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750ml
Bottle:
$45.94
Elegant toasty aromas with mineral notes and spicy fruit. Delicious mouth filling and toasty with mature and exotic...
750ml
Bottle:
$17.75
$18.41
12 bottles:
$12.73
A single variety white wine that captures the subtleties of the Rueda D.O with delicacy and precision.
750ml
Bottle:
$15.83
12 bottles:
$15.51
It has a golden hue with greenish reflections. The nose is intense and complex, with notes of tropical fruit and...
750ml
Bottle:
$15.17
12 bottles:
$13.18
Aromas of tropical fruits (pineapple) and citrus fruits first appear along with white fruits (apple) and herbs, such...
750ml
Bottle:
$15.41
12 bottles:
$15.10
Bright yellow straw color, with green hints that reflect its youth. The nose has a nice aromatic intensity, a bit...
750ml
Bottle:
$12.36
$13.01
12 bottles:
$10.93
This wine takes its name from the vineyard from which the grapes are sourced. (The name of the vineyard comes from...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$13.00
Pale yellow with greenish rim. Floral and delicate aroma on the nose with a hint of herbs. Fresh and round in the...
750ml
Bottle:
$16.25
12 bottles:
$15.93
Elegant and filled with fruit and floral tones. On the palate it is soft and big, showing good balance with notes of...
Pre-Arrival
Belondrade Rueda Verdejo 'Y Lurton' 2020
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$51.16
The 2020 Belondrade y Lurton is already sold out, but for completeness of our database I tasted it next to the...
Mavrodaphne Syrah Verdejo Spain Castilla Y Leon Rueda
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?
Known as Syrah in most countries around the world, and Shiraz in Australia and certain other regions of the New World, this grape varietal has proven over the centuries to be one of the most powerful and flavorful red wine grapes there is. It is now one of the planet's most widely grown grapes, and is a favorite with wineries as a result of its robustness and versatility. It isn't easy to identify many characteristics of this particular varietal, due to the fact that it is highly versatile and shows significant differences in flavor and character depending on the terroir it is grown in, and the climatic conditions of the region. However, Syrah is most widely associated with full bodied, strong and loud red wines, packed full of fruity and spicy flavors, held in a beautifully deep red liquid.
Ever since the Phoenicians and Romans brought their knowledge of vine cultivation to Spanish soils, the country's culture has grown alongside wine production, with wine being a vital part of Spanish identity and Spanish traditions. Each region of Spain has a wine quite distinct from the others, and it is produced by smallholders and families as much as it is by large companies and established wineries. From the relatively mild and lush regions of La Rioja to the arid plateaus that surround Madrid, grapes are grown in abundance for the now booming Spanish wine industry, and new laws and regulations have recently been put in place to keep the country's standards high. By combining traditional practices with modern technology, Spanish wineries are continuing to produce distinctive wines of great character, flavor and aroma, with the focus shifting in recent decades to quality over quantity.
The ancient, arid and beautiful region of Castilla y Leon is the largest in Spain, and amongst the largest single 'regions' in any country of Europe. It has been famed throughout the centuries for its architecture, its people, its art and literature, and not least for its characterful and flavorful wines, which capture the beating heart and passion of Spain and Spanish culture. Castilla y Leon is essentially a vast plateau, and is extremely dry, with a poor soil structure which one might think would make viticulture difficult, if not impossible. However, Castilla y Leon has plenty of native grape varietals which are able to stretch their roots deep underground, to tap into the moisture and minerals which can be found there.