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750ml
Bottle:
$17.94
12 bottles:
$17.58
• 100% Schiava (Vernatsch) from Cornaiano.
• Elevation is 350 to 420 m with a northerly exposure.
• Soils are...
750ml
Bottle:
$16.55
$17.08
12 bottles:
$15.44
COLOR: Ruby-red with a purple shimmer.
AROMA Subtly pronounced, fresh, fruity, floral (violet), white pepper....
750ml
Bottle:
$82.39
4 bottles:
$81.60
Complex profile with multiple nuances attributable to spicy and fruity notes with hints of vanilla, morello cherry...
![Caffo Grappa Vecchia [Barrique] 750ml](https://www.saratogawine.com/files/images/cached_thumbs/27/27b3f764d9c6078ff71534c6397be9ef.jpg)
750ml
Bottle:
$26.40
12 bottles:
$22.80
Aged in oak for 12 months, this golden grappa edges close to aged brandy territory—although one sip and that grappa...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$24.44
Deep crimson red in color with intense, lingering aromas of red berry fruit, cherry, myrtle and juniper. Elegant and...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$29.88
Color: Intense ruby red and covered up to the glass edge, with aubergine peel nuances.
Perfume: Very fine and...
750ml
Bottle:
$25.01
12 bottles:
$24.50
The work horse of the region in terms of planted acres, this varietal likens itself to Gamay (Beaujolais), or...
750ml
Bottle:
$36.94
Deep, brooding and fresh-toned, with blackberries, graphite and some blue fruit and violets. Quite a full body with...
750ml
Bottle:
$34.95
$37.80
100% Arneis from the Roero, grown in marl and sandstone soils from the Pliocene era. This is a young, fresh version...
750ml
Bottle:
$39.00
100% Nebbiolo; this pomace is from grapes that were pressed for Barolo, from Barolo and Monforte d’Alba. Aged for 6...
750ml
Bottle:
$39.00
6 bottles:
$30.60
100% Nebbiolo from the Roero and Langhe. Flavored with an infusion of apricot wood for 2-3 months, then aged for 4-5...
750ml
Bottle:
$21.20
12 bottles:
$20.78
• 100% Mavrodaphne.
• Low yielding vines from loamy clay soils.
• Fermented and aged in stainless steel.
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$23.94
Impressive Petit Verdot with ripe berry, violet and chocolate. Hints of green coffee. It's fully bodied, chewy and...
Grappa Mavrodaphne Petit Verdot Mencia 750ml
Like so many of the great spirits of Europe, Grappa was born from a need to make resources go that little bit further, to eke out the last drop of flavor and potential from the crops of winemakers. Indeed, Italian vintners invented Grappa as a way to make use of the pomace - leftover grape skins, stems, pulp and seeds - which remained after the juice was extracted from the fruit needed to make wine. Over the centuries, the process was refined, and the distillation of Grappa became an art in itself. Today, top Grappa producers use a range of state of the art equipment, from continuous stills to pot stills, to manufacture a wide variety of Grappas, each with their own distinct characteristics.
Most of us know Grappa from our local Italian restaurants, where it is commonly served as a digestif. However, in the twenty first century, there is a high interest in unique, boutique Grappas, which showcase the talent of the distillers through a range of interesting qualities. Grappa can be aged in oak, in which case it takes on a beautiful golden color, quite different from the clear Grappas we are most familiar with. The high end Grappas are a world away from the harsh spirit many of us have encountered, and have a smooth, gentle quality which can be nothing short of a revelation.
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?