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750ml
Bottle:
$39.94
12 bottles:
$39.14
Brotte Condrieu "Versant Doré" (golden hillside) is a tribute to this sunny, steep terroir. Made from 100% Viognier,...
750ml
Bottle:
$53.72
12 bottles:
$52.65
• Vines planted on steep slopes (with a grade of up to 55%) facing south by south-east.
• Grapes are hand picked...
750ml
Bottle:
$64.94
12 bottles:
$63.64
• Vines planted on steep slopes (with a grade of up to 55%) facing south by south-east.
• Grapes are hand picked...
375ml
Bottle:
$35.94
An exuberance of perfectly ripe yellow and white peaches, apricots, melon, pineapple and delicate white floral aromas...
750ml
Bottle:
$63.94
Reveals ripe kumquat, green plum and pear puree notes that have a glycerol texture on a finely tuned palate, with...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$57.89
Fresh and fleshy with essence-like apricots and plenty of grilled peaches and hazelnuts. Elegant, refined and...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$77.00
Attractive white peaches and apricots and a floral edge, too. This has a very assertively chalky, fresh and crisp...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$180.52
Lush, captivating, exotic nose with aromas of vineyard peach, ripe apricots, herbs, and sweet pears. Robust...
750ml
Bottle:
$89.93
6 bottles:
$88.13
From three parcels totaling five acres. About half was planted in 2009 while the other half dates from the 1970s. The...
Pre-Arrival
Delas Freres Condrieu La Galopine 2020
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$59.78
91-93 The 2020 Condrieu La Galopine can be thought of as the base Condrieu, and it's always a good buy. Light...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$54.44
Rare and confidential Cuvée. On the nose, notes of peach, apricot, and white fruits are revealed. In the mouth,...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$213.63
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$203.55
Plump and creamy in feel, but also very pure, with fine details to the mix of melon, pear, apricot and anise notes. A...
1.5Ltr - Case of 6
Bottle:
$387.78
Lastly, the 2019 Condrieu Coteau De Vernon comes from a steep, southeast-facing hillside of granite soils and is...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$209.94
Lastly, the 2019 Condrieu Coteau De Vernon comes from a steep, southeast-facing hillside of granite soils and is...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$97.36
1.5Ltr - Case of 6
Bottle:
$148.24
Mavrodaphne Rye Whiskey Viognier France Rhone Valley Condrieu
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?
Rye Whiskey is enjoying something of a renaissance of late, with sales rocketing in recent years thanks to a growing interest in strong, unique flavors, and small, independent distilleries. Rye Whiskey is a drink which is all about powerful, bold flavors, with plenty of spice and bitterness when drunk young. Aged, however, it takes on a deep set of subtle notes which are beautifully mellow and complex, and becomes a fascinating example of what whiskey can be when made with expert hands.
In order for an American Whiskey to be labeled a Rye Whiskey, it must have a mash content which is no less than fifty one percent rye. This separates it from Bourbon, and it is this which gives it its distinctive flavor and spiciness. Toffee, cinnamon, caraway, cloves and oak are typical tasting notes, and ‘straight rye’ whiskies - which are aged in charred oak barrels - take on plenty of the smokiness of the wood, adding a further, fascinating facet.
Rye Whiskey has its spiritual home in the northeastern states of Pennsylvania and Maryland, and cities like Pittsburgh produced vast quantities of Rye Whiskey in the 18th and 19th centuries. Most the old distilleries were closed during the prohibition era, after which time rye whiskey more or less disappeared completely, but the twenty-first century is seeing old recipes being resurrected and released to rave reviews.
Although primarily associated with the Rhone region of France, the precise origins of the Viognier grape variety are unknown, and the subject of much debate. However, these fine and delicate green skinned grapes are an important varietal for many of France's most elegant white wines, and they are quickly beginning to spread around the New World, too, where wineries are discovering their unique qualities and unusual character. Viognier grapes are notoriously difficult to grow, due to the fact they are highly susceptible to mildew, but wineries persevere with them nonetheless, producing wines which are highly aromatic and have a great, fruit-forward character. Their delicate aroma suggests sweetness due to its flowery, sappy nature, but the wine itself generally very dry and crisp, and full of summery, light and refined qualities.
Year in, year out, France enjoys its prestigious reputation as the producer of the finest wines in the world. With a wine making history which spans several thousand years and owes its expertise to the Romans, it comes as little surprise that this most highly esteemed of the Old World wine countries continues to impress and enchant both novices and experts to this day. Despite the rise in quality of wines from neighboring European countries, not to mention the New World, the French wine industry continues to boom, with up to eight billion bottles being produced in recent years. However, France prides itself on always putting quality before quantity, and the wide range in fine produce is a testament to the dedication and knowledge of the wineries across the country. Indeed, from rich and complex reds to light and aromatic white wines, French wines are as varied and interesting as they are enjoyable to drink, making this country a firm favorite for wine lovers across the globe.
The Rhone Valley of southern France is a particularly fascinating wine region, with a history that stretches back to at least six hundred BCE, when the ancient Greeks first began cultivating vines there. The region itself is split into two distinct sub-regions, with the northern sub-region being famed for its production of exceptional Syrah, Marsanne, Roussane and Viognier wines, packed full of interesting character and expressing the terroir found there. The southern sub-region is home to an enormous variety of grapes, and produces red, white and rosé wines, and some of the world's most famous and adored blended wines. The continental climate of the region is ideal for growing grapes, and the winds which blow from the Central Massif help temper the heat in the vineyards, leading to very ripe fruits holding plenty of flavor.