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Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $383.18
This has always been one of the great wines of the vintage and one of the greatest ever produced at this estate....
WS
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $314.07
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $100.72
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $504.04
The finest bottle I’ve had of this wine (which came from the estate), the 1982 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou continues...
WA
97
JD
97
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $533.29
The finest bottle I’ve had of this wine (which came from the estate), the 1982 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou continues...
WA
97
JD
97
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $953.26
A blockbuster, dark plum/garnet-colored wine, the 1982 L’Evangile reveals a decadent, extravagantly rich nose of...
WA
98
DC
97
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $1811.57
One of the great wines of the vintage, and the last produced under the ownership of the Woltner family, the 1982 La...
WA
100
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $3921.64
The 1982 Lafite Rothschild is at the peak of its powers today, and the two bottles I drank this year were both...
WA
98
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $443.00
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $659.89
Intense aromas of kirsch, currant and spice follow through to a full-bodied palate, with round, velvety tannins and a...
WS
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $423.32

Altesse Carignan Red Bordeaux Zinfandel 1982 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.

There are few regions in the world with stricter regulations in regards to wine production and grape varietals than those found in Bordeaux, France. Here, in the home of the world's finest wines, the type and quality of grapes used is of utmost importance, and the legendary wineries which work on the banks of the Gironde river have mastered the careful art of juice blending to find the perfect balance for their produce. Whilst there are six 'official' Bordeaux grapes, the two key varietals for almost every fine Bordeaux wine are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and with good reason. Whilst Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are renowned for their acidity and astringency, strong fruit and spice flavors and full body, Merlot grapes are notably rounded, soft, fleshy and lighter on tannin. The combination of these two varietals, along with a small percentage of (commonly) Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc, is the perfect balancing act – the two grape varietals cancel out each others weaker points, and accentuate all that is good about the other.

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.