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750ml
Bottle:
$12.57
12 bottles:
$12.32
Color: Dazzling scarlet over a grenadine backdrop.
Nose: Fruit of the forest aromas, coupled with aromatic jammy...
750ml
Bottle:
$25.94
12 bottles:
$25.42
Creamy notes of fruit are noticed along with nice and good balsamic and vanilla hints. A wine with a good acidity and...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$13.65
Dark maroon colour with good cover. On the nose, penetrating aroma of berries due to the great maceration and violets...
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle:
$60.80
It is the utmost expression of the Cabernet Sauvignon variety, aged and evolved to perfection. This intense and...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$35.60
A blend of quintessential Bordeaux varieties, elegant on the nose, with toasted notes and spicy undertones resulting...
750ml
Bottle:
$11.55
12 bottles:
$11.32
Aromas of blackberries, currants, mint chocolate and dried herbs. It’s medium-bodied with firm, fine tannins. Round...
750ml
Bottle:
$12.94
Deep violet to the eye, this wine offers a nose of cherry, purple fig and saddle leather. Bright at first sip, it has...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$13.01
Black cherry, dried black currants, roasted mushroom and a hint of mahogany aromas. Full-bodied and deep. flavors of...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$77.78
Altesse Cabernet Sauvignon Mavrodaphne Sangiovese Spain Wine
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?
The name of this grape, meaning 'blood of Jove' conjures up evocative images of long dead civilizations, and gives the Sangiovese varietal a sense of the holy, the sacred, the special. Indeed, this particular type of Italian grape has been cultivated and processed for thousands of years, and is said to be the original favorite grape varietal of the Romans, and the Etruscans before them. Throughout history, vintners have continued to plant this varietal, and they continue to produce wonderful wines to this day. The long bunches of very dark, round fruit are treasured by fine wineries in Italy and a few other places around the world, and when young, these grapes are lively – full of strawberry flavors and a little spiciness. However, it is when they are aged in oak that they take on some truly special flavors and aromas, as seen in some of the finest wines of the Old World.
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.