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Red
750ml
Bottle: $203.52
6 bottles: $202.80
The 2008 Terre di San Leonardo is a gorgeous entry-level wine. Dark cherries, plums, herbs, leather, spices and...
12 FREE
WA
90
Case only
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $252.95
This is a phenomenal, tiny-production red made mostly from colorino and canaiolo grapes. It has an amazing density...
JS
99
WS
93
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $124.95
Dense ruby-purple color. Intense, intriguing nose of high class cigar tobacco intermixed with smoke, minerals, black...
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $83.00
The 2008 Corbaia is striking in this vintage. A delicate, graceful bouquet gives the impression of femininity, until...
WA
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $83.00
Formerly labeled Roccamonfina IGP.
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $143.95
Here's another special peek back in time. The 2008 Bolgheri Superiore Grattamacco is drinking beautifully right now...
WA
96
WE
94
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $274.95
The 2008 Ornellaia continues to blossom in the bottle. Dark cherries, chocolate, espresso, blackberries and mocha are...
WA
97
VM
97
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $343.95
The 2008 Sassicaia is a rich, deep wine imbued with notable class in its black cherries, plums, grilled herbs,...
WA
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $45.14
Case only
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $82.78
Structured and racy, showing blueberry and chocolate aromas and flavors, with loads of currant. Full and tannic, yet...
WA
96
WS
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $211.48
The 2008 Tignanello is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. The 2008 isn't a huge or obvious Tignanello,...
WA
94
VM
94

Italian Red Blends Semillon Tequila 2008

Semillon was, at one point not so long ago, widely believed to be one of the most grown grape varietals in the world. Whilst today the numbers of Semillon grapes has dropped considerably, it remains a widely planted grape with vineyards all over Europe and the New World dedicated to making the most of this special and flavorful varietal. The grapes are recognizable by their golden color, and the fact that they can take on a pinkish hue in particularly warm climates. The wines the Semillon grape produces are notably varied, and are often very crisp and dry, or sweet and soft, full of a wide range of flavors Commonly, dry Semillon wines are particularly citrus in flavor, with a delicate and summery bouquet. The vine is hardy and vigorous, and notable for being easy to grow and produce high yields from.

Tequila is probably Mexico’s greatest gift to the world of fine spirits, and is also possibly one of the most underestimated and misunderstood drinks in the world. Widely used for shots and slammers, and more often than not associated with parties and hangovers, Tequila is in fact a wonderful drink full of subtleties and expression of terroir, that is highly rewarding for those who look into its finer points.

One of the special things about Tequila is the fact that it is capable of expressing the fine nuances and subtle notes of its raw material, far more so than other, similar spirits. That raw material is, of course, the Blue Agave - not a cactus, as is commonly believed, but rather a succulent quite like a lily, which grows in the deserts of Mexico mainly around the province of Jalisco. The Blue Agave takes a decade to mature, and during those ten years, it takes in many of the features of its surroundings, just like a grapevine would. This is why Tequila varies in flavor and aroma from region to region, from the earthier Tequilas of the lowlands, to the more delicate and floral examples from areas of a higher altitude.

The picking and peeling of the spiky Agave, and the distillation process of Tequila is a complicated one, and one which is carried out with enormous skill by the jimadors and master craftsmen who produce the spirit. Steam cooking of the body of the plant is followed by crushing, then fermentation and distillation completes the process. The end product is categorized according to whether or not it is made with pure (‘puro’) agave, or blended with other sugars, and according to how long the spirit is aged for.