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Ben Glaetzer Shiraz The Bishop 2005
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$52.69
Readers should think of it as a French Vacqueyras on steroids. From 60-year-old vines in the Ebenezer district of...
Pre-Arrival
Domaine Jamet Cote Rotie 2005
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$333.45
93-95 Inky magenta. Highly expressive aromas of red and blue fruits, violet, incense, olive and baking spices, along...
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E. Guigal Cote Rotie La Mouline 2005
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$802.93
Rated 97-100 - The 2019 Côte Rôtie La Mouline is a bigger, richer Côte Rôtie. Co-fermented with a solid chuck of...
Pre-Arrival
E. Guigal Cote Rotie La Mouline 2005
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$797.39
Rated 97-100 - The 2019 Côte Rôtie La Mouline is a bigger, richer Côte Rôtie. Co-fermented with a solid chuck of...
Pre-Arrival
E. Guigal Ermitage Ex Voto Rouge 2005
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$223.95
Rated 97-100 - A barrel sample that just about made my eyes roll back in my head, the 2019 Ermitage Ex Voto has...
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Henschke Shiraz Mt. Edelstone 2005
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$201.74
The 2005 Mount Edelstone is a 100% Shiraz cuvee sourced from a vineyard planted in 1912. Yields are a meager 0.3 to...
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Kaesler Shiraz The Bogan 2005
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$51.67
Aged in new and one-year-old American oak, and made in a completely different style, the 2005 Shiraz The Bogan (from...
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M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon 2005
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$407.42
My favorite of the 2005s from Chapoutier, the 2005 Ermitage Le Pavillon is a heavenly wine that comes from one of the...
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Penfolds Shiraz St. Henri 2005
1.5Ltr - Case of 3
Bottle:
$196.24
Aromatic, complex and silky, slipping in its gorgeous blackberry, currant and plum fruit against a seething...
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Rostaing Cote-Rotie Cote Blonde 2005
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$336.84
More minerality as well as obvious tannins emerge from the 2005 Côte Rôtie Côte Blonde. Which has ample black...
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Rostaing Cote-Rotie La Landonne 2005
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$186.95
Solid grip defines this red for now, with hints of white pepper, cassis, violet and iron held in reserve. Long and...
Mavrodaphne Syrah Xinomavro 2005
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.
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.