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750ml
Bottle:
$52.99
6 bottles:
$51.94
As always, the nose is intense and exotic, sporting salted lemon and quince, oatmeal and a hint of white flowers. The...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$74.05
With a wine list that extends to thousands of labels you can easily get lost, so since I will soon be in the Cape, I...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$54.42
The 2019 Cartology was whole-bunch-pressed and matured in cement eggs, amphorae, foudres and used barrels, fermented...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$46.23
The 2021 Cartology is a worthy follow-up to the 2020. It unfurls gradually on the nose with honeysuckle and light...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$46.94
Mostly Chenin Blanc with 8% Sémillon, the 2022 Cartology Bush Vines instantly impresses with fantastic balance and...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$49.18
As always, the nose is intense and exotic, sporting salted lemon and quince, oatmeal and a hint of white flowers. The...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$47.59
As always, the nose is intense and exotic, sporting salted lemon and quince, oatmeal and a hint of white flowers. The...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$44.94
The 2020 Hemelrand Vine Garden comes from a field blend albeit planted in rows that makes it easier to manage. It is...
Mavrodaphne Sercial White Blend South Africa Cape Region
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?
Situated on the very tip of the African continent, South Africa has proved itself over three centuries to be an ideal location for producing a wide range of wines. Benefiting from something not dissimilar to a Mediterranean climate, with long, hot summers complemented by both Atlantic and Indian Ocean winds, the grapes which grow on the valleys, mountainsides and plains of this fascinating country can ripen to their fullest capacity, producing wines packed full of fruity flavors and an array of interesting and enticing aromas. As a former colony, South Africa has long since been home to a range of different nationalities, who each brought something of their wine culture with them. As such, many European grape varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling and others have been given time to flourish in South Africa, allowing the country to develop a diverse group of wine types which are proving increasingly popular around the world.