×
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $120.40
The 2009 Finca Bella Vista was sourced from a vineyard planted in 1910 giving a miserly yield of 0.75 tons per acre....
WA
98
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $89.94
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $48.52
Colour: Lively, deep ruby-red; nature's gift. Perfume: Complex scent of ripe red fruit (mainly black cherry), spices,...
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $48.52
A fine, supple red, sporting velvety tannins, racy raspberry, cherry and plum fruit, joined by layers of spice, hot...
WE
92
WS
92
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $64.95
I thought the 2011 was the best ever from this stylish wine producer in Sardinia. But the 2012 is clearly better...
JS
94
VM
92
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $59.95
Very beautiful aromas of violets, purple fruit, fresh lavender and thyme follow through to a medium body with...
JS
93
WS
91
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $137.31
The 2021 Malbec Grand Alpasión hails from Los Chacayes in the Uco Valley and was aged in new French oak barrels....
VM
90
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $38.06
A balanced, light-bodied white, with dried apricot and white cherry fruit flavors that are juicy and appealing. Round...
WS
89
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $172.95
A dense yet agile white with sliced lemon, apple, peach and stones. It’s full-bodied, yet energetic and precise...
JS
95
WA
94
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $135.15
Intense aromas of white pineapple, lemon peel, white peaches and stones with a seashell undertone. Full-bodied yet...
JS
98
WA
95
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $115.69
This is another fantastic white and continues to be one of the best from Tuscany. It’s so perfumed with sliced...
JS
98
WA
95
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $78.62
Testamatta Bianco condensate the aromas, the flavours and the character of the Island of Giglio in a bottle: you can...
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $169.90
Cropped from an almost perfect growing season when the grapes ripened slowly, the 2016 Noemía is pure Malbec from...
WA
97
VM
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $81.95
This wine is balanced in all its components—It shows a ripe fruit expression, with notes of stone fruits (white...
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $61.20
This is a very linear white with tension and acidity that kicks off at the end, giving it fantastic energy and...
JS
97
VM
93
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $242.73
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $89.12
Blackberry and blueberry aromas with hints of spice and bark. Perfumed. Full body, layered, chewy and polished. Deep...
WA
96
JS
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $95.95
This is another phenomenal Fortuna Terrae that just rolls across the palate with amazingly complex and beautiful...
JS
98
WA
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $96.28
Very complex aromas of blueberries and blackberries with hints of cheese and wet earth. Hot stones, too. Full-bodied,...
JS
97
WA
95
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $96.28
Cropped from a cooler and wetter year, the 2016 Adrianna Vineyard Fortuna Terrae was bottled with six months less...
WA
97
VM
96

Carignan Italian White Blends Malbec Zinfandel Pre-Arrival Wine

Carignan is an ancient blue-skinned grape varietal, thought to be indigenous to the Aragon region of Spain. However, today it is most commonly associated with the fine wines of southern France, and has been grown in many countries around the world which have the warm and dry conditions it requires to thrive. Carignan is recognized as being quite a sensitive vine, highly susceptible to all kinds of rot and mildew, although producing excellent results when given the right conditions and handled correctly. Its high tannin levels and acidity make the Carignan grapes very astringent, and as such, they are often used as a blending grape to give body to other, lesser bodied varietals. Despite this, with careful treatment, Carignan can produce superb single varietal wines packed full of character and unique attributes.

The purple Malbec variety grapes which now grow all over the Old and New Worlds had their origins in France, where they are one of the few grape varieties allowed to be used in the highly esteemed blended wines of Bordeaux. However, it is perhaps the New World Malbec wines which have attracted the most attention in recent years, as they thrive in hot southern climates in ways they cannot in their native country, where the damp conditions leave them highly vulnerable to rot. Malbec grapes are renowned for their high tannin content, resulting in full-bodied red wines packed with ripe, plummy flavors and held in their characteristically dark, garnet colored liquid. In many countries, Malbec is still used primarily as a varietal for blending, as it adds a great level of richness and density to other, lighter and thinner varietals. However, single variety Malbec wines have been greatly on the rise in recent years, with some fantastic results and big, juicy flavors marking them out as a great wine for matching with a wide range of foods.

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.