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Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $14.99
The wine has a deep, rich purple color. Intense red fruits are on the nose, with black pepper spice and a touch of...
Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $38.26 $40.27
Golden amber color. Aromas and flavors of dark caramelized nuts, sassafras float, coffee ice cream, coconut custard,...
12 FREE
BTI
91
Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
1.0Ltr
Bottle: $32.74 $34.46
Wonderfully savory on the nose, with hints of fire-roasted herbs and tomatoes, flint, and cedar before tropical...
UBC
90
Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
1.0Ltr
Bottle: $32.82 $34.55
Surprisingly floral and delicate, this workhorse silver tequila has a pleasing agave aroma and a crisp, peppy flavor...
WE
91
UBC
90
Instore only
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $29.99
Freshly sliced jalapeno is front and center aromatically. There is a hint of sweetness from the cucumber on the...
UBC
91
Instore only
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $29.99
Here is a tequila that can be simply enjoyed with soda or used to kick up a Paloma. The grapefruit and hibiscus give...
UBC
93
Instore only
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $29.99
Like a bright summer morning; the sweet smoke of the agave is matched by fresh squeezed orange juice, blossom, and a...
UBC
94
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $52.94
12 bottles: $51.88
Tightly focused and refined for a Zinfandel, this version packs in deep flavors of black cherry, licorice and roasted...
12 FREE
WS
94
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $21.87
12 bottles: $21.43
Dynamic and generous, this Zin combines old-school briar with sleek suppleness, serving up stylish flavors of...
WS
93
VM
90
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $42.60
Rich oak, brown sugar, cherry liqueur, and black pepper notes augment the natural agave herbaceous qualities in a...
12 FREE
UBC
95
Instore only
Red
3.0Ltr
Bottle: $18.94
TASTING NOTES Bota Box Zinfandel is round and full of vigor, with a nose of black cherry, black pepper and baked...
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $39.94
12 bottles: $39.14
Eye: Garnet core, pink rose rim. Nose: Kumquat, exotic spice, wild strawberries, raspberries, Rainier cherry. Time...
12 FREE
Sale
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $26.93 $28.80
"Bambino" comes from a ten-acre block planted on Old Hill in 1998. This young-vine field blend is patterned after the...
Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $45.33 $47.72
You can thank former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar for this great example of a classic añejo Tequila: fruity,...
12 FREE
WE
94
UBC
90
Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $31.92 $33.60
Clear color. Aromas and flavors of roasted green pepper and nuts, spiced figs, green banana, and coconut bread with a...
BTI
91
UBC
91
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $38.99
Watermelon, lavender, papaya, and dried herbs are all vivid on the nose. Full and round on the palate, the mouth is...
12 FREE
WE
94
UBC
94
Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $124.94 $159.94
Twenty-one tequilas were selected for this bottling that Casa Noble master tequilero Jose “Pepe” Hermosillo was...
12 FREE
Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $36.96 $42.24
The clean, crisp taste of our Blanco tequila celebrates the fresh flavor of the noble Blue Weber Agave. Enticing...
Rapid Ship
Spirits
1.0Ltr
Bottle: $23.99
This is almost neutral on the nose, with a slightly fruity fragrance. On the palate, this soft blanco shows anise,...
12 FREE
WE
88
Instore only
Spirits
1.75Ltr
Bottle: $31.80
6 bottles: $28.80
This is almost neutral on the nose, with a slightly fruity fragrance. On the palate, this soft blanco shows anise,...
WE
88

Albana Tequila Zinfandel In-Store or Curbside pickup

Tequila is probably Mexico’s greatest gift to the world of fine spirits, and is also possibly one of the most underestimated and misunderstood drinks in the world. Widely used for shots and slammers, and more often than not associated with parties and hangovers, Tequila is in fact a wonderful drink full of subtleties and expression of terroir, that is highly rewarding for those who look into its finer points.

One of the special things about Tequila is the fact that it is capable of expressing the fine nuances and subtle notes of its raw material, far more so than other, similar spirits. That raw material is, of course, the Blue Agave - not a cactus, as is commonly believed, but rather a succulent quite like a lily, which grows in the deserts of Mexico mainly around the province of Jalisco. The Blue Agave takes a decade to mature, and during those ten years, it takes in many of the features of its surroundings, just like a grapevine would. This is why Tequila varies in flavor and aroma from region to region, from the earthier Tequilas of the lowlands, to the more delicate and floral examples from areas of a higher altitude.

The picking and peeling of the spiky Agave, and the distillation process of Tequila is a complicated one, and one which is carried out with enormous skill by the jimadors and master craftsmen who produce the spirit. Steam cooking of the body of the plant is followed by crushing, then fermentation and distillation completes the process. The end product is categorized according to whether or not it is made with pure (‘puro’) agave, or blended with other sugars, and according to how long the spirit is aged for.

The precise origins of what became known as the Zinfandel grape variety are uncertain, although it has clear genetic equivalents in both Puglia and Croatia. However, when it was brought to the New World in the mid 19th century, it became known as the Zinfandel, and has been consistently popular and widely grown ever since. These very dark and very round grapes have a remarkably high sugar content, resulting in relatively high levels of alcohol in the wines they are made into, with bottles often displaying as much as fifteen percent. What makes the Zinfandel such an interesting grape, though, is the fact that the flavors produced by this varietal vary considerably depending on the climate they are grown in. In cooler valley regions, the Zinfandel grapes result in wines which hold strong flavors of tart and sweet fruits; raspberry, redcurrant and sweet cherry, held in a very smooth and silky liquid. Conversely, warmer regions result in more complex and spicy notes, including anise, pepper and hedgerow berries.