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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:
$49.02
$51.60
6 bottles:
$48.00
Mashed, fermented, distilled, aged, and bottled by the Albany Distilling Company. Made from grain grown in New York...
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 - Case of 12
Bottle:
$71.59
Golden amber color. Toasty aromas and flavors of honey-butted toast, chocolate toffee, raisin cake, and frosted...
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:
$90.38
6 bottles:
$86.30
ON THE NOSE, sun-kissed notes of poised pressed flowers & clover hay are engulfed by mango meringue & pineapple gum...
750ml
Bottle:
$44.97
$51.40
A soft dusty nose is accompanied by savory vegetal notes and aromas of caramelized banana. The palate is bold and...
750ml
Bottle:
$110.75
$116.58
As a symbol of our offering to the makers who came before us and whose inspiration roused us to seek a future all our...
750ml
Bottle:
$39.79
$41.88
6 bottles:
$34.20
As American single malt ascends, Balcones shows its leadership with this triumphant offering. It’s bursting with...
750ml
Bottle:
$55.21
$61.34
Dried leaves, toasted nuts, and plenty of fresh oak emerge from this big, broad-shouldered malt that ably handles all...
750ml
Bottle:
$30.77
$32.39
6 bottles:
$26.87
Amber color. Aromas of waffle crisp, milk and honey, French toast, and fresh baked cookies with a satiny, vibrant,...
American Whiskey Mavrodaphne Mencia Mourvedre
The United States of America is a country of great cultural diversity, influenced by migrating nations from across the world. As such, its whiskey industry is a fascinating and complex one, which represents the range of regional differences found there.
The Irish were the original pioneers of American whiskey, and when they emigrated in their thousands from the old country, they brought their skills, knowledge and distillation techniques with them, to give them something to remind each other of home in the New World. This is why American whiskey goes by the Irish spelling, with the additional ‘e’, and why many traditional American whiskies closely resemble the original Irish style.
Today, there are several different types of American whiskey, and the styles and production techniques are now set out in US federal law, cementing a set of characteristics and production methods to preserve and protect the industry.
Corn whiskey, which is made from a minimum 80% corn in the mash and aged for a short period, is probably the most historic of the American whiskey styles, but others like rye whiskey, which is made from a minimum of 51% rye and aged in charred barrels, are growing in popularity among a new generation of drinkers looking for something unique, interesting and independently produced. Alongside these styles, we find Tennessee whiskey, which uses maple charcoal for sweeter notes, the softer wheat whiskies, the world-dominating Bourbon whiskies, and others which are peculiar to specific states and regions.
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.