regions, although we most closely associate this varietal with Piedmont and Basilicata. It has also been grown successfully in Argentina and Australia. The varietal suffered from a fairly lowly reputation in the late 20th century, due to bulk, low cost production of Lambrusco sparkling wines, aimed at markets across northern Europe and America. However, things are rapidly changing, and the older, more traditional methods of bottle fermentation are returning, along with a higher level of quality and expression, as consumers become more discerning and demanding. Many of the Lambrusco sub-varieties have their own established DOC, such as Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce, Lambrusco di Sorbara and Modena, where new regulations are keeping standards high and methods traditional.
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?
Mourvèdre is a fascinating and ancient grape varietal, thought to have been introduced to Spain by the ancient Phoenicians over two thousand years ago. Since then, it has found a home in many regions of France, and has gone on to be a key grape varietal in the New World, where it is often blended with Grenache and Syrah varietals to make a beautifully rounded and balanced red wine. The Mourvèdre grape itself is renowned for holding a complex set of flavours, which are often described as meaty or gamey, with plenty of bramble fruit notes. As such, they are often served with dark meats, and are enjoyed in many countries across the globe. The grapes are not the easiest to cultivate, as they require plenty of sunshine alongside well irrigated soil. However, their quality and unique attributes mean that wineries all over the globe continue to persevere with this special varietal.