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750ml
Bottle:
$249.94
$299.94
In the 19th century, it was a common practice of the time to “hermitage” the wines. Bordeaux chateaux would add...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$26.75
Deep aromas of violets, blackberry, and forest. Leather and black currant on the palate with hints of black pepper....
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$48.95
A classic Paso Robles style wine, with a bouquet of blackberries and crushed flowers. Subtle notes of mint and...
Pre-Arrival
Bodegas Caro Cabernet Sauvignon - Malbec 2013
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$76.34
95-96 This is a special project with only 10 barrels of 85% cabernet sauvignon and 15% cabernet franc. It's...
Pre-Arrival
Cardinale Red Blend 2013
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$218.83
A brilliant wine from winemaker Chris Carpenter and the Kendall-Jackson family, this blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon...
Pre-Arrival
Chateau Palmer Historical XIXth Century 2013
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle:
$324.54
In the 19th century, it was a common practice of the time to “hermitage” the wines. Bordeaux chateaux would add...
Pre-Arrival
Clos Mogador Priorat Gratallops 2013
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$120.92
The wine shows an opaque black-purple color and an intense,
complex bouquet of ripe fruit, wild herbs, toasted bread,...
Pre-Arrival
Colgin Cariad Proprietary Red 2013
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle:
$500.81
The 2013 Cariad Proprietary Red Wine, a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 9% Petit...
Pre-Arrival
Colgin Red Blend IX Estate 2013
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle:
$756.30
Another perfect wine from Ann Colgin and her winemaking team is the 2013 IX Proprietary Red Estate, a blend of 68%...
Pre-Arrival
Continuum Proprietary Red Blend 2013
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$251.24
Impressive purity of fruit and definition with blackcurrant, oyster shell, blueberries and slate. Graphite, too. Very...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$60.20
Readers looking for a great intro into this estate, as well as a terrific value, should check out the 2013 Cotes du...
Pre-Arrival
Dominus Red Blend Othello 2013
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$64.30
This is a pretty third wine of Dominus, showing freshness and richness at the same time. Full-bodied, juicy and rich...
Pre-Arrival
Favia Red Blend Cerro Sur 2013
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle:
$161.02
The other proprietary red wine Favia is known for is the 2013 Proprietary Red Cerro Sur. What a gorgeous effort with...
Pre-Arrival
Inglenook Red Blend Rubicon 2013
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$163.26
An aromatic and complex red with currant, white-chocolate and rose-petal character. Full-bodied, tight and polished....
Pre-Arrival
Jonata Red Blend Todos 2013
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$91.28
Lastly, the entry level 2013 Todos Proprietary Red Wine is a smokin’ wine that’s made from 78% Syrah, 15%...
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Joseph Phelps Red Blend Insignia 2013
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$312.64
The 2013 Insignia (their 40th vintage) is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Merlot,...
Pre-Arrival
M. Chapoutier Bila-Haut Cotes Du Roussillon Villages Visitare Interiore Terrae (V.I.T.) 2013
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$36.71
Primitivo Red Blend Savatiano 2013 750ml
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.
Savatiano is probably Greece's most well known and most widely grown grape varietal, as it is the primary grape used in the production of Retsina, where the fermenting juices of the Savatiano varietal are flavored with pine resin in order to make this distinctive and famous wine. One of the reasons for the wide cultivation of this grape is due to its hardiness, and resistance to drought conditions. In the sun-drenched and dry, rocky Greek landscapes, this makes it an ideal vine to grow for wine-makers who require a strong and bounteous yield each year.
However, there are plenty of examples of Greek white wines which use the Savatiano grape but withhold from the addition the pine resin flavoring, allowing the true characteristics of this varietal to shine through. The result is often very pleasing indeed, with Savatiano grapes generally producing extremely well balanced and rounded white wines, with a juicily fruity flavor. Their aromas can vary quite a lot, with many Savatiano wines bearing the fragrance of citrus fruits, and also occasionally having a strong floral aroma reminiscent of elder and rose. Due to the relatively low acidity of Savatiano grapes, the wines which use them (including Retsina) generally bolster themselves with the addition of smaller quantities of more acidic varieties, such as Assyrtiko or Rhoditis, in order to improve their sometimes weak structure.
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?