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750ml
Bottle:
$17.45
12 bottles:
$17.10
A single-vineyard Dolcetto from one of the region’s best areas for this variety: Montelupo Albese. Intense color,...
750ml
Bottle:
$13.93
$15.17
12 bottles:
$13.18
Sweet berries with heavy extraction. Intense ripeness with grippy, fine-grained tannins. Charming.
750ml
Bottle:
$42.17
$44.39
Aromas of pink peppercorn, fresh lime juice, white flower, and lemon cream tickle the nose. The palate veers more...
750ml
Bottle:
$51.29
$53.99
In this lowlands Tequila, fruity and peppery flavors weave harmoniously into the elongated finish. This spirit would...
750ml
Bottle:
$19.94
$20.88
12 bottles:
$19.54
The colour is ruby red, clear and transparent, with tinges of purple. The nose is fruity and winy. Full-body, rich...
750ml
Bottle:
$42.60
Rich oak, brown sugar, cherry liqueur, and black pepper notes augment the natural agave herbaceous qualities in a...
750ml
Bottle:
$33.28
12 bottles:
$32.61
Black cherry and blackberry fruit aromas lifted by floral and spice notes. Rich, ripe fruit on the palate, with a...
750ml
Bottle:
$75.60
12 bottles:
$74.09
Deep purple in color with aromas of plum, blackberry and cherry. The palate is round and warm with a hint of almond...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$21.50
The 2021 Dolcetto d'Alba Trifolè is such a gorgeous wine. Inky, deep and super-expressive, the 2021 is wonderfully...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$24.65
The 2022 Dolcetto d'Alba Trifolè is a very pleasant, easygoing wine to drink now and over the next few years. Floral...
750ml
Bottle:
$108.29
$113.99
4 bottles:
$95.99
Soft, sweet, and smooth 100% agave tequila, aged for 8 months and packaged in an heirloom quality decanter bottle...
750ml
Bottle:
$35.34
$37.20
6 bottles:
$30.71
Pink Grapefruit infused silver tequila. A beautiful light pink liquid with sweet and tart citrus flavors layered with...
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,...
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...
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...
750ml
Bottle:
$71.40
$75.16
6 bottles:
$67.19
Aged in red wine barrels for 18 months, this tawny Tequila mixes vanilla, dried cherry and cinnamon aromas. The...
750ml
Bottle:
$174.88
$184.08
TASTE: Fresh Pastry, Toasted Almond, Fig, Star Anise. AROMA: Leather Jacket, Nutmeg, Bitter Dark Chocolate. COLOR:...
750ml
Bottle:
$242.33
$255.08
TASTE: Black Cherry, Toffee, Espresso. AROMA: Molasses, Cacao Nib, Sandalwood. COLOR: Rich Copper Maple. VIBE: In a...
Dolcetto Gaglioppo Mavrodaphne Tequila
In Italian, Dolcetto means 'little sweet one' – a slightly misleading name, as the black grapes of this varietal have relatively little natural sugar and almost almost produce dry wines. However, the Dolcetto grapes are remarkably popular with those looking for a full, rounded and highly flavorful wine, and are grown extensively in their native Italy, and in many other countries around the world. Dolcetto varietal grapes tend to have quite a high level of tannin, due to their thick, black skins, and low acidity, resulting in interesting wines with a large feel in the mouth, despite being relatively light in body. They are most commonly associated with big, complex flavors such as liquorice and prunes, and are regularly described as having a finish similar to the flavor of bitter almonds.
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?
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.