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Red
750ml
Bottle: $32.61
12 bottles: $31.96
Firm tannins are holding everything in place right now. There's a tiny dip through the mid-palate before the fruit...
12 FREE
DC
89
VM
88
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $633.15 $703.50
Exotically perfumed, with ripe, lushly textured fruit. A complete and showy example of great, polished modern claret...
12 FREE
DC
95
WA
94
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $316.20
6 bottles: $312.00
93-95 Barrel sample. This is a smooth, rich wine that's intensely concentrated and packed with great black-currant...
WE
95
JD
94
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $154.94 $157.20
93-95 Barrel sample. This is a smooth, rich wine that's intensely concentrated and packed with great black-currant...
12 FREE
WE
95
JD
94
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $70.56 $78.40
Barrel sample. Full of ripe Cabernet tannins, this is a structured wine that's chunky in character. It elegantly...
12 FREE
WE
95
DC
92
Red
750ml
Bottle: $114.95
12 bottles: $112.65
Tasted from several bottles in recent months, the 2012 Canon is a stupendous wine for the vintage and if anything, it...
12 FREE
WA
94
WE
94
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $59.89 $64.59
Barrel sample. A solid effort, this is a wine with great fruit and firm structure to support it. Ripe and full in the...
12 FREE
WE
94
WS
93
Sale
Red
375ml
Bottle: $325.35 $361.50
The 2012 Cheval Blanc boasts stunning power and a vertical, imposing sense of structure that is quite rare in this...
12 FREE
VM
97
DC
96
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $622.35 $691.50
The 2012 Cheval Blanc boasts stunning power and a vertical, imposing sense of structure that is quite rare in this...
12 FREE
VM
97
DC
96
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $25.32
From the Castillon outpost of Gérard and Chantal Perse, this blend of 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10%...
WA
90
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $174.15 $193.50
Always excellent for the vintage. What a nose with currants, blackberries, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stones and wet earth...
12 FREE
JS
95
WE
94
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $46.99
La Gabare de Croizet-Bages is the second wine of Chateau Croizet-Bages and is made up of the Château’s younger...
12 FREE
Red
750ml
Bottle: $82.94
This is very polished and refined with blackcurrant, raspberry and citrus-peel undertones. Full body, extremely fine...
12 FREE
VM
92
JS
92
Red
750ml
Bottle: $60.88
Barrel sample. This is a dense, complex wine that's full of dark tannins piled atop ripe black-plum fruits. The wine...
12 FREE
WE
93
WA
91
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $69.80
Barrel sample. This firm, dry wine is solidly rich and full in the mouth. With fine acidity and black currant fruit...
12 FREE
WE
95
DC
92
Red
750ml
Bottle: $58.24
12 bottles: $57.08
Barrel sample. Solid and concentrated, this wine certainly shows great dryness as well as fruit. It has power and...
12 FREE
WE
94
DC
90
Red
750ml
Bottle: $35.40
12 bottles: $34.69
Barrel sample. This concentrated wine is packed with new wood as well as dark chocolate flavors. The palate is dense...
12 FREE
WE
93
JS
92
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $524.95 $567.00
A big, powerful wine, the 2012 Haut-Brion possesses stunning richness and intensity, with all of the depth that is...
12 FREE
VM
97
DC
96
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $98.95 $109.50
The 2012 Haut Bailly is brilliant and does nothing to damper my belief that this vintage is underrated in the market....
12 FREE
VM
96
JD
96
Sale
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $48.30 $55.20
A 2012 with currant, wet earth and walnut aromas and flavors. Full body, firm tannins and a savory finish. Give it...
WA
92
JS
92

Irish Whiskey Muscat Red Bordeaux 2012

The Irish are hailed as being the original producers of whiskey in the British Isles, and their innovations and techniques were so successful, that neighbouring Scotland were quickly influenced by them in the 15th century. Centuries later, it was the Irish who brought whiskey to America, and their style of whiskey has since become popular all over the world.

However, it wasn’t always plain sailing for the Irish whiskey industry - from being a dominant force in the 19th century, whose produce was considered far superior to that of Scotland, political upheaval and war saw the Irish whiskey almost disappear forever in the early 20th century. Today, the Irish whiskey manufacturers are back on their feet, and they are once again proving that the original is often the best. With new distilleries opening every year, it is safe to say that Irish whiskey is very much back.

Irish whiskey differs from Scotch whisky in a number of ways, and not least the spelling - the extra ‘e’ was said to be added in the 19th century as a way of distancing the Irish drink from what they saw as an inferior Scottish product. Irish whiskey was traditionally made in enormous stills, as a way of ensuring consistency from bottle to bottle, and maintaining the quality and complexity their reputation was founded on. The typical tasting notes of fine Irish whiskey include apple and vanilla, alongside spicy and sweet touches of nutmeg and fresh hay, making this a highly pleasant and smooth drink, made for relaxation and stimulating conversation about times past.

One of the most widely grown and easily recognized wine grape varietals in the world is the Muscat, an ancient grape with an exceptional amount of versatility. For centuries, Muscat varietal grapes have been used all over Europe for the production of wonderfully fruity wines of many different shades and colors, which, with their strong 'grapey' flavor have come to be known as a quintessential fine wine grape. Their relatively high acidity also means they are ideal for the production of sparkling wines, and the fizzy Muscat wines of Italy are widely agreed to be amongst the best in the world. In more recent years, New World countries have shown a huge amount of flair when it comes to the Muscat grape, and have had plenty of success in allowing its natural and vibrant character to come through in the bottle.

There are few regions in the world with stricter regulations in regards to wine production and grape varietals than those found in Bordeaux, France. Here, in the home of the world's finest wines, the type and quality of grapes used is of utmost importance, and the legendary wineries which work on the banks of the Gironde river have mastered the careful art of juice blending to find the perfect balance for their produce. Whilst there are six 'official' Bordeaux grapes, the two key varietals for almost every fine Bordeaux wine are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and with good reason. Whilst Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are renowned for their acidity and astringency, strong fruit and spice flavors and full body, Merlot grapes are notably rounded, soft, fleshy and lighter on tannin. The combination of these two varietals, along with a small percentage of (commonly) Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc, is the perfect balancing act – the two grape varietals cancel out each others weaker points, and accentuate all that is good about the other.