×
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $22.94 $23.60
6 bottles: $20.00
Among the better expressions from this vast, somewhat sclerotic Lugana region, evidencing many styles and...
JS
91
DC
90
White
750ml
Bottle: $40.49
6 bottles: $39.68
In the 1930s Manzoni Bianco was created by Prof. Luigi Manzoni, director of the renowned Conegliano Research Center,...
12 FREE
Red
750ml
Bottle: $19.93
12 bottles: $19.53
Bright purple-red color. Complex, typical bouquet of small berries red fruits, leather and spices (vanilla, pepper,...
Red
750ml
Bottle: $98.82
12 bottles: $96.84
Shows macerated black currant and blackberry notes, with dark charcoal and bay leaf lining the finish. This has good...
12 FREE
WS
90
JS
90
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $126.80 $141.10
This is sensational, characterized by such purity and beauty and with aromas of blackberries, dark chocolate,...
12 FREE
JS
96
WE
95
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $93.15 $103.50
This is a delicious and savory wine with beautiful, ripe and creamy tannins, as well as chocolate and plum character....
12 FREE
JS
94
DC
93
Sale
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $92.07 $99.00
Gorgeous perfumes of plums, berries, light chocolate and walnut follow through to a medium body, fine tannins and...
12 FREE
JS
95
DC
94
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $43.89 $46.20
12 bottles: $43.01
91-93 The second wine of this terrific estate, which has been playing with the stars of the appellation for several...
12 FREE
JD
93
DC
91
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $21.93 $22.80
12 bottles: $21.49
The 1st vintage of Bianco di Ampeleia was 2016. A neighbor's vineyard had old vines of a local biotype of Trebbiano...
White
750ml
Bottle: $25.20
12 bottles: $24.70
White
750ml
Bottle: $36.72
6 bottles: $36.00
COLOR: Intense yellow in color. NOSE: Elderflower, citrus, musk, and almond. Floral fragrances gradually give way to...
12 FREE
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $49.94 $54.20
Bright and intensely floral, with a lovely violet aroma and long, rich plum sauce, blackberry and currant notes....
12 FREE
WS
92
JS
91
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: $36.90 $39.20
12 bottles: $36.16
Love the fruit on the center palate here with its brightness and vivid acidity. Citrus undertones and a fresh finish....
JS
93
DC
91
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $41.10
A very refined nose with redcurrants, red flowers and a complex mix of light, fresh earth and tobacco leaf. The...
12 FREE
JS
90
Sale
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $27.59 $31.54
Tight and polished with a beautiful center palate and density. Full-bodied, ripe and polished. Really delicious fruit...
JS
92
DC
91
Red
750ml
Bottle: $34.00
12 bottles: $29.88
This has aromas of raspberries, blackberries, currants, rosehips and hazelnuts. It’s medium-bodied with fine, silky...
12 FREE
JS
91
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $29.88 $33.20
Attractive aromas of dark and blue fruit, some violets, walnut and graphite. It’s medium-bodied with finely grained...
VM
92
JS
92
Red
750ml
Bottle: $21.94
12 bottles: $21.50
A round and rich taste derived from fresh fruit flavors such as bilberry, blackcurrant and cherry, the mid-palate...
Red

Aidani Italian White Blends Japanese Whiskey Red Bordeaux Xinomavro 750ml

One of the most ancient of the Greek grape varietals, Aidani has been cultivated on and around the Cyclades for millennia for its versatility and gently pleasing aromatic qualities. Wines made primarily with Aidani grapes tend to have a milder alcohol content than other classic Greek wines, and relatively low acidity. This makes Aidani wines a perfectly pleasant accompaniment to a wide range of traditional Greek foods, and equally pleasant to drink chilled at any time under the Greek sun. Nowadays, Aidani grapes are mostly likely to used as a blending grape, often being mixed with Assyrtiko grapes to balance out and mellow the acidity and high alcohol content found in them.

As a blending grape, the Aidani offers light, delicate floral tones, often reminiscent of a Muscat. On the island of Naxos, it has been traditionally blended with the Athiri grape to produce the island's signature sweet wine, Apiranthos, where the subtleties of the Aidani grape are really allowed to shine through. However, elsewhere in Greece you are far more likely to find the blend of these two distinctive grapes in dry white wines, where the Aidani is used primarily not for its flavor, but for its aroma and mellowing effect.

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?

Whisky might not be the first thing that springs to mind when we think of Japanese fine produce, but over the past one hundred years, this fascinating and multi-faceted country has diligently forged a unique whisky identity which is growing in popularity, and which is entirely its own.

The story of Japanese whisky begins in 1918, when Masataka Taketsuru was sent to Scotland to undertake a tour of single malt distilleries in the Highlands, and bring home a knowledge of whisky and distillation skills. He returned full of inspiration, helped no doubt by his new Scottish wife, and alongside his friend, Shinjiro Torii, set up what would become a successful whisky industry.

Today, the Japanese whisky industry is spread over a relatively small handful of distilleries, which continue to use Scottish techniques and recipes, but with a hefty dose of distinctly Japanese experimentalism. This is displayed most obviously in the barrelling techniques the Japanese use - to create a distinctly Oriental set of tasting notes, native Japanese oakwood casks are used for ageing, alongside casks taken from plum wine producers, which impart a beautiful set of floral flavors to the whisky.

While some distilleries produce some excellent single malts, the majority of Japanese whiskies are blended, which reveals a unique set of flavors and aromas ranging from honeysuckle and orange blossom, to toffee and acetone.

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.

Xinomavro is the predominant grape varietal of Macedonia, although it is also grown in many parts of Greece where the climatic conditions are suitable for this particular fruit. The names translates as 'acid black', which gives some clue as to the nature of this varietal. The grapes are renowned for their high tannin content, which is a result of the thick and blue-black skins found on the fruit. This particular characteristic results in a superb aging potential in wines made from the Xinomavro varietal, as time spent in barrels softens these strong, astringent tannins and allows the full range of their flavors to come through in the wine. Most commonly, Xinomavro grapes are associated with aromas of red gooseberry, spices, olives and dried fruit, such as dried tomato.