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Sparkling
750ml
Bottle: $66.68
6 bottles: $66.00
Disgorged in June of 2021, the 2011 Brut Extended Tirage has pretty scents of red berries, crushed herbs, lemon pith...
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Sparkling
750ml
Bottle: $24.94
12 bottles: $24.44
A balanced blend, Pinot Noir establishes a savory core, while Pinot Meunier brings floral characteristics and...
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Red
750ml
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12 bottles: $27.38
Dense and broad Viñas de Gain with impressive concentration and compact tannins that give gravity to the palate,...
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $19.92 $20.80
12 bottles: $19.76
Clean and bright dark cherry in color, this wine has a multitude of differentiated nuances on the nose, intertwining...
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Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $16.84
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $17.11 $18.00
12 bottles: $14.64
A balanced, medium-bodied red, with baked black plum and cherry fruit layered with light tannins and hints of herbs,...
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88
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $84.49
Tasted once again, the second vintage of the red 2019 Tinto comes from a warm and dry year when they used larger...
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WA
93
Red
750ml
Bottle: $19.93
12 bottles: $19.53
A lovely brightness and juiciness to this with cherry, spice, and crushed stone. Some tar. Medium-bodied with chewy...
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93
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $13.87 $15.41
The 2020 Crianza is 94% Tempranillo and 6% Garnacha sourced from Rioja Alta and Alavesa. Aged for 13 months in French...
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $19.94
12 bottles: $19.54
The 2020 D-12 is a parcel wine made exclusively from Tempranillo sourced from old vines in Viñaspre (Rioja Alavesa),...
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91
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $41.58 $46.00
Fresh and focused, this rich, stylish red is marked by a pure beam of ripe cassis and black cherry fruit. Medium- to...
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94
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $49.90 $52.80
12 bottles: $46.74
The textbook red 2020 Mauro comes from a cooler year with freshness and balance. It's powerful and ripe with 14.5%...
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94
Red
750ml
Bottle: $39.94
6 bottles: $39.14
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Red
750ml
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Beckoning nose of dark fruits, spice and judicious oak. The palate has a silky texture and a firm, dryish finish....
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $104.89
6 bottles: $104.00
Summa is part of Portia's "Vino de autor" category, with a strong emphasis on the winemaker's individual style and...
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $28.90 $29.96
In this wine, aromas of Mission fig, purple plum, milk chocolate and violet set the scene for blackberry preserve,...
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93
JS
92
Red
750ml
Bottle: $100.50
6 bottles: $98.49
Elegant and complex, the 2020 Selección El Grajo Viejo (single vineyard) is Bodegas Protos’ most exclusive wine, a...
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $14.30
12 bottles: $14.01
Nose: Mature fruit dominates in an incipient bouquet which captures the aging and a slight toasty aroma. Palate: Soft...
Sparkling
750ml
Bottle: $19.60
12 bottles: $18.62

Champagne Blend Japanese Whiskey Tempranillo 2011 2020

The sparkling wines of Champagne have been revered by wine drinkers for hundreds of years, and even today they maintain their reputation for excellence of flavor and character, and are consistently associated with quality, decadence, and a cause for celebration. Their unique characteristics are partly due to the careful blending of a small number of selected grape varietals, most commonly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. These grapes, blended in fairly equal quantities, give the wines of Champagne their wonderful flavors and aromas, with the Pinot Noir offering length and backbone, and the Chardonnay varietal giving its acidity and dry, biscuity nature. It isn't unusual to sometimes see Champagne labeled as 'blanc de blanc', meaning it is made using only Chardonnay varietal grapes, or 'blanc de noir', which is made solely with Pinot Noir.

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 plenty of notable native Spanish grapes which have made a big impression on the wine world at large, but none are as renowned or as widely loved as the Tempranillo varietal. This black skinned grape has been used for wine making for centuries, with several ancient civilizations noticing the fact that it is highly versatile and holds some delicious flavors and aromas, perfect for those looking for a powerful yet elegant grape for their wines. Tempranillo often causes winemakers some trouble, however, as it is highly susceptible to many diseases. Despite this, plenty continue to persevere with this varietal, as it is perfect for producing delicious and complex single variety and blended wines, packed full of classic Spanish flavors and plenty of aromatic and intense surprises.